Broccoli is hailed as one of the healthiest green vegetables that we should add to our daily diet.
In addition, a recent study conducted and published by scientists from the Cardiovascular Research Institute at the University of Sydney (Australia) shows that sulforaphane - a compound found in this vegetable - can revolutionize the prevention and treatment of stroke.
How can broccoli prevent blood clots?
A stroke is a condition in which blood flow to the brain is interrupted, which can lead to permanent disability or death.
The main cause is an interruption of blood flow to the brain, known as an ischemic stroke.
However, recent research may help us take care of our health to reduce our risk of stroke.
Research by scientists from the Australian Heart Institute found that broccoli contains a natural compound that can reduce the risk of blood clots forming and may also enhance the effectiveness of existing drugs used to treat blood clots.
“Therefore, eating broccoli every day can significantly reduce the risk of stroke,” according to research by Australian scientists published in the scientific journal ACS Central Science.
Accordingly, Dr. Xuyu Liu from the University of Sydney - the principal researcher of this Cardiovascular Research Institute said, normally, patients with ischemic stroke are given tissue plasminogen activator - however, it is only successful in 20% of cases.
“But when patients were treated with a broccoli-derived compound in addition to medication, it could increase the success rate to 60 percent,” said Dr. Xuyu Liu.
Dr. Xuyu Liu also added that while blood thinners tested in stroke treatment all caused bleeding as a side effect, natural compounds from broccoli did not cause any signs of bleeding.
