The wonders of broccoli are often touted, but does this apply to all broccoli, grown no matter where and under any conditions? It is the isothiocyanates contained in broccoli which empower it with the ability to fight cancer.
Unfortunately what is not mentioned is that broccoli has the ability to pull cadmium from the soil up into its roots. If the soil has been enriched with super phosphate fertilizers, then that will surely contaminate the soil with even more cadmium.
Broccoli is grown on some contaminated sites to take up the residual cadmium, this process is called phytoremediation. This broccoli is not sold in supermarkets.
However, because of the demands on farmers for more production at a faster than ever rate, the use of super phosphate fertilizers has escalated, with consequent contamination of the soil. Broccoli grown on soils heavily fertilized with super phosphates, is most unlikely to be a cancer fighter, but may actually contribute to cancer if you eat enough of it.
It has been claimed that men who eat a couple of servings of broccoli per week, are less likely to be prone to prostate cancer. This may be so if these men eat broccoli which has been grown in contamination free soil.
Broccoli grown in certified organic soils, without the use of pesticides, and not sprayed, or irradiated after it has been picked, is much more likely to be a cancer fighter.
Food grown on cadmium contaminated soils, will increase the cadmium concentrations in consumers of that produce.Cadmium is stored in the kidneys, where it damages the filtration system.
Cadmium does irreversible damage to the kidneys, The kidneys lose their function to remove acids from the blood in proximal renal tubular dysfunction. The kidney damage inflicted by cadmium poisoning is irreversible and does not heal over time. The proximal renal tubular dysfunction creates low phosphate levels in the blood (hypophosphatemia), causing muscle weakness and sometimes coma.
The dysfunction also causes gout, a form of arthritis due to the accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints because of high acidity of the blood (hyperuricemia). Another side effect is increased levels of chloride in the blood (hyperchloremia). The kidneys can also shrink up to 30%.
Cadmium can also cause cancer, damage the immune system and the central nervous system.
This is not to imply that dire things will happen to you if you eat supermarket broccoli. But over enthusiastic indulgence in supermarket broccoli, because of all that has been written about its wondrous properties, may do more harm than good.
http://www.gerson.org/Programs/monthlyprogram.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/nutrition/ http://www.naturalnews.com/ http://www.mercola.com/
Broccoli prevents cancer
Broccoli prevents cancer
