I think it would be hard to get people to eat too much of one thing without affecting the rest of diet. While fresh vegetables have long been extolled for their healthful benefits, experts are now beginning to hone in on the scientific reasons why. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University Medical School have determined that broccoli sprouts contain high concentrations of sulforaphane, an organic compound that spurs cells to produce cancer-blocking enzymes. The first, gamma-tocotrienol, slows the growth of leukemia and breast cancer cells. She is excited about the kale experiment being cultivated on the government's 7,000 acres of land because it will enable scientists for the first time to see exactly where and how long the vegetable's components remain in the body.
Scientists believe that certain foods have health benefits for specific diseases.
Copyright 1999 Los Angeles Times.