| Indole-3-carbinol is found in highest concentrations in broccoli, but is also found in other cruciferous vegetables, such as cauliflower, cabbage, and kale. lndole-3-carbinol has been used in connection with the following conditions (refer to the individual health concern for complete information):
Rating Health Concerns kkit Cancer prevention (page 87) (cervical cancer)
How much is usually taken?
Based upon preliminary studies it is estimated that the minimum amount required for the prevention of breast cancer (page 65) is 300 to 400 mg daily.26
Are there any side effects or interactions? |
| Protective effects of cruciferous vegetables were thought to be due to their high concentration of the carotenoids lutein (page 548) and zeaxanthin, as well as theit stimulatory effects on the breakdown of environmental carcinogens associated with prostate cancer.9
Meat and how it is cooked
Meat contains high amounts of arachidonic acid. Some by-products of arachidonic acid have promoted prostate cancer in animals. |
| In a preliminary human study, people who eat cruciferous vegetables were reported to have lower-than-average risks for colon cancer.25
Meat and how it is cooked
Most, but not all, studies26 show meat eaters have a high risk of colon cancer.27'28,29 In some colon cancer studies, the association has been limited to consumption of sausage or other processed meats.30'31
The association between cancer and consumption of meat depends in part on how well the meat is cooked. Well-done meat contains more carcinogenic material than does lightly cooked meat. |
| In a preliminary human study, people who ate cruciferous vegetables were reported to have a lower-than-average risk for bladder cancer.27
Meat (how it is cooked) and childhood cancers In one report, high consumption of hot dogs was associated with an almost tenfold increase in the risk of childhood leukemia when compared with low consumption.28 In another report, maternal consumption of hot dogs and childhood consumption of hamburgers or hot dogs at least once per week were associated with a doubling of the risk of cancers in children. |
Gabriel Cousens, M.D.
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 Eating high-sulfur foods with fatty foods like avocado or nuts and seeds creates an interesting energetic balance, especially with the cruciferous vegetables and pungent onions, garlic, and chili peppers.
Zinc
Zinc is very important in the functioning of the pancreas, as well as the male genital function especially prostrate gland, sperm production, and even genital formation. It is highest in the thyroid and sexual organs. Zinc occurs in the highest percentage in the prostrate gland. |
Neal D. Barnard and Bryanna Clark Grogan
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 The same goes for cruciferous vegetables. Yes, we all love a stalk of fresh broccoli from the crudites tray, but if that gives you digestive trouble, cook vegetables until you can easily pierce them with a fork.
It goes without saying that you want to avoid dairy products and sugar. Dairy products, of course, are already off the list, but digestive problems are yet another reason to steer clear of them, as you saw in Chapter 4. The lactose (milk sugar) that makes up fully 55 percent of the calories in fat-free milk causes many people to have gas, cramps, and diarrhea. Here is why. |
James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, N.D.
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 Drink several glasses daily of a variety of juices, especially those made from cruciferous vegetables, black radishes, cabbage, greens (such as wheatgrass), and carrots.
Food to Avoid
Do not consume raw eggs; unpasteurized milk, cheese, or cider; or rare meat. All of these products can contain harmful bacteria. In people who have compromised immune systems, these bacteria can lead to septicemia, an extremely dangerous and often fatal condition.
Cut out junk food, fried food, sugar, and alcohol, all of which suppress your immune system and tax your entire body. |
Michael T. Murray
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 Green Leafy and cruciferous vegetables?2 to 4 Servings Daily
Alfalfa sprouts Beet greens Bok choy Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbage Cauliflower Chard
Chinese cabbage Collard greens
Dandelion Endive Escarole Kale
Lettuce (the darker, the better)
Mustard greens
Parsley
Spinach
Turnip greens
Watercress
Low-Glycemic-Load Vegetables? |
James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, N.D.
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| To fight HIV or AIDS, include cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, and others) in your diet.
Drink a glass of clean water every two waking hours. Make sure the water is from a good source, to avoid bacteria and parasite infection.
Jr\ne clinical V-r/^trial found that HIV-positive men who took a multivitamin-mineral supplement had a slower onset of AIDS, as compared to men who did not take a supplement. |
| Sulforaphane
Description: Sulforaphane is a phytonutrient found in broccoli sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables. It has potent antioxidant effects, supports healthy detoxification, and improves estrogen balance.
