The Value of Cruciferous Vegetables

Everyone knows the value of cruciferous vegetables, but most people don’t know why they are valuable for their heath. Here are a few quotes to clarify the matter. You might think of this article as a comment on mindful eating.

“Among the healthiest of the superfoods are the cruciferous vegetables, which include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale. (Cruciferous doesn’t refer to a property of the vegetables but rather to the petals of the plants, which grow in the shape of a cross.) High in fiber and antioxidants as well as phytonutrients, cruciferous vegetables activate the Nrf2 detox system inside cells and turn on the longevity genes.”

—Alberto Villoldo, Ph.D. from One Spirit Medicine: Ancient Ways to Ultimate Wellness

So we should add cruciferous vegetables to our diet.

“Cruciferous vegetables are twice as powerful as other plant foods. In population studies, a 20 percent increase in plant food intake generally corresponds to a 20 percent decrease in cancer rates, but a 20 percent increase in cruciferous vegetable intake corresponds to a 40 percent decrease in cancer rates.

Twenty-eight servings of vegetables per week decreases prostate cancer risk by 33 percent but just three servings of cruciferous vegetables per week decreases prostate cancer risk by 41 percent.”

Joel Fuhrman, MD from Super Immunity: The Essential Nutrition Guide for Boosting Your Body’s Defenses to Live Longer, Stronger, and Disease Free

Historically, “Broccoli originated in the Mediterranean and is mentioned in ancient Roman texts. Commonly used in Italian cooking, it first came to America when Thomas Jefferson brought it from Europe.”

When is the last time you had broccoli or cauliflower?

Books by Alberto Villoldo

One Spirit Medicine: Ancient Ways to Ultimate Wellness by Alberto Villoldo Ph.D. In the West, we’re accustomed to looking to doctors and experts to guide us in our healing, growth, and learning. Our schools, businesses, religions, and government are hierarchical. In the Amazon, however, there are no levels of management between us and Spirit. The shaman—the wis… [Read More…]