Broccoli sprouts: Potent anti-cancer potential

Let's take a moment to praise broccoli

This leggy cousin of the cauliflower is packed with antioxidants and other nutrients, including vitamin C, folate, calcium, and beta carotene, and it doesn't skimp on fiber either. It also tastes great (in my opinion) whether raw, cooked, steamed, stir-fried or souped up, and it doesn't harbor pesticides  as readily as many other vegetables. It is also one of the few green foods my kids will eat, as it holds ranch dressing like no one's business.

Of course, not everyone loves the taste and texture of this stalky crucifer. But you can still get some of its nutritional benefits from another source: broccoli sprouts. These seedlings, which resemble alfalfa sprouts, provide several nutrients and have a particularly high concentration of an antioxidant called sulforaphane (much higher than full-grown broccoli). Sulforaphane is thought to boost the body's defenses against cancer, although research is still at an early stage. Now a new study has explored how eating sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprouts might curb the risk of stomach cancer.

Researchers in Japan looked at how regularly dining on broccoli sprouts affected a common stomach bacterium called Helicobacter pylori. H pylori infection doesn't always cause symptoms, but it can lead to stomach inflammation (gastritis) and ulcers. It's also considered a major risk factor for stomach cancer. Studies in animals have shown that sulforaphane from broccoli sprouts can rein in this bacterium, and also reduce inflammation and cell damage that could lead to cancer. But not much research has been done in people.

In the new study, researchers enlisted 48 men and women who had H pylori but had not been treated for it. Over eight weeks, some ate 2.5 ounces of alfalfa sprouts daily, and others ate 2.5 ounces of broccoli sprouts, which contain as much sulforaphane as two to three servings of broccoli.

Researchers monitored the participants' H pylori levels using breath, blood, and stool tests. Among those eating broccoli sprouts, H pylori levels were significantly lower at the end of the study than at the start. Levels were unchanged for those eating alfalfa sprouts. The researchers also looked at markers of inflammation in the participants' blood called pepsinogen I and II. These declined during the study for those eating broccoli sprouts, but remained the same for those eating alfalfa sprouts. However, once people stopped eating broccoli sprouts, their levels of H pylori and pepsinogen I and II eventually went back to where they were at the beginning of the study.

What you need to know. Larger studies will need to confirm these results and also explore whether eating broccoli sprouts does, in fact, lower the risk of stomach cancer. Nonetheless, these are promising findings for those of us who are fond of this sulforaphane-rich vegetable, which also provides vitamin C and calcium, among other nutrients.

If you'd like to try broccoli sprouts, consider adding them to salads, sandwiches, and any other food that you might put sprouts on. However, finding broccoli sprouts isn't always easy, as not all supermarkets carry them. If you can't buy them locally, you might try growing your own countertop crop. Many organic seed companies provide supplies and advice for getting started.

—Sophie Ramsey, patient editor, BMJ Group

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