Another reason to eat your broccoli

The Chicago Tribune reports:

As if we need yet another reason to eat our broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, a new study has come out of Oregon State University indicating that the compound sulforaphane -- found in the veg -- can target cancer cells while leaving normal cells unaffected.

Sulforaphane is found in broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, rapini etc., vegetables that may cause gas in some but are loaded with nutrients and antioxidants that make the gas part seem like a minor inconvenience.

I had a court-ordered psychological evaluation several years ago from the man that my readers call "Dr. Gay". He interviewed my kids, and reported that they said that they get a vegetable rotation of mainly broccoli, potatoes, asparagus, and macaroni. He recommended the following be ordered by the court:

8. Nutrition: Mother and Father shall provide a nutritionally balanced and varied diet and three regular, timely meals per day, minimize unhealthy andjunk foods whenever possible, and shall both consult and document such with a nutritionist regarding the children's diet, if further problems emerge.

I could never get a straight answer from him on whether eating broccoli was a problem, or why he would write an order about "further problems". He did not appear to have any knowledge as to whether our kids were eating any better or any worse than anyone else. I never liked broccoli, but my kids liked it so I would make it for them.

I think that I have just figured out why Dr. Gay was so agitated about broccoli, and too embarrassed to explain himself. Broccoli causes gas in many people, and hence smelly rear ends. He hates that, but did not want to put it in his report.