Broccoli and Osteoarthritis

Here’s another reason to eat your broccoli: a compound in this much-maligned vegetable has been found to stop or at least slow down the most common form of arthritis.

A study in Arthritis and Rheumatism found that the compound sulforaphane can slow down osteoarthritis by also slowing damage to cartilage in joints.

When mice were given food that contained sulforaphane, their joints either had no traces of osteoarthritis or no cartilage damage.

Cabbage and brussels sprouts also have the compound, but broccoli has the most.

Until now research has failed to show that food or diet can play any part in reducing the progression of osteoarthritis. But researchers now have to prove that this works in humans. More studies are planned, but in the meantime there’s nothing to be lost by eating the cruciferous veggie. Broccoli’s other proven health benefits include helping to protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease.