|
ISS
820 East 20th Street
Cookeville, TN 38501 USA
931 526 1106
Bob@sproutnet.com
中文版
En espaņol
| |
Health Benefits
of Sprouts
Steve Meyerowitz
Sprouts have long been famous as "health food" but recent research shows
that in addition to being a superb source of nutrients, they also have important
curative ability. Sprouts like alfalfa, radish, broccoli, clover and soybean
contain concentrated amounts of phytochemicals (plant compounds) that can
protect us against disease.
Studies on canavanine, an amino
acid analog in alfalfa, has demonstrated benefit for pancreatic, colon and
leukemia cancers. Plant estrogens are also abundant in sprouts. They increase
bone formation and density and prevent bone breakdown or osteoporosis. They are
also helpful in controlling hot flashes, menopause, PMS and fibrocystic breast
tumors.
Alfalfa sprouts are one of our
finest food sources of another compound, saponins. Saponins lower the bad
cholesterol and fat but not the good HDL fats. Animal studies prove their
benefit in arteriosclerosis is and cardiovascular disease. Saponins also
stimulate the immune system by increasing the activity of natural killer cells
such as T- lymphocytes and interferon. The saponin content of alfalfa sprouts
multiplies 450% over that of the unsprouted seed.
Sprouts also contain an
abundance of highly active antioxidants that prevent DNA destruction and protect
us from the ongoing effects of aging. It wouldn't be inconceivable to find a
fountain of youth here, after all, sprouts represent the miracle of birth.
Broccoli Could
Help the Brain Heal
Bob Rust
A substance found in broccoli could help preserve the integrity of a barrier
protecting the brain following injury, according to an animal study.
Research published in the Journal of Neuroscience suggests the chemical
sulforaphane, which is found in
broccoli
sprouts and other
cruciferous vegetable
sprouts,
could help boost the condition of the blood-brain barrier if it is damaged.
If the results are translated into humans, the study could come us another boost
to broccoli, which has also been labelled as a superfood due to its high
nutrient content.
Jing Zhao and his team looked at how sulforaphane treatment of uninjured and
brain-injured rats increased cortical expression of Nrf2-driven genes.
The blood-brain barrier is a membrane structure that acts primarily to protect
the brain from harmful chemicals in the blood, while still allowing essential
metabolic function.
The researchers found that: "Tight junction proteins are key to maintaining
barrier integrity, and they decline after brain injury.
"Sulforaphane attenuated the loss of these proteins as well as the loss of
endothelial cells and also reduced the injury-related increase in barrier
permeability and brain edema."
The team added that in the rats: "Administration of sulforaphane increased
activity of NF-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2). Nrf2 binds to the antioxidant
response element (ARE), influencing expression of so-called cytoprotective
proteins."
Cruciferous sprouts, such as cauliflower, broccoli, and rocket have been linked
to a series of health boosting arenas in the past.
A study in July suggested that eating more than one serving of broccoli or
cauliflower sprouts a week may reduce the risk of prostate cancer by up to 45
per cent.
Epidemiological and animal studies have shown that diets high in cruciferous
sprouts result in less instances of certain cancers, especially lung, colon,
breast and ovarian cancer, while the study suggests the veggies may also benefit
prostates.
Writing in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers from
Canada and the US reported that an increased intake of cruciferous vegetables
was associated with a 40 per cent reduction in prostate cancer risk, with
broccoli and cauliflower sprouts singled out as offering most protection.
"High intake
of cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli and cauliflower, may be associated
with reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer,"
wrote lead author Victoria Kirsh from Cancer Care Ontario. Sprouts are the
most potent stage of a plants life. Indeed they have many times the amount
of sulforaphane as mature plants.
Over half a million news cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed every year world
wide, and the cancer is the direct cause of over 200,000 deaths. More
worryingly, the incidence of the disease is increasing with a rise of 1.7 per
cent over 15 years.
For in depth information about
sprouts please visit the leafed navigation bars called
"Nutritional Analysis"
and
"Nutritional Research" above.
|
