These Surprising Veggies Fight

Inflammation
May 20, 2014
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ru!iferous Vegetables
%f you*re not loa+in) up on cruciferous ,e)eta-les like ca--a)e, -roccoli, -ok
choi, russels sprouts, kale,an+ cauliflo!er, no! mi)ht -e a )oo+ time to start.
Packe+ !ith athlete'frien+ly micro'nutrients like ,itamin /, ,itamin C, carotenoi+s
an+ folic aci+, these po!erful foo+s may also help you reco,er faster after
practice.
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/ recent stu+y in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics foun+ that
hi)her intake of cruciferous ,e)eta-les lo!ers concentrations of pro'inflammatory
markers in the -o+y. Why1 ecause these ,e))ies are loa+e+ !ith
isothiocyanates, !hich re+uce inflammation -y acti,atin) +eto2ifyin) en3ymes.
%t*s important to note that there !ere some ,aria-les in the stu+y, as the su-4ects
also ha+ a hi)her fruit an+ ,e)eta-le intake o,erall. Still, eatin) more ,e)eta-les
is ne,er a -a+ thin).
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6at more of these foo+s on a re)ular -asis, -ut kno! that they can -e +ifficult to
+i)est 7they*re kno!n as 8)as'formin) ,e)eta-les.89 Procee+ slo!ly an+ a+4ust
your portions as necessary. (on*t -e afrai+ to s!itch -et!een ra! an+ cooke+ to
see !hat you tolerate -est.
:ere are a fe! of my fa,orite !ays to eat cruciferous ,e)eta-les:
Brussels Sprouts Salad
;ather than usin) same ol* spinach all the time, mi2 up your fla,ors -y usin)
russels sprouts as your -ase. russels sprouts toppe+ !ith !alnuts, shre++e+
cheese an+ a simple +ressin) make for a <uick, +elicious lunch.
Roasted Broccoli
%nstea+ of sautein) it or 4ust chompin) on it ra!, try -akin) -roccoli in the o,en at
42= +e)rees for ei)ht to 10 minutes. Preparin) it this !ay )i,es it a crisp te2ture,
an+ some people fin+ it easier to +i)est. Pair it !ith some salmon an+ a +ri33le of
soy sauce, an+ you*,e )ot one of your )o'to +inners +urin) a -usy !eek.
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Cauliflower Rice
This is a lo!'car- alternati,e to !hite rice, lea,in) room for another !hole )rain
car-ohy+rate in your meal. %t*s simple to make, an+ the te2ture is nearly i+entical
to !hite rice.
Kale
?ale is +elicious -oth ra! an+ cooke+. %t also hol+s its te2ture amon) !et
in)re+ients much -etter than other )reens, makin) it a )reat option for !hen you
!ant to prepare a sala+ ahea+ of time. @ou can also li)htly -ake kale !ith oli,e
oil an+ salt for a tasty snack.
Reference:
@u &ian)A et al. 8Cruciferous $e)eta-le %ntake is %n,ersely Correlate+ !ith
Circulatin) #e,els of Proinflammatory Markers in Women.8 Journal of the
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. May 2014, $olume 114:=, pp B00'B0C.
RELATED: 6atin) :ealthy !ith Cruciferous $e)eta-les