LONDON: Researchers have discovered a possible reason why green vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower are good for the heart.
Their work suggests a chemical found in the vegetables can boost a natural defence mechanism to protect arteries from disease.
The Imperial College London team hope their work could lead to new dietary treatments to prevent heart problems.
Much heart disease is caused by the build up of fatty plaques in the arteries known as atherosclerosis.
However, arteries do not get clogged up with these plaques in a uniform way.
Bends and branches of blood vessels - where blood flow is disrupted and can be sluggish - are much more prone to the build-up.
The latest study has shown that a protein that usually protects against plaque build up called Nrf2 is inactive in areas of arteries that are prone to disease.
However, it also found that treatment with a chemical found in green "brassica" vegetables such as broccoli could activate Nrf2 in these disease-prone regions.
Their work suggests a chemical found in the vegetables can boost a natural defence mechanism to protect arteries from disease.
The Imperial College London team hope their work could lead to new dietary treatments to prevent heart problems.
Much heart disease is caused by the build up of fatty plaques in the arteries known as atherosclerosis.
However, arteries do not get clogged up with these plaques in a uniform way.
Bends and branches of blood vessels - where blood flow is disrupted and can be sluggish - are much more prone to the build-up.
The latest study has shown that a protein that usually protects against plaque build up called Nrf2 is inactive in areas of arteries that are prone to disease.
However, it also found that treatment with a chemical found in green "brassica" vegetables such as broccoli could activate Nrf2 in these disease-prone regions.
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