The cruciferous vegetable family includes bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, mustard greens, radishes, rutabaga, turnip, turnip greens and watercress.

      Cruciferae contain the anti-cancer agents beta-carotene, vitamin C, calcium and fiber, plus indoles (particularly indole-3-carbinol(IC)), aromatic isothiocyanates and other related chemicals which can enhance the detoxification of active carcinogens.

      Dr. Paul Talalay, a molecular pharmacologist at Johns Hopkins, found that the cruciferous compound, sulforaphane, boosts the production of an enzyme that is known to neutralize carcinogens before they trigger tumor growth.

      Sulforaphane affects relative concentrations of Phase I and Phase II enzymes. Phase I's, which normally govern chemical processes involved in ridding the body of unwanted substances, can activate a carcinogen by attaching other compounds to it. Phase II's attach still more material to the newly-activated carcinogen, making it unable to react with DNA, and rendering it harmless again.
[Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Mar. 16, 1992]

      Cabbage in particular is a powerful anticarcinogen. A weekly portion of raw or cooked cabbage may be enough to slice your risk of colon cancer by more than half. Animal studies show that cabbage can protect against lethal doses of radiation. It may also have general anti-aging capabilities.

      Dr. Theresa B. Young, an assistant prof. of preventive medicine at the U. of Wisconsin Center for Health Sciences, in a study of more than 1,000 Wisconsin residents, discovered that frequent childhood consumption of fresh cruciferous vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of developing colon cancer in later life. She found that:
        "...the protective effect of cruciferous vegetables was almost shocking. The use of added fats, which include salad dressings may actually indicate a healthier diet, because lots of salad is being eaten."
      It is still unknown whether a switch later in life can FULLY compensate for a poor diet in childhood.

      Dr. Eric Scholar, from the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Disease in Omaha, Neb., has performed a study which indicates that cruciferae not only help prevent cancer, but also help prevent the SPREAD of cancer.
      Mice that had breast tumor cells injected into their tails were fed diets containing either 5 percent or 9 percent dried collards or savoy cabbage (that equals 3 to 5 cups of cooked collards or 2 to 4 cups of cooked cabbage per day for a human).
      The cruciferae-eating mice developed fewer lung tumors than mice that had been fed a vegetable-free diet with an equal amount of fiber.
      "Though its too early to extrapolate to humans, these studies agree with others that cruciferae have protective effect."