Everyone knows that eating vegetables has profound health benefits. But, like all foods, not all vegetables are created the same. A few vegetables appear to be downright “miracle” foods.
Sulforaphane is a phytochemical abundant in cruciferous vegetables, and it’s been getting a ton of attention from researchers. But it all starts with glucoraphanin.
These plants convert glucoraphanin to sulforaphane through an enzyme process when they detect damage from insects, or are cut or chewed.
It just so happens that cruciferous vegetables contain a remarkable amount of glucoraphanin. That makes them powerhouses of nutrition, thanks to the list of benefits this phytochemical has for human beings.

In this study, Talalay and his team explored and confirmed the anticarcinogenic properties of broccoli and sulforaphane. So excited was the world at large, his findings were even featured in The New York Times.
Since then Talalay has dedicated years to researching sulforaphane, going so far as to found The Brassica Chemoprotection Laboratory, no doubt helping inspire future generations of scientists who want to know the truth about what the plants and their compounds can do for the betterment of humanity.
With that in mind, here are the top ten reasons to eat your cruciferous vegetables.

1. Anti-Cancer Benefits
Sulforaphane is increasingly referred to as an anti-cancer compound. This reputation is linked mainly to sulforaphane’s potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, not dissimilar to turmeric (curcumin). In fact, one promising preclinical study found that the combination of sulforaphane, aspirin, and curcumin was effective for the chemoprevention of pancreatic cancer.It doesn’t stop there, however. Sulforaphane has been studied for the prevention and treatment of several types of cancer, including stomach, bladder, breast, prostate, lung, colon, and skin.
- Evidence supports high intakes of Brassica vegetables reduce prostate cancer risk
- Potent doses of broccoli sprout extract activate a “detoxification” gene and may help prevent cancer recurrence in survivors of head and neck cancer
- Cruciferae contains extracts that are effective at inhibiting lung adenocarcinomas (a malignant tumor formed from glandular structures in epithelial tissue), colon polyps, and skin cancer
- In skin cancer research, the protection offered by sulforaphane “against a carcinogen in humans is catalytic and long lasting.”
- Broccoli sprouts have been found to be as a rich source of antioxidants that improve the defensive system against oxidative stress in the human colon. In fact, in a 2015 study, 57.33 percent reduction in oxidative DNA damage in NCM460 cells due to treatment with digested broccoli spout extract was observed.
- Combined sulforaphane and selenium treatment enhanced protection against free radical-mediated cell death provided by the co-treatment.

2. Depression Relief
Cruciferae and sulforaphane may also have a significant benefit for depression. An animal study published in 2015 found sulforaphane “has antidepressant and anxiolytic-like [anxiety reducing] activities in stressed mice model of depression, which likely occurs by inhibiting the hypothalamic.”
3. Pain Relief
This is some evidence that sulforaphane may have significant value in pain or pain management. A 2000 study on female fibromyalgia patients reported that the combination of ascorbigen (derived from Vitamin C) and broccoli powder “reduces pain sensitivity and improves quality of life” for patients suffering from this challenging condition.4. Cardioprotection
Cardiovascular problems remain a top health concern, especially in the United States. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is on the rise, with Ischemia-Reperfusion (I/R) injury, such as heart attack, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease) and hypertension being the main components.Sulforaphane may also protect arteries from disease by boosting a natural defense mechanism in the body.

5. Antioxidants
It’s well known that cruciferous vegetables, especially broccoli, are a superior source of antioxidants. There are almost 300 studies on PubMed alone, referring to these vegetables and antioxidants.In 2015, broccoli sprout extract was again found highly effective in reducing oxidative stress. In this case, it was found to assist with healthy liver function.

6. Protection From and Elimination of Toxins
There are so many toxic substances present in our lives. Fortunately, cruciferous veggies and their sulforaphane rich tissues can help, as noted in several studies. In 2014, a randomized clinical trial recruited 291 participants from a rural area of China, an area known for high levels of air pollution. The nonplacebo group consumed a broccoli sprout-derived beverage providing daily doses of 600µmol glucoraphanin and 40 µmol sulforaphane over a 12-week period. Essentially, they were given a concentrated extract of cruciferous vegetables for three months. Urine testing found “rapid and sustained, statistically significant” increases in the elimination of toxic substances in those drinking the beverage over the placebo group.7. Type II Diabetes and Insulin Resistance Support
It’s generally recognized that diet and exercise can profoundly assist with the prevention and treatment of Type II Diabetes. However, sulforaphane and consuming cruciferous vegetables, have shown specific positive results.Other studies have demonstrated similar results, showing decreased oxidative stress and insulin resistance and that “[sulforaphane] could prevent nephropathy, diabetes-induced fibrosis, and vascular complications,” further empowering those with Type II Diabetes.

8. Helicobacter Pylori Support
The bacteria Helicobacter pylori is most famously associated with stomach ulcers, and, in many cases, gastric cancer. Our sulforaphane-laden cruciferous friends help eliminate the colonization of this organism in our bodies. This is most clearly demonstrated in a 2009 study:“Forty-eight H. pylori-infected patients were randomly assigned to feeding of broccoli sprouts (70 g/d; containing 420 micromol of SF precursor) for 8 weeks or to consumption of an equal weight of alfalfa sprouts (not containing SF) as placebo. Intervention with broccoli sprouts, but not with placebo, decreased the levels of urease measured by the urea breath test and H. pylori stool antigen (both biomarkers of H. pylori colonization) and serum pepsinogens I and II (biomarkers of gastric inflammation).”While the sulforaphane had measurable, positive results during the testing, levels reverted to their original amounts after the study. This indicates that continued consumption of the broccoli sprouts is necessary for continued benefits.
9. Alzheimer’s Applications
Studies suggest that sulforaphane might be a promising therapeutic agent for cognitive enhancement in Alzheimer’s disease. In 2015, researchers looked at the effects of sulforaphane compounds via the administration of broccoli sprout juices of varying concentrations. They reported positive effects against the measures of two major factors implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s, as well as up-regulation in the intracellular glutathione content and the activity of antioxidant enzymes—both of which may contribute to improved tissue detoxification and function.
10. Anti-Inflammatory Benefits
Dysfunctional inflammation is increasingly seen as a root factor in the development of chronic illness and disease. In some form or another, a body that is unwell is inflamed. Luckily, nature has provided us with several remedies for this scourge of our times.A recent cell-based study, published in 2016 reported that “clear evidence that pre-treatment with sulforaphane completely restored the antioxidant status and prevented inflammatory responses.” They went on to say that “the protection offered by sulforaphane against acrolein-induced damage in PBMC is attributed to its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory potential.”
More and more data suggests that sulforaphane may be useful as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of inflammatory conditions and diseases.
This is not, by far, an exhaustive list of the known benefits of eating your cruciferous veggies. Studies even show sulforaphane has benefits for autism, which reportedly affects around 2 percent of Americans (mostly males) and costs the United States about $100 billion, annually.
“The rationale for a clinical trial of sulforaphane in autism was based on evidence that autism is characterized by oxidative stress, depressed antioxidant capacity, and mitochondrial dysfunction. These pathological processes are antagonized by sulforaphane.”Seems they were right because the resulting randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, where they examined the effects of sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprout extract on autistic patients, revealed ‘dramatic’ improvement in 65 percent of those receiving it. These improvements diminished in the four weeks following the dosing period, solidifying the observed benefits of continued consumption.
This just goes to show, the tremendous benefits of eating your sulforaphane-rich cruciferous vegetables should not be underestimated. Instead, take advantage of this bounty from nature by making them a regular part of your diet.