Prof. Dipak Das, the director of the Cardiovascular research at the University of Connecticut, fed steamed broccoli extracts to rats for one month and measured its effects on their hearts.
Comparing the rats with normal diets, rats fed with the broccoli extract had improved heart function with better blood pumping ability and less heart damaged when deprived of oxygen.
Das found out that this was caused by the broccoli diet triggering increased production of several proteins that maintain the heart's ability to function healthy.
Broccoli's key nutrients include selenium and sulforaphane, which may also curb cancer. However, if broccoli is over cooked, it loses its nutrients.
This study which shows specific mechanism in test on animals was published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry.
