Eating cruciferous vegetables may lower inflammation

By Shereen Jegtvig NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – In a study of more than 1,000 Chinese women, those who ate the most cruciferous vegetables had substantially less inflammation than those who ate the fewest. Cruciferous vegetables include cabbage, broccoli, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, kale and cauliflower, and eating them is often encouraged as a way to lower risk for heart disease and cancer. Based on their findings, the study authors say the health benefits of these vegetables may be at least partly a result of their anti-inflammatory effects. “Our group and others have found that consumption of fruits and vegetables, particularly cruciferous vegetables, was associated with lower total mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality – however, the potential mechanisms behind this association are not well understood,” Dr. Gong Yang told Reuters Health by email.