Can broccoli be the secret remedy to fight air pollution?
Tuesday, November 5, 2019 IST
Delhi and its surrounding cities woke up to bad air once again. As air pollution levels continue to rise and the harmful air quality has left citizens gasping for air, detoxification, cleanses and natural remedies have become the go-to- hacks to fight the nasty air pollution.
As your lungs choke, depending on pollution-fighting purifiers and masks is an expensive but healthy option. It is important that you stock up the right nutrients in your diet which focus on cleaning up your system, naturally and actively fight the deadly pollutants. Union Minister for Health, Dr. Harshvardhan recently talked of certain remedial measures, such as including antioxidant-rich vegetables and fruits in the diet to suppress the effects and make the body better equipped to fight the nasty pollution. One vegetable he did talk about includes broccoli.
How can broccoli help?
Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable that includes a lot of good nutrients in it. A true superfood, the green stub contains a lot of fiber, which regulates digestion and actively fights toxins that settle in the cavities. It is also believed that a vegetable like broccoli helps cleanse the digestive system, eliminates waste and the toxins which the body might have absorbed from the air, soil, food or bad food and not to forget, the polluting carcinogens which find an easy way to get in this bad season.
Nutrient-wise, broccoli supplies good antioxidants, Vitamin A, beta-carotene, B complex, folic acid, minerals which help fight inflammation, chronic health risks and also strengthens cell membranes. It also works towards maintaining blood sugar levels, reducing the chances of degenerative diseases, certain types of cancer and optimize your gut health as well.
However, what makes it an effective anti-pollution food is its ability to act down on certain pollutants. It's not the sprouts themselves but the components found in the stub which are good for the body. In fact, a study conducted in China found out that broccoli sprouts were particularly helpful in fighting and detoxing away the air pollutants from the root. When you eat broccoli, the phytochemical present in it, called glucoraphanin initiates a chemical reaction that attaches itself to the harmful benzene compound, breaks it down and recharges the body to excrete it faster, before it gets the time to do the damage on the cellular level. The same mechanism has also been found helpful to get rid of toxins associated with pollution and cigarette smoke. Hence, detoxifying the body by consuming a simple vegetable like fresh broccoli juice or smoothie as soon as you hit home can alleviate some of the health risks at the ground level.
The people in the new study who drank a concentrated tea made with broccoli spouts excreted 61 percent more benzene and 23 percent more acrolein, a lung irritant, as compared with a group who drank a placebo beverage.
There you have it! An easy smog and pollution-fighting drink that costs less than an air purifier!
Related Topics
Trending News & Articles
Lung cancer is usually not noticeable during the early stages. Most people are diagnosed when the disease is at an advanced stage. According to Cancer.org, it is ...
Recently posted . 9K views . 2 min read
The health benefits of wood apple include [1] relief from constipation, indigestion, peptic ulcer, piles, respiratory problems, diarrhea, and dysentery. It also b...
Recently posted . 6K views . 2 min read
Bael, also known as the “Wood Apple”, is a species native to India. The bael tree is considered to be sacred to the Hindus. A famous drink known as sh...
Recently posted . 5K views . 2 min read
The scientists likewise shared how much liquor an individual can drink prior to facing overabundance risk challenges their wellbeing, contrasted with somebody who...
Recently posted . 5K views . 1 min read
More in Food & Health
From 1969 to September 5, 2014, 1,413 artificial hearts of 13 different designs have been implanted in heart failure patients. Here’s an update on the state o...
Recently posted. 943 views . 1 min read
A thorough warm-up is one of the most crucial parts in maintaining a healthy back, not to mention healthy muscles and joints throughout the rest of your body. All i...
Recently posted. 1K views . 1 min read
Turns out, children benefit great deal by spending most of their time barefoot. It helps them develop fine motor skills and makes them better at jumping and balanci...
Recently posted. 892 views . 1 min read
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 955 views
Recently posted . 2K views
Recently posted . 2K views
Recently posted . 2K views . 480 min read
Recently posted . 2K views . 45 min read
1. Beware!
Beware!
We all have certain habits that might seem normal while practicing but are not good for the body in the long run....
Recently posted. 854 views . 9 min read
-- The male brown antechinus mates with as many females as possible for up to 14 hours at a time. Unfortunately,
the...
Recently posted. 875 views . 3 min read