Cabbage Fights Cancer

Noel Peterson, ND

Can cabbage fight cancer? Yes. Cabbage contains compounds called indoles, which have definitively been shown to enhance enzyme systems that detoxify cancer-causing substances. Cabbage can increase the rate at which the body disposes of toxic drugs and carcinogens and has an anti-mutagenic effect on tumors caused by chemicals as well. The indole glycosinate is the plant chemical or phytochemical found in cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts. They have been shown experimentally to prevent stomach, colon, and breast cancers.

A study at Cornell University found that brussel sprouts can be used to prevent and even treat breast cancer. Only 13% of rats fed a diet containing 20% brussel sprouts during the initial phase of cancer formation developed tumors. Seventy-seven percent of those fed a diet based on protein and starch developed breast cancer. When the mice that received the protein and starch and had the increased breast cancer incidence were switched to brussel sprouts, there appeared to be a regression in small tumors after six weeks.

Indoles strongly influence and activate the beneficial enzyme system that decreases the harmful female sex hormones. Rockefeller University scientists studied the effect of indoles from cabbage and broccoli on 12 healthy human volunteers for seven days. They found a decrease in harmful hormones by 50% during the short time of exposure. Source: Michnovicz, JJ; and Brad-low, HI. Altered estrogen metabo-lism and excretion in humans following consumption of Indole-3-carbinol. J of Nutr and Canc., 1991;16:59-66.