Broccoli Battles Prostate Cancer

Although broccoli may get a bad rap at many tables, men should consider the veggie's upside -- protection against prostate cancer.

Writing in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, to which you must subscribe to read the article, researchers say three daily servings of broccoli can reduce the risk of contracting prostate cancer by half. Phyto-chemicals, found in high numbers in broccoli, are believed to be responsible for the anti-cancer action.

Studies at the Fred Hutchinson Research Center in Seattle examined fruit and vegetable consumption in 1,230 men between the ages of 40 and 64. The results indicated those eating three or more servings of broccoli and similar vegetables had a 48 percent lower risk of developing prostate cancer than those eating one serving or less a day.

The same research also cast doubt on earlier reports claiming that eating cooked tomatoes could reduce chances of contracting this form of cancer. These studies "did not take proper account of other vegetables eaten by those studied," said Dr. Alan Kristal, who led the research into the benefits of broccoli.