Be honest – when’s the last time you went a little crazy and had a cruciferous vegetable?  If it’s been awhile, it’s time to change that – your health depends on it. 

Cruciferous vegetables are a group of vegetables of the family Brassicaceae (also called Cruciferae) with many species and cultivars.  These nutrient-loaded veggies are excellent sources of various vitamins, minerals, fiber, and disease-fighting phytochemicals, all important components we need daily to improve our health. Some of the nutrients they are highest in include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid, potassium, iron, and selenium. 

Examples of cruciferous vegetables include the following:

·Arugula

·Bok choy

·Broccoli

·Brussel sprouts

·Cabbage

·Collard greens

·Kale

·Mustard greens

·Radishes

·Red cabbage

·Rutabagas

·Swiss chard

·Turnips and turnip greens

·Watercress

What can they do for our health?

Cruciferous veggies are fortunately available year round and can be eaten steamed, raw, sautéed or roasted. Whether serving roasted Brussel sprouts, mixing broccoli and cauliflower with spaghetti for an easy pasta primavera, or mixing greens into a salad, cruciferous vegetables can be easily incorporated into any meal. 

These vegetables are well-known for their health-promoting properties.  Here are some examples of why cruciferous vegetables are always at the top of lists for fighting various health conditions:

·Lowers cancer risk

Want to help reduce your risk of cancer – bring more cruciferous vegetables to your plate.  Several studies over the years have shown cruciferous vegetables to be a player in providing protection against cancer.  This is due thanks to their unique blend of sulfur rich compounds called glucosinolates, responsible for their distinctive smell when cooked and their somewhat bitter taste.  Sulforaphane, a type of isothiocyanate mostly associated with broccoli, is one of the most studied compounds formed from glucosinolates. Both of these compounds have been shown to have the ability to stop the growth of cancer cells in tumors of the breast, uterine lining, lung, colon, liver, and cervix according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.  

·Promote eye health

Cruciferous vegetables are healthy for our eyes.  They contain a pigment called carotenoids giving certain produce their range of colors from yellow to reddish orange and are chemical relatives of beta-carotene.  Carotenoids can help prevent diseases related to the eye such as glaucoma or macular degeneration.

·Enhances the immune system

Cruciferous veggies are loaded with vitamin K and C which helps to regulate the immune system when you are sick or injured. A healthy, well-functioning immune system serves us best to fight off infections or other foreign substances that want to cause us harm.

·High in fiber

Consuming 100 calories worth of these veggies will provide about 25-40% of your daily fiber needs.  Most of us tend to be low in our fiber intake.  When we boost our intake of fiber, this can improve digestion, prevent constipation, aid in weight loss, and prevents hemorrhoids.

Consume raw or cooked? Which is best?

It is recommended that eating cruciferous vegetables in any form as opposed to not eating them at all is advised.  However, there is a difference whether cruciferous vegetables are eaten raw or cooked and the availability of certain compounds. 

If cruciferous vegetables are consumed raw, the enzymes in them will remain active and are more likely to be absorbed in the upper GI tract, transported to the liver and made available to other tissues in the body.

If consumed cooked, the enzyme activity is nearly nonexistent and the digestive products are more likely to pass through the upper GI tract unabsorbed continuing on into the lower GI tract or colon to be metabolized by bacteria.  This has been shown to help reduce the risk for colon cancer. 

To increase the enzyme activity to benefit the upper GI tract with cooked vegetables, it is recommended to allow the vegetables to sit for several minutes after chopping prior to cooking. 

Maximizing the most from cruciferous vegetables

Cruciferous veggies are fortunately available year round and can be eaten steamed, raw, sautéed or roasted. Whether serving roasted Brussel sprouts, mixing broccoli and cauliflower with spaghetti for an easy pasta primavera, or mixing greens into a salad, cruciferous vegetables can be easily incorporated into any meal. 

To maximize taste and nutrition, here are some tips for buying and cooking cruciferous vegetables:

·Avoid overcooking.  If overcooked, they can produce a strong sulfur odor and become unappealing.

·Experiment with cruciferous vegetables by buying several types of frozen or fresh at your grocery store.

·Add raw broccoli or cauliflower florets or shredded red cabbage to a salad to boost nutrient content big time.

·Add chopped cruciferous veggies to soups, stews, and casseroles.

·Get your creative cooking juices flowing by trying out the following recipes utilizing cruciferous vegetables:

·Broccoli and cheese penne recipe

·Sweet and sour cabbage soup with dill

·Roasted Brussel sprouts

·Cauliflower and arugula soup recipe

·Roasted rutabaga

·Mashed turnips and sage recipe