Broccoli - a Cancer Fighting Vegetable

Broccoli, with its beautiful deep green clusters of tightly closed buds and crisp stalks pack a real punch for your health. Not only is broccoli a delicious vegetable it is also considered a super food that is good for your stomach. A compound found in broccoli and broccoli sprouts appear to be more efficient than antibiotics to fight the cause of peptic ulcers.

Stomach cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in the world. Scientists have found that broccoli and broccoli sprouts equally, offer a significant protection against stomach cancer. *When Phase II enzymes are "switched on" by certain compounds in the diet, the body becomes more able to detoxify the carcinogens produced by Phase I enzymes. Phase II enzymes can attack the carcinogens directly or render them inert and escort from the body.

Broccoli is a delicious vegetable that can be used in a variety of recipes for your dinner table. Excellent in salads and casseroles it is also a great on vegetable trays to serve with hot cheese dip or dipping sauces.

To kill any bacteria and brighten the color for raw broccoli salads, the buds should be blanched. Quickly dip the broccoli in boiling water for a few seconds, drain and quickly drop into ice water for a crisp and delicious bright green vegetable to add to salads.

Broccoli sprouts are delicious, nutritious and offer the same benefits as mature broccoli. Growing broccoli sprouts is easy, inexpensive and can be grown anywhere, anytime. Sprouting at home is so easy it only takes a few minutes a day. Sprouting trays are available to purchase online or at health food stores or simply use any wide mouth glass jar. A canning jar, pickle jar or candle jar that has a mouth wide enough to fit your hand into easily would be adequate.

Sprouting Directions

Measure one tablespoon of broccoli seeds into a clean wide mouth jar and cover with water. Cover the jar with cheese cloth or similar thin cloth that allows the sprouts to breath and soak for eight hours, rinse and drain well. Remove the cloth from jar to rinse and drain every eight to ten hours or two times daily. Keep the jar covered and in a cool area away from direct sunlight. Do not refrigerate while sprouting. Allow 5 to 7 days for seeds to sprout. When sprouts have grown to a few inches tall they are ready to enjoy. Rinse, drain and keep refrigerated, the sprouts should stay fresh for about two weeks.

The sprouts are delicious when added to salads, or they can be used like lettuce on sandwiches or added with other vegetables when juicing.

Source: *http://www.brassica.com/sci/ph12backgnd.htm