Brassica’s are a group of vegetables such as kale, cabbage, brussel sprouts, radish, bok choy, broccoli & cauliflower. Also known as cruciferous vegetables, brassicas are well known to be full of health-promoting sulphur containing phytonutrients.
The list of benefits are huge for these fibre rich foods. Most are rich in vitamins such as folate, vitamin K and the darker the green, the larger the sources of vitamin C and A helping lower inflammation. The high fibre content also helps you feel full for longer, great for weight loss due to the low calories too & fantastic for digestion.
They are also rich in glucosinolates which have potent anti-cancer benefits. According to the National Cancer Institute, indoles and isothiocyanates (formed from broken down glucosinolates) protect cells from DNA damage & inactivate carcinogens by increasing liver detoxification. Indoles also help to reduce non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by improving liver enzyme levels, so if you’re dancing the night away in Ibiza, reach for that broccoli to help keep your liver strong
And especially for the ladies, brassicas contain a compound called DIM which helps the body detoxify excess oestrogen that can cause hormonal issues like PCOS and Endometriosis. Excess oestrogen is associated with common PMT symptoms eg mood swings, anxiety and depression, so if you want easier periods, get that cauliflower in
Registered Ibiza based nutritionist Mays Al-Ali of Healthy Mays recommends to her clients to eat these veggies daily. “Another great way to add in more brassicas into your diet is to garnish salads with sprouts and microgreens” Mays quotes. “All sprouts & microgreens due to their dense source of nutrition contain way more phytonutrients than their mature full grown versions. I love using local brand Ibiza Microgreens in my daily diet and recommend it to all my clients. Their broccoli microgreens are not only locally and sustainably grown on the island but also contain 42% more minerals & benefits than broccoli itself”.