Indications: Cancer prevention
Detoxification Precautions: There are no known side effects. Dosage: Take 400 mg daily.
Taurine
Description: Taurine is an amino acid-like substance that is an important part of bile for fat absorption. It is also essential for the development of the nervous system and for heart function. |
| For example, two phytochemicals found in cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli and cauliflower), known as indole-3 carbinol and sulforaphane, help the body to metabolize toxins and are associated with preventing certain types of cancers. Flavonoids, found in citrus fruits, protect us against heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Many phytochemicals are powerful antioxidants that protect against cell damage and environmental pollutants. Others also help cells to detoxify more efficiently. For example, green vegetables are high in chlorophyll, a potent detoxifying phytochem-ical. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 We have two different elements in there from the cruciferous vegetables like indoplex and indole-3-carbinol.
When the body breaks down estrogen in the liver, it will produce either a good kind of estrogen breakdown product or a bad kind. Just like we have a good and bad kind of cholesterol, we have a good and bad kind of estrogen. The indole-3-carbinol or DIM helps promote the good kind.
Like your main supply, the good kind is something that does not promote the growth of breast cancer and is protective. The bad kind is something that does promote the growth of it. |
Patrick Quillin, PhD,RD,CNS
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 Since then, the active ingredient "indoles" have been isolated from cruciferous vegetables and found to be very protective against cancer. Scientists at Johns Hopkins University found that lab animals fed cruciferous vegetables and then exposed to the deadly carcinogen aflatoxin had a 90 percent reduction in their cancer rate.10
Cruciferous vegetables are able to increase the body's production of glutathione peroxidase, which is one of the more important protective enzyme systems in the body.
-Mushrooms. Gourmet chefs have long prized various mushrooms for their subtle and exotic flavors. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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| If you eat cruciferous vegetables or take the supplement, you can actually measure these breakdown products in your urine and see a positive change in it in 24 to 48 hours.
Mike: Many women who are about to undergo breast cancer treatment protocol hear the same thing from their oncologist: Don't take antioxidants. It'll ruin the chemotherapy.
Horner:Yes. That's totally not true. It's such a problem. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 Nutrients in cruciferous vegetables found to induce death of cancer cells http://www.newstarget.com/020839. |
Patrick Quillin, PhD,RD,CNS
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| Lee Wattenberg, PhD of the University of Minnesota found in the 1970s that animals fed cruciferous vegetables had markedly lower cancer rates than matched controls. Since then, the active ingredient "indoles" have been isolated from cruciferous vegetables and found to be very protective against cancer. Scientists at Johns Hopkins University found that lab animals fed cruciferous vegetables and then exposed to the deadly carcinogen aflatoxin had a 90 percent reduction in their cancer rate. |
James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, N.D.
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| Indole-3 Carbinol
Description: Indole-3 carbinol is a phytonutrient found in cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, and kale. Preliminary research has demonstrated anticancer properties. It also supports healthy estrogen metabolism. Studies have shown that it stopped or reduced the formation of precancerous lesions of the respiratory tract and the cervix of the uterus.
Indications: Cancer prevention
Cervical dysplasia
Estrogen metabolism Precautions: There are no known side effects. Dosage: Take 400 mg daily. |
Patrick Holford
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 Broccolini is by far the richest source discovered, followed by broccoli and Brussels sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables. Glucosinolates have this profound anticancer effect by helping the liver detoxify.
In an ingenious study, volunteers were given Brussels sprouts that had their glucosinolates removed, versus regular Brussels sprouts. Those eating the regular Brussels sprouts had 30 percent more active liver enzyme function, showing just how powerful glucosinolates are for boosting your ability to detoxify. |
Steven G. Pratt, M.D. and Kathy Matthews
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 The strong smell that broccoli, cabbage, and other cruciferous vegetables share comes from the sulfur compounds that protect the plant as well as you. The strong, sometimes bitter taste and smell of these vegetables protect them from insects and animals.
The particular compounds in broccoli that are so effective against cancer include the phytochemicals, sulforaphane, and the indoles. Sulforaphane is a remarkably potent compound that fights cancer on various fronts. |
Patrick Holford
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| In addition, eat plenty of cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. These vegetables are rich in a family of nutrients called glucosinolates, which are particularly supportive of glutathione conjugation and glucuronidation. The final key factor in supporting the detoxification pathways is maintaining the right acid-alkaline balance in the body—that is, it should not be too acid. |
Mark Hyman, M.D.
