Bleeding edge: broccoli and brussels sprouts a cut above the rest

Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, brussels sprouts and cabbage, could play a crucial role in preventing advanced blood vessel disease.

Blood vessel disease is a condition that affects our blood vessels (arteries and veins) and can reduce the flow of blood circulating around the body. This reduction in blood flow can be due to the build-up of fatty, calcium deposits on the inner walls of our blood vessels, such as the aorta. This build-up of fatty, calcium deposits is the leading cause of having a heart attack or stroke.

Researchers from ECU’s School of Medical and Health Sciences and The University of Western Australia found women with a diet comprising more cruciferous vegetables had a lower chance of having extensive build-up of calcium on their aorta, a key marker for structural blood vessel disease.

Lead researcher Dr Lauren Blekkenhorst said, “One particular constituent found abundantly in cruciferous vegetables is vitamin K, which may be involved in inhibiting the calcification process that occurs in our blood vessels.”

Dr Blekkenhorst said women in this study who consumed more than 45 g of cruciferous vegetables every day (eg, ¼ cup of steamed broccoli or ½ cup of raw cabbage) were 46% less likely to have extensive build-up of calcium on their aorta in comparison to those consuming little to no cruciferous vegetables every day.

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