A report published in the journal Diabetes suggests that eating broccoli could reverse the damage caused by diabetes to heart blood vessels.
A research team at the University of Warwick believe that they have found a compound in the vegetable called Sulforaphane which encourages production of enzymes which protect the heart vessels.
A diet high in vegetables such as broccoli, also known as brassica vegetables, have previously been linked to promoting a lower risk of heart attacks and stroke.
It is known that people with diabetes are up to five times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease.
The research focused on testing the effects of Sulforaphane on blood vessels cells damaged by high glucose levels, which are associated with diabetes. They recorded a 73 percent reduction of molecules in the body called Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS).
High blood sugar can cause levels of ROS to increase three-fold and these high levels can cause damage to human cells.
It was also found the Sulforaphane activated a protein in the body called nrf2 which activates protective antioxidants and detoxifying enzymes which protect cells and tissues from this damage.
Lead researcher Professor Paul Thornalley said, “In future, it will be important to test if eating a diet rich in brassica vegetables has health benefits for diabetic patients. We expect that it will.”