By now the whole world has heard of the effects of broccoli on men.

Men who ate broccoli often were less likely to get prostate cancer, one of the most deadly cancers for men. Its not just a theory either, men who had the broccoli actually had a change in their genes.

When research results like this hit the headlines, don’t rush to the veggie market and expect a miracle from a few tonnes of the species Brassica oleracea.

Other “cruciferous” vegetables, such as cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, could also help prevent or slow down prostrate cancers

Broccoli Research :

• The study was made on 22 senior men at high risk for prostate cancer
• They ate 400 grams of broccoli per week for one year
• Men on the broccoli diet had greater alterations in genetic activity involved in cell signaling and cell growth–which are two pathways linked to cancer risk
• This means adding broccoli to meals might help men vulnerable to prostate cancer to lower their risk

What does this mean?

Although the observation period was too short and the numbers too small to show that the incidence of cancer actually fell, it is the first clear demonstration that broccoli and presumably other ‘cruciferous’ vegetables such as cauliflower and Brussels sprouts may well reduce cancer risk.

But there is no one ’superfood’ that can stop you developing disease.

By all means add more broccoli to his meals (and to yours) as part of your aim towards a more Mediterranean diet.

Mediterranean Diet

A study of 26,000 Greek people found just using more olive oil alone cut the risk of cancer by 9%.

Even better, just two changes - eating less red meat, and more peas, beans and lentils, cut the risk of cancer by 12%.

In this study thousands of Greek people of various ages were persuaded to record their food intake over an eight-year-period.

The Mediterranean diet came under scrutiny because of the lower rates of heart illnesses in countries such as Spain and Greece.

Following a Mediterranean diet only means eating lots of vegetables and fish, eating low amounts of red meat and limiting your alcohol to small amounts.

The latest study is one of the largest yet to look at the potential impact on cancer of the various parts of this diet.

Tags: broccoli, mediterranean diet