Broccoli is said to provide special cholesterol-lowering benefits by binding to bile acids in the digestive tract. The theory is that such bile acids are then excreted, thus lowering cholesterol. The evidence for this is scarce, but ironically if broccoli does indeed lower cholesterol this goes against your good health.
A widespread myth of our age is that cholesterol is bad for health and that you should keep cholesterol low in both your food and in your body. This is nonsense; all the latest research shows that we need a high level of cholesterol in the body for optimum health.
There is indeed a relationship between the level of cholesterol in the blood and the risk of heart disease. But this relationship is the opposite to what you may think. Here is the truth:
The higher the level of blood cholesterol, the lower the risk of heart disease.
The lower the level of blood cholesterol, the higher the risk of heart disease.
Clogged arteries are not caused by high blood cholesterol. Clogged arteries are formed by damaged LDL particles (among other things). LDL is the 'wrapper' and inside the wrapper there is cholesterol. LDL carries cholesterol to where it is needed in the body. The evidence that we need plenty of cholesterol is now overwhelming.
"The body uses cholesterol to help build cell membranes, the covering of nerve sheaths, and it makes up much of the brain. It’s a key building block for our hormone production, and without it you would not be able to maintain adequate levels of testosterone, estrogen, progesterone and cortisol". Source: Mark Hyman, MD, Why Cholesterol May Not Be the Cause Of Heart Disease, www.drhyman.com.
*
"Cholesterol is a desperately important brain nutrient and is critical for the function of brain neurons. It acts as a brain antioxidant and also a precursor to important brain supportive elements like vitamin D, as well as the steroid hormones. Most importantly, cholesterol serves as an important fuel for neurons. Neurons themselves are unable to generate significant cholesterol and rely upon delivery of cholesterol from the blood stream". Source: Dr. David Perlmutter, MD, Grain Brain, Little Brown and Company, USA, 2013.
When the LDL wrapper is damaged (by free radicals) it gets waylaid into arteries and becomes stuck to artery walls; this is how LDL contributes to clogged arteries. The cholesterol inside the LDL wrapper 'unwittingly' gets caught up in arterial plaque by virtue of being inside damaged LDL particles. So cholesterol is an innocent party with regard to clogged arteries and heart disease.
The question is: what causes LDL particles to become damaged, and hence waylaid into arterial plaque? The answer in fact is quite simple:
Processed carbohydrates and/or stress cause glucose spikes in the blood. The glucose spikes cause LDL cholesterol to become damaged and oxidized. And the damaged/oxidized LDL cholesterol accumulates in arteries to cause arterial plaque.
Note: processed carbs (as opposed to real, natural food) include sugar, pastries, bread, waffles, chocolate, sweets, ice-cream, bagels (you get the picture). Stress becomes harmful when it is sufficiently severe to make you breathless and/or sweaty, however little. Harmful stress has a direct impact on the body, causing LDL particles to become oxidized and damaged, thus contributing to arterial plaque.
How exactly does a glucose spike in the blood (as a result of eating processed carbs) cause clogged arteries? Technically what happens is that when blood glucose goes up, some of those glucose molecules stick to protein molecules without the involvement of an enzyme (referred to as glycation). This damages the protein molecules by making them unrecognisable to the brain and other body organs.
"Glycation is the bonding of a protein or lipid molecule with a sugar molecule, such as fructose or glucose, without the controlling action of an enzyme" (Wikipedia).
Glycation causes a cascade of free radicals in the blood stream. These free radicals bump into LDL particles in the bloodstream causing them to become damaged. Once LDL is damaged, the LDL package with its cholesterol is doomed. Oxidative stress (oxidation) will eventually set in. What happens is that highly oxidizing side-products (as a result of glycation) will starve the LDL package of oxygen by breaking down its tissue, hence the term 'oxidative stress'. The damaged LDL continues cruising the arteries until sticking to any slight imperfection, point of inflammation or even a sharp bend in an artery or vein.
Coming back to broccoli, the point here is that if this nefarious vegetable robs your body of cholesterol (as is widely claimed), this is in fact is bad for health.
To summarize this point, the amount of cholesterol in the blood has no impact on clogged arteries; in fact the higher the level of cholesterol in the blood the better for health. What counts is the amount of LDL particles that become damaged by free radicals. The main cause of free radicals comes from the diet, i.e. from the consumption of processed carbs.
