Why Eating Broccoli Makes You Drink Stronger Coffee

Most children don't like broccoli - and quite a few adults. Human palates have evolved to find the taste of bitter things unpleasant. Bitterness in the plant kingdom is often the sign of something being toxic.

It isn't always the case that they are bad for you. Scientists have found cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale, or cabbage have tumour-fighting properties.

Plants do cucumber cool things because they don't have the tricks that animals have. They can't run away or hide, so they come up with chemical weapons. Broccoli developed compounds to discourage insects from eating them.

When you bite into broccoli, the plant produces toxins at the site of the cellular damage. The amazing thing is, the toxin in broccoli is also toxic to the broccoli.

Well, broccoli is an idiot - you might think.

But the toxin isn't there all the time, it only creates it at the site of the cellular damage. It holds two chemicals in different parts of its cells. When those cells break, the chemicals mix - like in a glow stick.

Chop up some broccoli and leave it for a few minutes, and it will have much more of the compounds that lead to detoxification. Your body will ramp up the processes for removing toxins and that includes caffeine.

We find the same stuff in garlic, but again only if you chop it or blitz it in a garlic press. If left whole, the compounds don't mix and you don't get the benefits.

The more you damage a plant, the more it wants to fight back. It produces more insect fighting compounds. Your body reacts to the toxin, and that gives your body a boost.

Your body reacts by ramping up your defences. It produces more detoxification enzymes. This natural reaction makes you better equipped to deal with all toxins.

If you eat lots of broccoli, you have to drink stronger coffee to get the same caffeine kick because your body has a better detoxification process.

Photo by Candice Picard on UnsplashYour ability to deal with toxins improves, courtesy of the compounds you have released in the broccoli. Other vegetables are available with similar results.

Ironically, although the broccoli is trying to kill you, eating bitter broccoli actually gives you a bit of a superpower - it improves your biological system so it is better able to deal with the contaminants it faces.

How cool is that?

If you want to boost your system against toxins, eat more broccoli. If you want your kids to eat more vegetables and live long healthy lives, tell them how eating broccoli will turn them into Superduper Toxin-Fighting Wonder Kid!

Other vegetables with these special powers include cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, kale, and cabbage.

The benefits don't stop there

Previous studies have identified cancer-fighting compounds in these vegetables. Anti-cancer plants, what more reason do you need to eat them?

Thousand of compounds, were measured to see is if a plant has potential ability to kill cancer cells. There may be many more compounds in plants that are hiding potential preventions from cancer.

Some plants have the potential ability to kill cancer cells due to the enrichment of anti-cancer compounds.

Final Thought

The great thing about all this research is it identifies that damaging the plant is what releases the compounds. If you are a parent and are struggling to get your kids to eat their veg, this is the answer.

Rice your cauliflower, break up your broccoli and cut that kale. Hide it in their food. It may be better for them than eating it whole.

Turmeric is another plant with anti-cancer properties. The curcumin it contains belongs to the most promising group of bioactive natural compounds.

My favourite recipe is to marinade cauliflower in turmeric and oil. Heat in a hot oven for 20 minutes and out pops a healthy, tasty treat.