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 Eat at least one cup of cruciferous vegetables daily (broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, bok choy).
• Include as much garlic as possible in your diet—or take it as a supplement.
• Eat high-quality sulfur-containing proteins: eggs, whey protein (obtainable in health food stores), garlic, and onions.
• Drink decaffeinated green tea in the morning.
• Try fresh vegetable juices, including carrot, celery, beet, parsley, and ginger.
• Season food with rosemary, which contains carnosol, a potent booster of detoxification enzymes. |
| For example, cruciferous vegetables (such as cauliflower and cabbage) contain the compounds known as sulfurophanes, isothio-cyanates, and indole-3-carbinol. All three can activate beneficial functions in the body, can improve detoxification by the liver, and can activate certain liver enzymes such as glutathione-S-transferase, which helps your body detoxify from pollution and toxic waste. They can also help neutralize cancerous compounds, support the liver's ability to process hormones, and reduce the carcinogenic estrogens produced by the liver. |
Arthur C. Upton, M.D.
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| These include isothiocyanates, found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower; tannins, found in Chinese green teas; and triterpenoids and isoflavones, found in licorice-root extract and cruciferous vegetables. To what extent these substances and vitamins confer anticancer benefits is under study; present data are very limited and insufficient to allow strong statements to be made about their protective effects.
These dietary compounds are thought to block the action of cancer-causing chemicals. |
Bill Gottlieb
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 All the cruciferous vegetables contain compounds called indoles, which help break down estrogen more efficiently so it doesn't build up in the system and depress or destroy testosterone," Dr. Shippen says. He recommends eating three or four servings of cruciferous vegetables a week.
He emphasizes that supplements are no substitute for the vegetables themselves, but if the thought of regular servings of those things curdles your tastebuds, take heart. There is an alternative: You can take an in-dole-containing supplement. Follow the dosage recommendations on the label. |
Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
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 What are these supertasters missing? cruciferous vegetables are chock-full of several important cancer-fighting compounds, including indoles, natural free radical scavengers that can deactivate potential carcinogens. In addition, indoles can weaken potent estrogens which can promote the growth of estrogen sensitive breast tumors. cruciferous vegetables also contain another powerful anticancer compound, sulforaphane, which stimulates the body to produce cancer-fighting enzymes. |
| If you were the kind of kid who was perfectly willing to forgo dessert as long as you didn't have to eat your veggies, and if even today you can't stomach the thought of broccoli, kale, and other cruciferous vegetables, you're in good company. About 25 percent of the population has an inherited aversion to the bitter taste of cruciferous vegetables. Researchers have dubbed these people "supertasters" because they are highly sensitive to certain flavors. |
Neal Barnard, M.D.
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 But do not limit yourself to these because carotenoids and other vital nutrients are in green and yellow vegetables, too. The cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and kale, also deserve special mention. They stimulate your liver to make enzymes that eliminate damaging chemicals such as the hydrocarbons that are common in air pollution. cruciferous vegetables can begin your protection within just a day or two. |
Ralph Golan, M.D.
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 Allhyl sulfides from garlic, onions, leeks, and chives; dithiolthiones from broccoli; and isothiocyanates from cabbage, cauliflower, kale, brussels sprouts, col-lards, and other cruciferous vegetables trigger the formulation of glutathione S-transferase, an important enzyme involved in protecting a cell's DNA (genetic material) from carcinogens. Isoflavones from soybeans and other legumes block estrogen stimulation of cells, which may reduce the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Indoles from cruciferous vegetables also render estrogen less effective. |
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
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 Quercetin is one of the most abundant flavonoids and is readily available in many foods and beverages, including apples, berries, cruciferous vegetables, onions, red wine, tea, and many nuts and seeds. Quercetin provides cardiovascular protection, helps to prevent cataracts, and has anticancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic, antihistamine, and antiviral properties. In addition, it offers protection from ulcers. Quercetin has been shown to have activity against HIV, herpes simplex virus type 1, polio virus type 1, respiratory syncytial virus, and parainfluenza virus type 3. |
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