Cholesterol in the body is never harmful, under any circumstances. But when the LDL carrying the cholesterol becomes damaged and oxidized, the LDL gets caught up in plaque formation. At this point the cholesterol is still intact inside the damaged LDL. So the cholesterol gets taken into arterial plaque by virtue of being inside the damaged LDL (not because the cholesterol itself has somehow gone rogue).
Note: as the plaque builds up over time, the cholesterol inside the plaque becomes hardened or 'crystallizes' with age. This crystallized cholesterol can eventually make the plaque break off from the arterial wall and become stuck in a smaller artery or vein, thus blocking blood flow (known as a heart attack or stroke). So although the hardened cholesterol may be blamed somewhat for the plaque breaking away from the arterial wall, such cholesterol cannot be blamed for the presence and build up of plaque.
If you have any doubts about whether high cholesterol is good or bad, you are urged to visit the following web page which covers this subject in greater detail:
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/ciencia/ciencia_industryhealthiermedica172.htm
Another myth is that broccoli acts to 'detoxify' the body by virtue of having glucosinolates. This, of course is nonsense. You cannot 'detoxify' the body whatever you do. 'Detoxification' is not a recognized medical concept, although of course it is understood that we are talking about expelling toxins from the body.
Many studies show that so-called detoxification is a myth. Those who peddle detoxification remedies are nothing but snake-oil merchants. You are urged to see an excellent article on this subject titled 'The Detoxification Myth' by Brian Dunning at: http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4083. Dunning rightly debunks the many detoxification remedies and therapies that abound, and concludes that "the body already has nature's most effective detoxification system. It's called the liver. The liver changes the chemical structure of foreign compounds so they can be filtered out of the blood by the kidneys, which then excrete them in the urine".
Eating broccoli will not detoxify anything. If you feel your body is full of junk and that you need a good 'spring clean', you should avoid junk food, smoking, drinking, drugs, and environmental pollutants. In other words, you should avoid junk food and toxic substances and let your body take its natural course to clean you out. You clean out your body by what you avoid, not by eating some particular food, and certainly not by following some particular kind of 'detox diet'.
To claim that glucosinolates in broccoli offer some kind of health benefit is indeed perverse because they can interfere with iodine absorption and be linked to certain types of thyroid dysfunction. Also, as you will see in a moment, glucosinolates in BV's (brassica vegetables) do not combat cancer. But even if they where to combat cancer (which is unproven) they can only do it by feminizing the body in a harmful way (more about this in the next section).
Here is a brief introduction to glucosinolates:
Glucosinolates are compounds used by plants to defend themselves against being eaten. They are antinutrients. Over millions of years plants have evolved defence mechanisms so that they can survive and multiply. Metaphorically, plants don't want to be eaten, but they do want their fruit/berries to be eaten. When animals eat fruit, the seeds in the fruit pass through the body and are dropped on the ground to propagate. This is why fruit is usually attractive, sweet tasting and free of antinutrients. But the plants themselves, such as brassica vegetables, have evolved to have antinutrients that discourage their actual 'bodies' from being eaten.
For a detailed technical description of glucosinolates simply look them up on Wikipedia. Here is an extract:
"Glucosinolates occur primarily in brassica vegetables. There are about 132 known glucosinolates. The use of glucosinolate-containing crops as a primary food source for animals has negative effects. Some glucosinolates have been shown to have toxic effects (mainly as goitrogens) in both humans and animals at high doses. The glucosinolate sinigrin, among others, was shown to be responsible for the bitterness of cooked cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Glucosinolates have been shown to alter animal eating behavior. Plants producing large amounts of glucosinolates are under basic research for potential actions against cancer, with sulforaphane from broccoli being the best known example". Source: Wikipedia.org.
Plant-based foods (as opposed to animal-based foods) are full of compounds that we need in small amounts to stay healthy and alive. Many of these compounds would be bad for health in large amounts. Almost all kinds of medicines, drugs and the like originate from plant sources; they have been synthesised, altered, manipulated and packaged as medicines. Currently, medical research is trying to do this with glucosinolates.
Plants are the original source materials for as many as 40% of the pharmaceuticals in use in the United States today. This is to say that either the drugs currently contain plant-derived materials, or synthesised materials from agents originally derived from plants. Classic examples include the cancer drug Taxol (from Taxus Brevifolia) and the anti-malarial quinine from Cinchona Pubescens, that are manufactured from plants. But there are countless other medical products that derive from plant compounds directly or indirectly.
