Enriched Broccoli Reduces Cholesterol

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There was a recent study done in England on glucoraphanin, a natural occurring compound in broccoli. In this study a new type of broccoli was bred that had two to three times the amount of glucoraphanin in it. It was also found that this compound can help to lower LDL cholesterol by up to 6%. In this study there were a total of 130 volunteers that were given 400 grams of the new broccoli with the high values of glucoraphanin per week into their normal diet. After 12 weeks LDL cholesterol was measured and it was found that LDL cholesterol had decreased by about 6%.


An LDL decrease by 6% may not sound like a big change, but an increased LDL is associated with an increase in heart disease. It is also known that a 1% decrease in LDL is a 1-2% decrease in coronary artery disease. Glucoraphanin helps the body with metabolism. Our body converts fat and sugar into energy and when we overload our bodies with fat and sugar some of that overload is made into cholesterol. Glucoraphanin is converted in the body and turns on specific genes to help reduce the production of LDL cholesterol.

 Even though this study was done on a very small sample size, there is reason to believe that this new broccoli can help to lower LDL cholesterol. This would be very helpful because high LDL, which leads  to heart failure is the number one chronic disease. This new broccoli is now available in grocery stores in England. It has not made its way to the United States. 
Norwich BioScience Institutes. "Enriched broccoli reduces cholesterol." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 8 April 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150408113619.htm>.

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