Most kids and a few adults dislike broccoli , although it's a very healthy vegetable. Is it the taste, or the mouth-feel, or both, that causes the problem? A team at Johns Hopkins has been researching broccoli for years, and has just published some interesting results in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences .

The scientists have found that a substance called sulphoraphane , which is found in broccoli, raises enzyme levels in the skin that protect against the effects of ultra-violet (UV) radiation. Most sunscreens creams absorb the UV rays before they can penetrate the skin, whereas sulphoraphane stimulates the protective functioning of the skin cells. A single application of an extract of 3-day old broccoli sprouts was found to protect against the redness and swelling caused by UV radiation for as long as 3 days. This was seen in both mice and men, so it's credible!

The study was sponsored by Brassica Protection Products , showing that a marketable substance is somewhere in the works. In the meantime, if your child smears his creamed broccoli over his face rather than eating it, don't worry - it's doing some good, anyway.

Source

HealthandAge Blog