Plant medicines remain indispensable to modern pharmacology and clinical practice. Much of the current drug discovery and development process is plant-based, and new medicines derived from plants are inevitable.
The point here is that glucosinolates from BV's may well be developed into some kind of cancer drug, but it does not follow that the consumption of actual BV's (as a way of obtaining glucosinolates) is in any way healthy or effective. Many plants that offer valuable medicinal properties are not edible. For example Alexandrian Senna is a plant valued for its medicinal laxative effect and modern science has used its extract in many medicines, yet it is not edible as a food source.
In fact, there is no credible research or human trials showing that the consumption of glucosinolates in brassica vegetables is healthy or that such consumption helps to combat cancer.
At this point you may well ask: why is it that the consumption of BV's such as broccoli is recommended so often? Why is broccoli regarded so widely as a so-called super-food?
The answer is mainly due to three things: (1) there is confusion about glucosinolates, (2) the nutritional value of BV's is vastly overrated, and (3) the negative aspects of BV's are not widely known.
Confusion about glucosinolates arises because some glucosinolates are shown (in a laboratory) to have anti-oxidant properties that fight cancer. Such research is based on testing certain synthesised glucosinolates on animals and seeing what happens. This has led to some studies concluding tentatively that eating glucosinolates in BV's may fight cancer. And this in turn has created the widely held (albeit misguided) impression that BV's fight cancer.
In a research paper titled 'Glucosinolates from Brassica vegetables: risks and benefits' Gary Williamson (University of Leeds, Department of Food Science) makes the following points:
1. High doses of pure glucosinolate compounds are toxic for the thyroid gland, liver, kidney, and pancreas.
2. Substantial research effort has now confirmed that glucosinolates have anti-carcinogenic properties at least in vitro and in animal models.
3. The U shaped dose-response curve is now a commonly accepted concept in nutrition and toxicity. Too much is bad for you, but a little may be good for you. All substances which are biologically active – whether from food, drugs or other chemicals – can have possible toxicity, but this depends on the dose.
4. The high amounts [of glucosinolates] are generally not achievable through normal dietary means such as food, but can only be obtained from heavily fortified foods or “mega-dose” supplements. Dose-response is the key!
5. Brassica vegetables in the diet are not toxic or dangerous in any way: in fact, increased consumption is desirable. Supplements containing purified compounds, derived from brassicas, should be viewed with caution.
*
Point 4 in the above research paper
With reference to point 4 above there is no research showing whether or not high detrimental amounts of glucosinolates are achievable in a diet that includes BV's as a staple. Nevertheless, Williamson is correct in the implication that you would need to eat huge amounts (several pounds weight per day) of BV's in order to obtain any cancer-fighting effects from their glucosinolates.
But this is not the case when it comes to the thyroid. Several studies show that a regular consumption of BV's can cause an underactive thyroid. This would strongly imply that detrimental high amounts of glucosinolates (in regard to the thyroid) are indeed achievable in a diet that includes BV's as a staple.
"Considerable epidemiological evidence exists to link thyroid disease with differing patterns of dietary consumption, in particular, cruciferous vegetables". Tadi K, et al, 3,3'-Diindolylmethane, a cruciferous vegetable derived synthetic anti-proliferative compound in thyroid disease, Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2005 Nov 25; 337(3):1019-25.
Point 5 in the above research paper
With reference to point 5 above it simply cannot be stated that brassica vegetables in the diet are not toxic. Firstly, as Williamson readily admits, it depends on the amount and consistency of human consumption, and secondly there are no long-term peer-reviewed human trials on this topic. But Williamson does make the good point that much depends on the dose. It is possible that a small amount of glucosinolates in the diet is protective against cancer, but a large amount of glucosinolates is harmful.
Indeed, it is possible (though not yet proven) that certain synthesised glucosinolates from BV's can help combat some kinds of cancer in humans. But it doesn't follow that consuming actual BV's will therefore help fight cancer. The cancer connection is explored in greater detail in the next section.
Let us remember that humans never evolved on a diet that included BV's. Some humans started eating BV's as a staple only in the last few hundred years, which is the blink of an eye when you consider that the human species evolved over a period of about 60 million years.
