Studies find broccoli may benefit immune system and skin
Two separate pieces of research have found that broccoli may be even better for us than previously thought.
A study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, has found that a chemical produced when broccoli is chewed may help to improve a person's immune response.
Mice which were given the chemical 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM) in their feed produced higher levels of proteins called cytokines, which are important in the regulation of cells in the immune system.
The chemical, which is also found in cabbage, may therefore act "as a protective agent against major human maladies", according to Professor Leonard Bjeldanes, principal investigator on the study, which is published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry.
Meanwhile, a separate study by scientists at Johns Hopkins has revealed that another chemical derived from broccoli, sulforaphane, can help to prevent the severe skin blistering brought on by the genetic disease epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS).
The study, which is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that the chemical may stimulate the formation of a type of keratin protein, which helps to make the skin more durable.
Two separate pieces of research have found that broccoli may be even better for us than previously thought.
