It's no new news that broccoli is good for us. In fact, Harvard scientists have labeled broccoli as the most healthful vegetable. Ounce for ounce, it has more vitamin C than an orange, more calcium than a glass of milk, and three-times the fiber of a slice of wheat bran bread. Broccoli is also a source of the powerful phytonutrient sulforaphane. Research by Paul Talalay at John Hopkins University has discovered the mechanism for how eating broccoli can actually increase the antioxidant and detoxification activity in the body.
What is Nutrigenomics?
Nutrigenomics is becoming a popular term used when discussing genetics and our health. By definition, nutrigenomics is the study of how nutrition affects genes, and how this effect can have an impact on our health. It is a new area of research aimed at increasing understanding of how what we eat influences our metabolic pathways. It can be as simple as how iron consumption reduces anemia or as complex as how broccoli increases antioxidant activity and fights cancer.
An Example of Nutrigenomics
Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant found in nearly every cell in our body and is required to maintain the normal function of our immune system. It is a tripeptide enzyme our body synthesizes from the amino acids cysteine, glutamic acid and glycine. Putting these amino acids together in the correct sequence and structure requires enzymes. One of these enzymes is glutamate cysteine lygase.
Research has shown that sulforaphane molecules in broccoli can increase the transcription and translation of glutamate cysteine lygase and therefore increase glutathione synthesis in the body. Further research from John Hopkins University discovered the mechanism by which this process occurs.
- Inside liver cells is a protein system that holds the transcription factor nrf2. Sulforaphane, a sulfur-containing molecule found in broccoli can bind to this protein system and release nrf2.
- nrf2, being a transcription factor can bind to specific promoter regions of DNA and turn on transcription of genes for detoxification enzymes, one being glutamate cysteine lygase.
- glutamate cysteine lygase can then be used to enzymatically synthesize glutathione.
In essence, eating broccoli can increase the synthesis of glutathione and other cytoprotective proteins contributing to optimal health. Just like your parents always said, “Eat your veggies.” Nutrigenomics is a real thing; what we eat really can have an effect on our body, and not just how much fat or muscle we are carrying around.
For a detailed overview of genetics and DNA visit What Is a Genetic DNA Mutation?
- McWalter, G., et al. Transcription factor Nrf2 is essential for induction of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1, glutathione S-transferases, and glutamate cysteine ligase by broccoli seeds and isothiocyanates. Journal of Nutrition. 134(12 Suppl): 3499S-3506S, 2004.
- Dinkova-Kostova, A. and Talalay, P. Direct and indirect antioxidant properties of inducers of cytoprotective proteins. Molecular Nutrition and Food Research. 52(Suppl 1): S128-S138, 2008.
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