Fresh fruits and green vegetables are said to help prevent or treat cancer to a certain extent. Among them are broccoli or brassica vegetable contain strong cancer fighting agent.

According to a study by a US university, consuming green broccoli or cabbage three to four times a day can lower the risk of cancers and other degenerative diseases.

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Scientists from the University of Illinois identified genes in broccoli that check the growth of phenolic compounds linked with reduced risk of several types of cancer, besides other illness. As the phenolic compounds are tasteless and stable, the vegetables can be cooked without losing their nutritional qualities, the scientists said.

Once digested, the phenolic compounds are absorbed and accumulates in the liver and flavonoids spread through the bloodstream, reducing inflammation through their antioxidant activity, they stated. However, the compounds don't stick around too long, so "we need to eat broccoli or some other Brassica vegetable every three or four days to lower the risk of cancers and other degenerative diseases," the scientists said.

The study was published in the journal Molecular Breeding,