Recent Blog Articles

Prostate cancer in transgender women

Why eat lower on the seafood chain?

Can long COVID affect the gut?

When replenishing fluids, does milk beat water?

Safe, joyful movement for people of all weights

Slowing down racing thoughts

Are women turning to cannabis for menopause symptom relief?

3 ways to create community and counter loneliness

Helping children make friends: What parents can do

Can electrical brain stimulation boost attention, memory, and more?
Staying Healthy
Broccoli and brussels sprouts may promote heart health
Research we're watching
Good news if you regularly pile your plate high with broccoli and brussels sprouts: cruciferous vegetables may bring special heart benefits. A study published online July 17 by The British Journal of Nutrition found that people who ate more cruciferous veggies (which also included cauliflower and cabbage in the study) had less calcium buildup in their aortas (the body's largest blood vessel) than people who ate less of these veggies. Fatty deposits in arteries attract calcium and the buildup is known as calcification. Research shows that people with calcified aortas are more likely to have a heart attack or stroke. The study authors looked at data from 684 women ages 70 and older, measuring both their intake of cruciferous vegetables and their level of aortic calcification. They found that women who regularly ate more than 44.6 grams (equivalent to about 1/4 cup of cooked chopped broccoli) each day were 46% less likely to have high amounts of calcified fatty deposits in their aortas compared with women who rarely or never ate cruciferous vegetables.
Image: © Karaidel/Getty Images
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
Free Healthbeat Signup
Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!