Broccoli May Help Prevent Arthritis

Listen to your own advice to your kids and finish your broccoli. Researchers found another reason we should be eating more broccoli — it could help prevent arthritis, according to CTV News.

A study of mice led by the University of East Anglia in the U.K. showed that a compound found in broccoli, sulforaphane, slows down damage to cartilage in joints that is associated with osteoarthritis. Mice fed a sulforaphane-rich diet had significantly less cartilage damage and osteoarthritis than those that were not.

Sulforaphane blocks the enzymes that cause joint damage by guarding against a key molecule that is known to cause inflammation. Sulforaphane is released in our body when we eat vegetables from the cabbage family, including Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and especially broccoli. Past research suggests that this compound has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties, but this is the first major study that focuses on its effects on joint health.

This is just another reason we should pile more broccoli on our plates.