Scientists at the Francis Crick Institute have discovered why some vegetables – including cabbage, broccoli and kale – can reduce the risk of bowel cancers.
Anti-cancer chemicals were produced as the vegetables were digested. The work focused on how vegetables alter the lining of the intestines, by studying mice and miniature bowels growing in the lab.
The surface of the bowels is constantly being regenerated in a process that takes four to five days. However this constant renewal needs to be tightly controlled, otherwise it could lead to cancer or gut inflammation.
Work published in the journal Immunity, showed chemicals in cruciferous vegetables were vital.
“Make sure they’re not overcooked, no soggy broccoli,” said researcher Dr Gitta Stockinger.
Prof Tim Key, from Cancer Research UK, said: “This study in mice suggests that it’s not just the fibre contained in vegetables like broccoli and cabbage that help reduce the risk of bowel cancer, but also molecules found in these vegetables too.
“Further studies will help find out whether the molecules in these vegetables have the same effect in people, but in the meantime there are already plenty of good reasons to eat more vegetables.”