Study: Baby Broccoli May Prevent Stomach Cancer

April 6, 2009 6:57 a.m. EST

Miami, FL (AHN) - Eating baby broccoli, or broccoli sprouts, may prevent stomach ulcers and even stomach cancer, according to a new study.

The study's researchers from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, said that broccoli sprouts suppress Helicobacter pylori infections, which are one of the most common bacterial infections worldwide and are a common cause of stomach cancer, according to an American Association for Cancer Research press release.

Stomach cancer is the second most common and the second deadliest cancer in the world, according to the AACR.

"Broccoli has recently entered the public awareness as a preventive dietary agent. This study supports the emerging evidence that broccoli sprouts may be able to prevent cancer in humans, not just lab animals," Jed Fahey, a faculty research associate at Johns Hopkins Pharmacology department, said in a statement.

Researchers assessed the H. pylori levels of participants in the beginning of the study, and again at four and eight weeks into it using standard breath, serum and stool tests. All participants were either asked to eat broccoli sprouts or alfalfa sprouts.

H. pylori levels were noticeably lower at eight weeks on all three measurements in participants eating broccoli sprouts than they were in those eating alfalfa sprouts, the researchers said.