Are you eating this type of vegetable?

If you’re looking for a simple way to improve your health, look no further than cruciferous veggies. Cruciferous veggies come from the cabbage family and include cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, spinach, turnips, arugula, bok choy, watercress, collard greens, radishes, and kale.

While consuming a variety of veggies are important, cruciferous veggies specifically can aid your health in several ways. Let’s look at a few of these benefits:

1.    Balance hormones

Cruciferous veggies are amazing for detoxifying estrogen out of our bodies. This is important because if estrogen is not excreted, the build-up could lead to estrogen dominance and problems like PMS, insomnia, weight gain, depression, and can lead to problems for men too like low testosterone.

2.    Cancer prevention

There are compounds in cruciferous veggies that act in our bodies to lower inflammation, suppress tumor growth, and boost DNA repair. Some of these compounds include “glucosinolates” and “sulforophane.” Studies have shown that these compounds have been associated with lower risks of certain cancers like lung and colorectal cancer.

3.    Heart health

Along with glucosinolates, cruciferous veggies are high in vitamins like C, E, and K that contribute to the reduction of inflammation in our bodies and prevention of plaque in our arteries. Carotenoids (a type of phytochemical that gives color to the vegetables) also work as antioxidants to lower cholesterol and enhance heart health.

4.    Liver detoxifying

An antioxidant, glutathione, is helpful for the liver to clear out toxins because of the activation of certain enzymes. Research has shown that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can be reduced with the addition of cruciferous veggies.

5.    Gut health

They say your gut is the window to your soul (just kidding, but it is very important for all aspects of our health.) Cruciferous veggies are high in fiber, which is essential for a well-working gut. The fiber, along with the glucosinolates contained in these veggies promotes the beneficial bacteria while reducing the bad gut bacteria.

Now, it is always advisable for you to consume MORE greens. However, people with thyroid issues should take caution if consuming a lot of these veggies. This is because compounds found in cruciferous veggies can interfere with hormones produced by the thyroid gland as well as iodine production. So, if you do have a known problem with your thyroid, please seek the help of a health professional before changing your eating habits.