Little Green Giant

Mom was right: eating your vegetables is good for your health.

Not only do they help you grow but according to the American Cancer Society, eating cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli may reduce your chances of developing cancer by putting up a blockade against the enzymes involved in the initial stages of cancer. They also help in detoxifying cancer-producing compounds before they can wreak havoc on your body’s cells.

If that isn’t reason enough to eat your fill of this potent little green giant, consider the fact that the antioxidants in broccoli cause cancer cells to self-destruct and have been linked to lowering your chances of developing lung, colon, stomach, prostate, ovarian, and breast cancers.

Health Canada’s new Food Guide upped the ante and is now recommending Canadians eat at least one serving of dark green vegetables every day. If the Canadian government and our moms agree that we should eat our veggies, I think we should do as we’re told.

Recipes

• Spicy Broccoli Soup
• Broccoli and Brussels Sprout Slaw