Cruciferous Vegetables Detoxify the Body

When it comes to detoxifying the body cruciferous vegetables are among the best foods you can possibly use. The family of cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, collard greens and kale. To understand how cruciferous vegetables help detoxify the body we need to briefly touch upon the three phases of detoxification in the body. Each phase is referred to as phase I, phase II and phase III.
Phase I detoxification  involves the use of a family of enzymes called cytochrome P450. These enzymes begin the process of detoxification by adding an extra molecule to the toxic chemicals they come into contact with. However, this makes the toxic chemicals even more dangerous, but is an essential step in priming the toxic chemicals for phase II detoxification.

The enzymes released in phase II detoxification alter the toxic chemicals further. This time the toxic chemicals are actually turned into a safer (although not completely safe) water soluble substance.

In phase III detoxification specific proteins that sit inside the membranes of our cells are signaled to eject the now safer water soluble toxic chemicals out of our cells into the blood stream. From the blood the toxic chemicals are either passed to the urine to be excreted or into bile fluid to be excreted via the feces.

The important point here is that all three stage of detoxification must be working simultaneously or detoxification may do more harm than good. The worst case scenario is that phase I detoxification kicks in more strongly than phases II and III generating extremely harmful toxic chemicals with no were to go! This is a state that greatly increases our risk of developing cancers.

This is where cruciferous vegetables come in and help us ‘play it safe’. How so? All cruciferous vegetables contain specific antioxidants that stimulate all three stage of detoxification. Many researchers believe this is the reason that those who eat the most cruciferous vegetables are less likely to develop cancer than those who eat a lot of other vegetables, but less of the cruciferous kind.

Indole-3-carbinol is the antioxidant in cruciferous vegetables that stimulates the liver to produce more of the phase I and phase II detoxification enzymes. In addition to this crucifers also contain crambene and isothiocyanates, antioxidants that further induce phase II detoxification.

Phase III is generated automatically if phase I and II are working together.

Research has found that lightly steaming cruciferous vegetables is the best cooking method to help with detoxification. The light steaming loosens up the fibers in crucifers just enough to make more of the antioxidants available for digestion. Another great method is take make your own cruciferous vegetable juicer recipes. A juicing machine mechanically breaks open the fibers to release more antioxidants. If you are looking to buy a juicer visit Jack Lalanne power juicer review

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