Study finds broccoli sprouts help detoxify the body

(NaturalNews) A new study from Johns Hopkins University researchers has found that broccoli sprouts have the ability to provide detoxifying effects in the body, gaining recognition from those who have previously doubted food's impact on removing toxic chemicals from the system or who have taken issue with consumption of sprouts in general.^(1,2)

Previously, many people put emphasis on the liver, noting that it alone is responsible for helping the body detox and that foods can't necessarily be of significant help.⁽¹⁾ When it comes to sprouts, many warn against food poisoning after consuming them and therefore recommend heating, which for many, is a process that turns a healthy food into one that's void of nutrients.⁽²⁾

Cancer-causing pollutants less among those who consume broccoli sprouts

However, this study found that, after 12 weeks of studying 300 people, those who had a drink made with freeze-dried broccoli sprout powder had substantially lower levels of pollutants excreted in their urine than participants who only took a placebo.⁽¹⁾

The researchers, who were attempting to study more about cancer prevention, assessed individuals living in China where poor air quality, known to wreak havoc on the body by filling it with harmful cancer-causing chemicals, exists. Specifically, one cancer-causing pollutant called benzene was found to have a detox rate that spiked up to 61 percent, and the detox rate for a different kind of carcinogen, acrolein, rose 23 percent.⁽¹⁾

Long-term health hazards of benzene exposure have been linked to an impaired immune system that increases infection risks, causes menstrual cycle irregularity and results in low birth weight.⁽³⁾ It's also been determined to cause cancer, specifically, leukemia. On a lesser, but still disturbing, level it is associated with causing tremors, vomiting and confusion.⁽⁴⁾

This finding reinforces previous John Hopkins University research findings that broccoli sprouts offered more in the way of antioxidants and cancer protection than simply ingesting broccoli alone.⁽¹⁾ In that instance, they were able to isolate a cancer-fighting phytochemical known as sulforaphane.⁽²⁾

Sources:

(1) http://www.womenshealthmag.com

(2) http://www.naturalnews.com

(3) http://www.bt.cdc.gov

(4) http://science.naturalnews.com

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Raw Michelle is a natural health blogger and researcher, sharing her passions with others, using the Internet as her medium. She discusses topics in a straight forward way in hopes to help people from all walks of life achieve optimal health and well-being. She has authored and published hundreds of articles on topics such as the raw food diet and green living in general. >>> Click here to see more by Michelle