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List of Cruciferous Vegetables and Health Benefits

Cruciferous vegetables belong to the plant family Brassicaceae and are normally of the green, leafy variety. The term cruciferous comes from the Latin for the word cross and describes the four leafed or ‘cross’ formation of such vegetables during their initial growing stages.

It is widely accepted that cruciferous vegetables have many health benefits. This article has a list of cruciferous vegetables and their benefits.

What are the Health Benefits of Cruciferous Vegetables?

Cruciferous vegetables contain high levels of vitamin C, a nutrient essential to humans for the part it plays in body protection, immunity, healthy blood vessels, anti-oxidant properties and many metabolic reactions. Additionally, vitamin C provides a natural anti-histamine.

Cruciferous vegetables are also an important source of soluble fibre which means the body can easily digest and break it down. Dietary fibre intake is essential for assisting the body to correctly absorb nutrients. It also plays a critical role in balancing blood glucose levels and maintaining healthy pH levels in the intestines. The important function of dietary fibre is well known for its role in healthy and regular bowel functioning. Fibre allows waste matter to pass more easily through the digestive tract and avoids problems such as constipation.

There are many essential nutrients present in cruciferous vegetables many of which are indicated as anti-cancer agents. These include selenium, sulforaphane and diindolylmethane.

Best Cruciferous Vegetables List

The main family of Brassicaceae can be broken down into species of which Brassicaceae oleracea is one and is the species which gives us some of the best known cruciferous vegetables. These are as listed below:

• kale
• collard greens
• Chinese broccoli
• broccoli
• wild broccoli
• cabbage
• Brussels sprouts
• cauliflower

Other cruciferous vegetables of the Brassicaceae family but of species other than those listed above are:

• horse radish
• wasabi
• radish
• water cress
• garden cress
• rocket
• tat soi
• canola/ rapeseed
• Chinese cabbage
• bok choy
• mustard seeds

This cruciferous vegetables list is not exhaustive but contains all those vegetables which are better known and easily obtainable. Many vegetables which fall into this group have been bred specifically as cultivar species for the food market.

Possible Health Issues Related to Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables, if consumed in too great a quantity, can interfere with the thyroid hormone by inhibiting iodine assimilation. It is recommended that these type of vegetables are cooked for thirty minutes to reduce this effect.

More recent studies have also indicated that the consumption of cruciferous vegetables may interact negatively with some prescription medicines which reduces the drug’s efficacy.

Incorporating cruciferous vegetables into your diet is relatively easy considering the wide availability of such vegetables and the great range of choice. For those of us seeking to maintain healthy, balanced diets it is rather refreshing to find a food source which is considered by dietitians, doctors and natural health advocates alike to be of great benefit.

This article has been written by expert author ‘Deneice Arthurton‘.