Certain research shows that between 8,000 and 10,000 years ago, it is possible that some humans may have taken a leafy green plant and, by selecting for different characteristics, began to transform it into several different products. However, it is more likely that nature itself evolved into different types of brassica plants. Modern kale, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi are all members of the same species, derived from a single prehistoric plant variety.
But this does not mean that humans have been eating these BV's for thousands of years as a food source or as a staple. It simply means that some humans may have been eating small amounts of BV's going back several thousand years. Furthermore, just because BV's may have been consumed sporadically for thousands of years, it does not follow that consumption of BV's is therefore healthy.
Furthermore, humans have evolved to instinctively reject foods that taste bitter or sour or foul-smelling (as is the case with most brassica vegetables). This is a 'hard wired' defence mechanism against eating food that may be harmful or poisonous.
Also, there is no legitimate scientific evidence for the claim that humans evolved as fruitarians (whether strictly so or not). And some kinds of fruit (e.g. lemons) taste bitter, yet we eat them and enjoy them. But humans usually do not eat bitter or sour tasting food in large helpings or as a regular staple.
We know instinctively that we should proceed with caution when confronted with bitter or sour tasting food; this instinct has prevented humans from eating poisonous berries and herbs throughout our history of evolution. BV's metaphorically tell us to not eat them by making themselves taste bitter and unpleasant through the presence of their glucosinolates and antinutrients. This is yet another sign that we should keep away from BV's as a food source.
Another health claim about broccoli is that it has unique anti-inflammatory benefits by virtue of containing a flavonoid called kaempferol. Kaempferol is very common in many fruits, plants, vegetables and even in tea. It has traditionally been used as a medicine and is also used in various pharmacology medications as it is thought to have anti-cancer properties. There is nothing special about the content or effect of kaempferol in broccoli compared to kaempferol in other plant-based foods. Broccoli does not have any 'unique' anti-inflammatory properties.
It is also claimed that broccoli is high in antioxidant phenols. However, phenols are widely available in just about all fruit and vegetables, and even in tea, beer, chocolate, coffee, herbs, spices, nuts and many other foods. Broccoli is not particularly high in phenols compared to many other plant-based foods. Furthermore, most people eat broccoli cooked, not raw. And guess what, over 80 percent of phenols in broccoli are destroyed from the cooking process: "Our study found that the total phenol of green broccoli florets was reduced by 81.91% after 30 minutes heat treatment" Source: Soumi Pal Choudhury, et al, Estimation of Antioxidant and Antinutritional Factors of Green Broccoli Florets and their Effects on Boiling, AIJRFANS 14- 416, 2014.
And yet a further health claim in favour of BV's refers to isothiocyanates. Some types of glucosinolates in BV's break down to isothiocyanates when consumed. These compounds are said to inhibit cancer growth in certain circumstances.
They are said to work by killing certain cancer cells under certain conditions. But there is no credible scientific evidence to show that isothiocyanates discriminate between healthy cells and cancerous cells. Furthermore, there is no evidence to show that human consumption of BV's provides enough isothiocyanates to have any effect on cancer.
There is ongoing research to see whether pure synthasized isothiocyanates can be used in cancer-fighting drugs. But even if such drugs are shown to fight certain cancers, this does not mean that consuming BV's to acquire isothiocyanates is going to be protective against cancer.
In any event, isothiocyanates are largely destroyed by cooking. Hence, the regular consumption of cooked BV's is not going to provide any significant level of isothiocyanates.
"The results on the genotoxic effects of the isothiocyanates and glucosinolate precursors are conflicting. Some authors report weak genotoxicity for allyl isothiocyanate" (Wikipedia).
*
"Epidemiological studies provide some evidence that human exposure to isothiocyanates through cruciferous vegetable consumption may decrease cancer risk, but the protective effects may be influenced by individual genetic variation in the metabolism and elimination of isothiocyanates from the body. Glucosinolates are present in relatively high concentrations in cruciferous vegetables, but cooking, particularly boiling and microwaving at high power, may decrease the bioavailability of isothiocyanates". Source: Jane V. Higdon, et al, Cruciferous Vegetables and Human Cancer Risk: Epidemiologic Evidence and Mechanistic Basis, Pharmacol Res. 2007 Mar; 55(3): 224–236.
