Inflammation is today recognized by the medical profession as one of the main causes of modern diseases: diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, cognitive decline. This vegetable can block it.
Like many health problems, inflammation is an invisible ailment that damages the body without causing noticeable symptoms at first. Unlike acute inflammation (swollen ankle for example), it sets in like a low-intensity fire which degrades our tissues and our arteries over the years. Inflammation is recognized by the medical profession as one of the main causes of modern diseases: diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, cognitive decline… However, medicine agrees on one point that brings hope: diet is the most powerful lever for combating inflammation. By choosing the right nutrients, we can extinguish these “micro-fires” and strengthen our natural defenses effectively.
Among all vegetables, one stands out for its exceptional concentration of sulforaphane, a sulfur-containing antioxidant molecule that acts like a genetic “switch”. It pushes the “on/off” button on the NRF2 protein and instructs our body to produce its own protective antioxidants. The benefits are such that Dr. Paul Talalay, renowned pharmacologist and researcher at Johns Hopkins University, demonstrated in a study that this vegetable drastically reduced the development of tumors in animals and neutralized carcinogens before they damaged DNA. Where turmeric acts as an external shield, this vegetable goes further by transforming our cells into anti-inflammatory, autonomous and permanent factories.
This anti-inflammatory vegetable is broccoli, and more precisely young broccoli shoots. It is in this sprouted form that the concentration of sulforaphane is the highest: up to 100 times more than in the adult vegetable. To get all the benefits, it is better to eat them raw, because heat destroys the enzyme necessary for the formation of the active ingredient. Concerning the quantity, a handful of shoots (around 10 to 20 g) per day is enough to benefit from optimal protection. It is possible to buy young broccoli sprouts in organic stores (fresh produce section), in certain supermarkets in the “sprouts and sprouted seeds” section, or even better, to grow them at home using a simple jar and seeds to sprout.
To complement the action of this vegetable, here are two little-known but formidable rules that lower the level of inflammation: avoid consuming carbohydrates (even fruits) at breakfast. A spike in blood sugar upon waking triggers an inflammatory cascade that lasts all day. So focus on protein and healthy fats in the morning.
Finally, practice “localized cold”: a cold shower or the application of cold to the neck area stimulates the vagus nerve. A toned vagus nerve releases acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that directly informs the immune system to calm the production of inflammatory molecules.
