Study: Broccoli good for the heart
: "Another reason to eat the best green vegetable
Researchers at Imperial College London have found evidence a chemical in broccoli and other green leafy vegetables could boost a natural defense mechanism that protects arteries from the clogging that can cause heart attacks.
In a study funded by the British Heart Foundation charity and conducted on mice, the researchers found that sulforaphane -- a compound occurring naturally in broccoli and other brassicas -- could 'switch on' a protective protein which is inactive in parts of the arteries vulnerable to clogging.
'We know that vegetables are clearly good for you, but surprisingly the molecular mechanisms of why they are good for you have remained unknown for many years,' said Paul Evans of the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College.