Broccoli may benefit gut: Study
SINGAPORE: When mice were put on a diet that consisted of 15 per cent broccoli – or the equivalent of humans eating 3.5 cups of broccoli each day – they were found to tolerate symptoms of leaky gut and colitis better than mice not on a broccoli-supplemented diet.
This was revealed in findings by Professor Gary Perdew and his colleagues at Pennsylvania State University’s Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences.
The research was recorded in the Journal of Functional Foods, according to a Science Daily article dated Oct 12.
What made cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts and cabbage beneficial to the mice was an organic chemical compound called indole glucosinolates. When digested, it breaks down into other compounds including indolocarbazole (ICZ), said Prof Perdew in Science Daily.
According to him, a receptor in the intestinal lining called aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) regulates the body's reaction to environmental contaminants, and triggers responses to toxin exposure.
When ICZ binds to and activates the AHR, the action enhances host barrier function, highlighted the Science Daily article. This may help prevent diseases, such as various cancers and Crohn's Disease caused by inflammation in the gut's lining.
The researchers used two genetic lines of mice in the study: One line had a low ability to bind ICZ to AHR; the other line had a high ability to bind ICZ to AHR. They then added 15 per cent broccoli to the diets of both groups.
After introducing a toxin that causes digestive problems in the mice, the researchers found that those with a higher ability to bind ICZ to the AHR were protected, while the mice with the lower affinity suffered from the toxin.
Prof Perdew said in Science Daily that brussel sprouts contain three times as much indole glucosinolates as broccoli, which means "a cup of brussels sprouts could get us to the same level".
People with digestive conditions such as colitis are often advised to avoid too much roughage in their diets, mentioned the article. This study may open doors to more research on the best ways for these individuals to benefit from consuming broccoli without the digestive problems that come with eating fibrous vegetables.
Read more at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/health/broccoli-may-benefit-gut-study-9312300
