Just in time for Easter comes good news about cruciferous vegetables: women who consumed the most cruciferous vegetables were 62 percent less likely to die from breast cancer and 35 percent less likely to have a reappearance of the disease, when compared to those women who ate the least amount of cruciferous vegetables.
The findings – presented at this week’s American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting in Chicago – are from the Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study. The study looked at 5,000 breast cancer survivors between 20 and 75 years old, analyzing their intake of cruciferous vegetables.
And just what do cruciferous vegetables have to do with Easter? Cruciferous vegetables are from the family Brassicaceae – also called Cruciferae. They are characterized by the shape of their flowers, whose four petals form a cross. A crucifix. Cruciferous.
So, you wanna get your cruciferous on? And not just broccoli and cauliflower, but beyond? Try thee some brussels sprouts, bok choy, kohlrabi, daikon and kale. Cruciferous vegetables are generally high in fiber – although they may be difficult for some individuals to digest.
Check out these healthy Easter and Passover recipes from WebMD, and may you branch out and embrace the crucifix this holiday season.