Broccoli Sprouts Could Help Those With Diabetes

Healthy food addicts, we’re sure you’re going to love this news! There may be a surprising health benefit of eating broccoli sprouts that we didn’t know about previously! According to Care2, they help to improve blood sugar levels which is especially useful for those with Type 2 Diabetes.

The study published in the medical journal Science Translational Medicine shows that sulforaphane found in broccoli sprouts, as well as other cruciferous vegetables, can help improve fasting glucose levels. Researchers studied thousands of compounds but sulforaphane proved to be the most effective.

They found that it worked on 2 levels: inhibiting glucose production in cells and improving glucose tolerance in animals fed a high fructose diet. Additionally, they found that it improved fasting glucose levels in humans. Sulforaphane even reversed the “disease signature” in the livers of diabetic animals. The disease signature is the gene expression of the disease.

Other natural compounds of broccoli sprouts which have health benefits include indole-3-carbinol, which has been linked to a reduction in the incidence of breast, prostate, endometrium and colon cancers. So perhaps it’s time to pick them up at the grocery store the next time you’re there, or better yet, you can simply grow your own. It’s easier than you’d think!