Download Consume The 4 Glucosinolate Rich Foods To

Consume The 4 Glucosinolate Rich
Foods To Produce The 4
Isothiocyanates In Order To
Reduce the Risk Of Cancer
Glucosinolates are natural components of many
pungent plants that occur as secondary metabolites of
most of the Brassicales family, or the cruciferous
vegetables. When these vegetables are chewed, a
pungent taste arises due to the breakdown products of
glucosinolates.
Scientist have surmised that the pungent taste of
these vegetables is a plant defense system against
pests and diseases.
There are a number of vegetables, sprouts and seeds
that contain glucosinolates. Table I below is a
comprehensive list:
Table 1: Vegetables, sprouts and seeds containing Glucosinolates
White
cabbage
Chinese
cabbage
Capers
Brussel
sprouts
Arugula
Daikon
radish
Maca root
Wasabi
Broccoli
Garden
cress
Watercress
Radishes
Broccoli
sprouts
Bok choy
Kale
Horseradish
Collards
Mustard
greens
Papaya
seeds
Cauliflower
Kohlrabi
Turnip
Mustard
Broccoli
seeds
raab
Each vegetable, sprout and seed usually contains
more than one glucosinolate. However, certain
vegetables, sprouts and seeds may contain a
predominant amount of one glucosinolate. An
example is the following:
Broccoli and broccoli sprouts contain large
amounts of glucoraphanin
Mustard seeds and Brussel sprouts contain a
large amount of Sinigrin
Garden cress and cabbage contain a large
amount of glucotropaeolin
Watercress contains a large amount of
gluconasturtiin
The total number of documented glucosinolates from
nature can be estimated to around 132, as of 2011. 1
For purposes of this article, we will focus on the 4
most important glucosinolates and the ones that have
been the subject of the majority of medical research.
These 4 glucosinolates include:
Gluconasturtiin
Glucoraphanin
Glucotropaeolin
Sinigrin
Gluconasturtiin,
also
known
as
phenethylglucosinolate, is a widely distributed
glucosinolate in cruciferous vegetables. The name is
derived from it occurrence in watercress which has
the botanical name Nasturtium officinale.
Glucoraphanin is a glucosinolate distributed in
broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower. It
is also found in large amounts in young sprouts of
cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli sprouts.
Glucotropaeolin is a phytochemical from Tropaeolum
majus, which is commonly known as garden
nasturtium, Indian cress or monks cress. It is also
found in cabbage.
Sinigrin is widely distributed in the plants of the
Brassicaceae such as Brussel sprouts, broccoli,
horseradish and black mustard seeds.
Each of the vegetables, sprouts and seeds contain the
enzyme myrosinase, which is activated when the
vegetable, sprout or seeds is damaged (chopped or
chewed) in the presence of water. The glucosinolate
converts to an isothiocyanate (or thiocyanate) through
the enzymatic activity of myrosinase. These
isothiocyanates are the defensive substances of the
plant.
Thus glucosinolates are the precursors to
isothiocyanates through the breakdown of the enzyme
myrosinase. Myrosinase activity on the glucosinolate
also continues in the gastrointestinal tract through
intestinal bacteria which allows for some further
formation and absorption of isothiocyanates. 2
Following is the list of glucosinolate precursors to
isothiocyanates:
Vegetable,
Isothiocyanate
Sprout and
Seed Source
Watercress,
horseradish,
Gluconasturtiin Phenethyl-Isothiocyanate
(PEITC)
cabbage,
mustard
Glucosinolate
precursor
Glucoraphanin
Sulforaphane (SFN)
Glucotropaeolin
Benzyl Isothiocyanate
(BITC)
Brussels
sprouts,
cabbage,
cauliflower,
bok choy,
kale, collards,
Chinese
broccoli,
broccoli raab,
broccoli
sprouts,
kohlrabi,
mustard,
turnip,
radish,
arugula, and
watercress
Cabbage,
garden cress,
Indian cress,
papaya seeds,
mustard
greens,
mustard
seeds
Sinigrin
Allyl Isothiocyanate
(AITC)
Broccoli,
Brussels
sprouts,
cabbage,
horseradish,
wasabi,
mustard,
radish, black
mustard
seeds
(Brassica
nigra) or
brown Indian
mustard
seeds
(Brassica
juncea).
Isothiocyanates and their glucosinolate precursors
have been found to inhibit the development of various
cancers, such as: 3 4
breast cancer
colon cancer
esophagus cancer
liver cancer
lung cancer
small intestine cancer
stomach cancer
There is also some evidence that higher consumption
of the food sources listed in Table 1 are associated
with a decreased risk of cancer. 5
A number of prospective cohort studies have been
published indicating that consumption of cruciferous
vegetables on a weekly basis has been associated with
a significant reduction in cancer risk. A prospective
cohort study takes a group of people who are
interviewed or tested for risk factors like nutrient
intake and then followed up at subsequent times to
determine their status with respect to a disease or
health outcome. Three prospective studies have
assessed the reduced risk of cancer and cruciferous
vegetable consumption:
Feskanich D, Ziegler RG, Michaud DS, et al.
Prospective study of fruit and vegetable consumption
and risk of lung cancer among men and women. J
Natl Cancer Inst. 2000;92(22):1812-1823.
Giovannucci E, Rimm EB, Liu Y, Stampfer MJ, Willett
WC. A prospective study of cruciferous vegetables
and prostate cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers
Prev. 2003;12(12):1403-1409.
Michaud DS, Spiegelman D, Clinton SK, Rimm EB,
Willett WC, Giovannucci EL. Fruit and vegetable
intake and incidence of bladder cancer in a male
prospective cohort. J Natl Cancer Inst.
1999;91(7):605-613.
These prospective studies emphasize the importance
of consuming as many of the foods listed in Table 1 on
a weekly basis to insure the reduction of risk of
various cancers.
Table 2 below lists the various foods and the
corresponding glucosinolate content.
Table 2. Glucosinolate Content of Selected
Cruciferous Vegetables
Food (raw)
Brussels sprouts
Garden cress
Mustard greens
Serving
½ cup (44 g)
½ cup (25 g)
½ cup, chopped (28 g)
Total Glucosinolates (mg)
104
98
79
Turnip
Cabbage, savoy
Kale
Watercress
Kohlrabi
Cabbage, red
Broccoli
Horseradish
Cauliflower
Bok choy (pak choi)
½ cup, cubes (65 g)
½ cup, chopped (45 g)
1 cup, chopped (67 g)
1 cup, chopped (34 g)
½ cup, chopped (67 g)
½ cup, chopped (45 g)
½ cup, chopped (44 g)
1 tablespoon (15 g)
½ cup, chopped (50 g)
½ cup, chopped (35 g)
60
35
67
32
31
29
27
24
22
19
Source: Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center – Isothiocyanates
Print This Post
Related Posts
The Remarkable Anti-Cancer Benefits of Phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC)
Dietary Supplements that Show Promise for Cancer Prevention and
Adjuvant Treatment*
Facilitating and Enhancing Normal Apoptosis with Natural Substances
Counteracting the Damaging Effects of the Food Toxin Acrylamide with
Natural Substances
Specific Chemical Compounds in Citrus Peels Demonstrates Potential
Promise in Cancer Prevention