Broccoli sprouts soothe airway inflammation

People with nasal allergies or asthma may want to add broccoli sprouts to their diets.Researchers from America studied 65 healthy men and women who were given various doses of the broccoli sprout preparation or a placebo made from alfalfa sprouts over three days. The researchers took samples of the volunteers' nasal fluids to measure the activity of so-called Phase II enzymes, which control oxidative stress. They found that the broccoli sprout preparation sparked an increase in the protective enzymes, whereas the alfalfa-derived placebo did not. The credit appears to go to a compound called sulforaphane, which is found naturally in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage. Sulforaphane triggers an increase in antioxidant enzymes that help counter cell damage and inflammation brought on by oxidative stress - from sources like air pollution and environmental allergens.Based on the study, it was surmised that compounds in broccoli sprouts have a very potent effect in boosting the airway's self-defense system against oxidative stress but whether they actually alleviate allergy and asthma symptoms is not yet known.Further studies are needed to investigate the clinical significance, and it's too early to give advice on a beneficial 'dose' of cruciferous vegetables. As broccoli sprouts contain 20 to 50 times the concentration of sulforaphane that mature broccoli does, a person would have to eat large amounts of broccoli to get the sulforaphane dose that young broccoli sprouts provide.