*
Many vegetables contain a mix of phytates and oxalates. A small amount of these antinutrients causes no harm and is part-and-parcel of the human diet. But broccoli is particularly high in these antinutrients and at these levels they are harmful. Here is a brief summary of the harm caused by these antinutrients:
Phytates
Phytates exist because they are used by plants for several vital functions, including the storage of phosphorus and energy. But phytates in the plant-based foods you eat can bind to certain dietary minerals including iron, zinc, manganese and, to a lesser extent calcium. Once bound, the phytates slow (or impede) their absorption and the minerals are lost from the body. This is why phytates are considered to be an anti-nutrient. Note: there is a subtle difference between the terms 'phytic acid' and 'phytates', but for simplicity we just use the term 'phytates'.
"Relatively high concentrations of phytates occur in broccoli". Source: www.healthy-eating-politics.com.
As a consequence of the phytates, the regular consumption of brassica vegetables (BV's) can cause serious mineral deficiencies and a wide array of health problems including digestive irritability, impaired immune function, allergies, skin irritations, decaying teeth, bone loss, anemia, hormone disruption, and poor physiological development (poor body growth) in infants and children.
A question for you, dear reader: Why are vegan children usually shorter than their non-vegan peers? It is mistakenly thought that this may be due to a lack of protein, or vitamin B12 or vitamin D in the vegan diet. The truth is that many vegans eat a diet that is too high in phytates, and this directly inhibits body growth.
"The growth and development of children born of vegan mothers and reared on a vegan diet has been studied longitudinally. The majority of children grew and developed normally but they did tend to be smaller in stature...". Source: Thomas AB Sanders, PhD, Growth and development of British vegan children, Am J Clin Nutr, l988; 48:822-5. Note: it is perfectly possible to follow a healthy vegan diet without over-consuming phytates.
Cooking does not significantly reduce phytates. Clearly, if you cook any kind of vegetable to death (e.g. extreme boiling or prolonged time using a pressure cooker) you will reduce/eliminate the phytates along with all vitamins, minerals and other nutrients!
Oxalates
Over millions of years plants have evolved measures to protect themselves since they cannot run away. When insects try to eat plants the oxalates actually tear up the mouths of insects trying to eat high oxalate foods.
All BV's contain oxalates in varying amounts, which should be avoided in the diet as far as possible. "Broccoli is moderately high in oxalate acid (2–10 mg per serving). Collard Greens are oxalate-rich [very high] in oxalate acid (74mg in a half cup serving)". Source: Abiodun Omoloja, M.D., Leonardo M. Canessa, M.D., Oxalate Content of Foods, Pediatric Nephrology, The Children’s Medical Center, Dayton, USA, www.childrensdayton.org.
When we eat high-oxalate food the sharp oxalate molecules escape into the bloodstream. Like miniscule razor blades, oxalates damage body tissues, glands, eliminatory organs and the brain. Also, oxalates impair enzymes, oxidize cell membranes, interfere with nutrient absorption, and can even alter DNA transcription. When oxalates link up with calcium, it forms harmful calcification in arteries and different parts of the body (kidney stones and prostate enlargement, for example).
Collard greens (a brassica vegetable) are particularly unhealthy because of their high concentration of phytates and oxalates. Remember that plant antinutrients are more concentrated in the leaves. Vegetable smoothies that include collard greens can truly devastate your health. You are urged to see an excellent article on this topic titled "How Green Smoothies Can Devastate Your Health" at:
Boiling or steaming BV's does not significantly reduce oxalates. And indeed, oxalate concentration can be increased in the food if the act of cooking reduces the water content of the food (e.g. boiling spinach). There are many studies showing the serious harm caused by consuming foods high in oxalates.
According to researcher Susan Owens, M.A., Director of the Autism Oxalate Project, a problem occurs when excess oxalate is absorbed through the gut due to intestinal permeability, poor fat digestion, inflammation, or prolonged diarrhea or constipation. Overuse of antibiotics may also pose a problem since this can reduce or eliminate the oxalate-degrading bacteria in the intestines. In her overview of the scientific research, Owens says there may be a link between excess oxalate in the body and the following conditions: thyroid disease, vulvodynia, calcium-oxalate kidney stones, cystic fibrosis, sarcoidosis, asthma, COPD and autism (source: www.lowoxalate.info).
***
