Health & Well-Being A-Z

Broccoli

Broccoli
Description

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea) is a common vegetable eaten as food. Other varieties of Brassica oleracea include kale, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower.

Chemicals in broccoli might help prevent cancer and have antioxidant effects. Also, when broccoli is eaten with a starch, it slows down how quickly sugar from the starch goes into the blood, which might benefit people with diabetes.

People use broccoli for high cholesterol, fibromyalgia, preventing certain cancers, and many other purposes, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.

Don't confuse broccoli with broccoli sprout, or with chemicals found in broccoli, including ascorbigen and indole-3-carbinol. These are not the same.

Is It Effective?

Effectiveness header

NatMed Pro rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.

Possibly effective
  • Colon cancer, rectal cancer. Eating broccoli and related vegetables might help prevent colorectal cancer.

There is interest in using broccoli for a number of other purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.

Is it Safe?

Safety

When taken by mouth: Broccoli is commonly consumed in foods. There isn't enough reliable information to know if broccoli is safe when used in larger amounts as medicine.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Broccoli is commonly consumed in foods. There isn't enough reliable information to know if broccoli is safe to use as medicine when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and stick to food amounts.

Drug interactions

Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) substrates)

Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.

Some medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Broccoli might change how quickly the liver breaks down these medications. This could change the effects and side effects of these medications.

Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 2A6 (CYP2A6) substrates)

Interaction Rating=Moderate Be cautious with this combination.

Some medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Broccoli might change how quickly the liver breaks down these medications. This could change the effects and side effects of these medications.

Herb interactions

There are no known interactions with herbs and supplements.

Food interactions

There are no known interactions with foods.

Dosage

Broccoli is commonly eaten as a vegetable.

As medicine, there isn't enough reliable information to know what an appropriate dose of broccoli might be. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult a healthcare professional before using.

Other names

Brassica oleracea, Brassica Oleracea Italica Group, Brassica oleracea var. italica, Brocoli, Brócoli, Broccoli Flower, Calabrese, Purple Sprouting Broccoli.

Disclaimer

Information on this website is for informational use only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. While evidence-based, it is not guaranteed to be error-free and is not intended to meet any particular user’s needs or requirements or to cover all possible uses, safety concerns, interactions, outcomes, or adverse effects. Always check with your doctor or other medical professional before making healthcare decisions (including taking any medication) and do not delay or disregard seeking medical advice or treatment based on any information displayed on this website.

© TRC Healthcare 2024. All rights reserved. Use and/or distribution is permitted only pursuant to a valid license or other permission from TRC Healthcare.