Another reason to eat broccoli

A number of science publications picked up a story by UC Berkeley public information representative Sara Yang about research that identified yet another reason to eat broccoli. The release is posted on the ANR news Web site. Among the publications that ran the piece are ScienceDaily and Environmental News Network.

In a nutshell, Yang's story says that research has shown a compound in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, known by its acronym DIM, can fight cancer and boost the immune system.

"Researchers found increased blood levels of cytokines, proteins which help regulate the cells of the immune system, in mice that had been fed solutions containing doses of DIM at a concentration of 30 milligrams per kilogram," according to the article.

So how much broccoli would a human need to eat for immune system benefits? This is quite a technical article, but it does say that a large plateful of broccoli can yield a 5-10 micromolar dose of DIM and that, in cell cultures, a 10 micromolar dose doubled the number of white blood cells, which help the body fight infections by killing or engulfing pathogens.

If you are planning to eat more vegetables due to these research results, you'll be pleased that the federal government is planning to spend $5.5 million over the next three years to study ways to prevent outbreaks of E. coli 0157:H7 in fresh produce. The principle investigator, Rob Mandrell of the USDA-ARS, and University of California researchers also received $1.2 million from the government in 2006 to do research in California's Salinas Valley, according to an Associated Press article that was published yesterday on Forbes.com and an October 2006 story on the ANR News Web site.

Broccoli and cauliflower

Read more