The role of cabbage in preventing gastrointestinal cancer

Cabbage is a family of green vegetables that are proven to help reduce the risk of gastrointestinal cancer. This is a complete medical fact.

You must know that consuming the right amount of green vegetables every day can bring a variety of healthy benefits. In fact, studies say that green vegetables like cabbage can also help maintain digestive health and prevent gastrointestinal cancer.

To prove that, experts conducted research with Cancer Research United Kingdom. This study focuses on how vegetables can affect the surface layer of the intestine, this layer is known to undergo continuous regeneration through a process that takes about four to five days. However, the process needs to be controlled properly, because otherwise it can lead to cancer or gastrointestinal inflammation.

Benefits of green vegetables for health

Related to this, one of the clinical trials published in the medical journal Immunity revealed that green vegetables have a vital role for the health of the gastrointestinal tract. The researchers further investigated the chemical known as indole-3-carbinol, which is produced by chewing cabbage.

The substance is modified by gastric acid when the cabbage crosses the digestive tract. In the large intestine, specifically, the substance indole-3-carbinol is believed to change stem cells which are a source of regeneration of the intestinal lining, as well as immune cells that control inflammation.

Results from studies conducted on animals have shown that intake of foods rich in indole-3-carbinol can prevent cancer, even in animals that have a genetic predisposition to cancer. Furthermore, an intake that is rich in indole-3-carbinol is also found to slow disease progression in animals that have gastrointestinal cancer.

The role of vegetables in gastrointestinal cancer

One of the researchers, Dr. Gitta Stockinger, said that the study could pave the way for other studies that want to investigate further the role of cabbage in preventing gastrointestinal cancer. Stockinger also explained that this study could provide more information about molecular mechanisms related to the role of vegetables in gastrointestinal cancer.

Likewise, Professor Tim Key from Cancer Research UK revealed that the results of the study showed that fiber is not the only ingredient of vegetables that is beneficial to the health of the gastrointestinal tract. There are still many other molecules in vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, or spinach which can also provide protective effects on the occurrence of gastrointestinal cancer. This study shows that the indole-3-carbinol found in cabbage is one of the molecules in question.

Knowing this medical fact, it would not hurt if you want to add cabbage to the daily menu. As long as it's consumed in the right portion, it's not impossible that green vegetables on this one can really prevent the occurrence of gastrointestinal cancer in you. So, add cabbage in your daily menu.