Broccoli sprouts and green tea provide you with a variety of protective benefits because both are packed with powerful nutrients. Although green tea may have an edge in bringing you more health benefits, studies continue on the effects of both products. In some cases, the two items help fight the same disorders. Broccoli sprouts, the three- or four-day-old sprouts from the broccoli plant, and green tea, which contains high concentrations of disease-fighting antioxidants, each combat particular health disorders, as well.
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Broccoli sprouts and green tea contain chemicals that combat diseases of the stomach and intestines. An antibacterial compound in broccoli sprouts known as sulforaphane inhibits the growth of the H. pylori infection, which causes gastritis and ulcers. Study subjects who ate about 1 cup of broccoli sprouts a day for eight weeks had less stomach infection and inflammation than volunteers who consumed the same amount of alfalfa sprouts, which have no sulforaphane, Johns Hopkins Medicine reports. Green tea may reduce inflammation for people who suffer from inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Cancer Protection
Both green tea and broccoli sprouts may work effectively to prevent or treat breast, stomach and prostate cancers. Lab studies have suggested green tea extracts prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells. Green tea has also been used for prevention of breast and skin cancers, but studies have shown mixed results, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The polyphenols in green tea have inhibited the growth of stomach cancer cells in laboratory studies, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The sulforaphane in broccoli sprouts may treat or prevent prostate and breast cancers. Broccoli sprouts contain as much as 20 times more sulforaphane than whole broccoli.
Green Tea Benefits
Research suggests green tea may protect against a whole range of other cancers, including bladder, colorectal, ovarian, esophageal, lung and pancreatic cancers, the University of Maryland notes. Green tea also provides heart-healthy benefits. The antioxidants in green tea may help prevent atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, which contributes to heart disease. Green tea may lower total cholesterol while raising HDL, the good cholesterol that clears the bloodstream of excess cholesterol. The tea may control blood sugar levels for diabetics, who are at risk for heart disease. Green tea extract may help boost metabolism to burn fat and help with weight loss.
Broccoli Sprouts Fight Inflammation
Broccoli sprouts may soothe airway inflammation to help people with nasal allergies and asthma. The sulforaphane in broccoli sprouts triggers an increase in antioxidant enzymes that fight inflammation in the airways brought on by oxidative stress because of air pollutants and environmental allergens. Researchers at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine studied 65 volunteers and found a broccoli sprout preparation increased the protective enzymes in the subjects. A preparation made from alfalfa sprouts did not, according to the 2009 study, Reuters Health reports.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Green Tea
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Green Tea
- Reuters: Broccoli Sprouts May Soothe Airway Inflammation
- Johns Hopkins Medicine: Health Alerts - Soothing the Pain of Gastritis and Ulcers With Broccoli Sprouts and Yogurt
- Fitday: The Nutrition of Broccoli Sprouts
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