Cruciferous vegetables are so named because they have cross shaped flowers. Cruciferous vegetables include many popular vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, Brussels’ Sprouts, radish, Bok Choy, rutabaga, and collard and mustard greens. In addition, seeds from the cruciferous vegetables radish, alfalfa and broccoli are often used to make nutritious sprouts. Most cruciferous vegetables are easy to grow in home gardens in most parts of the US and southern Canada.

Most cruciferous vegetables are rich in many nutrients like vitamins A and C and also contain valuable phytochemicals such as isothiocyanates. Isothiocynates may protect against cancer by stimulating the bodies production of detoxification enzymes.
A recent California study compared consumption of dietary isocyanates in 311 lung cancer cases and 622 controls. Lung cancer rates were only 65% as high among subjects consuming 4 or more servings of cruciferous vegetables as compared to subjects consuming less than one serving a week of cruciferous vegetables. These results were statistically significant and were adjusted for exposure to active and 2nd hand smoking. This research appeared in the August 2009 Nutrition and Cancer

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Jan 09 husband diagnosed with stage 3 adenocarcinoma.
Oct 09 passed peacefully at home after enduring a very difficult battle. I miss him dearly.