Broccoli can reduce the risk of liver cancer and also prevent the development of fatty liver, says a new study. Studies have linked broccoli consumption to reducing the risk of certain types of cancer, including breast, colon and prostate cancers. The researchers at the University of Illinois wanted to study if broccoli is linked to liver cancer, fatty liver, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
‘Broccoli has been associated with a lower risk of certain types of cancer. The sulfur-containing compound called sulforaphane in broccoli is attributed to the cancer-fighting capacity.
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The diet of most of the people are high in saturated fats and added sugars, which are stored in the liver and can be converted to body fat. High consumption of fat, sugar and having excess body fat is linked to the development of NAFLD, which can lead to diseases such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. Researcher Elizabeth Jeffery, said, “We called this a Westernized style diet in the study because we wanted to model how so many of us are eating today.”
The researchers studied the impact of broccoli in mice with a known cancer-causing carcinogen. Four groups of mice have been investigated. Some were on a control diet, some on the Westernized diet and some were given or not given broccoli.
The results of the study showed that in mice on the Westernized diet both the numbers of cancer nodules and the size of the cancer nodules increased in the liver. However, when broccoli was included in the diet, the number of nodules decreased and the size was not affected.
The study appears in Journal of Nutrition.
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