Brassicas, Wonder Food, Indiadiets: Your guide to Health, Nutrition, Diets, fitness, Weight loss, Diet counselling,

Brassicas

It is a genus of plants in the mustard family (Brassicaceae). The members of the genus may be collectively known either as cabbages, or as mustards. Crops from this genus are sometimes called cole crops, which is derived from the Latin caulis, meaning stem or cabbage.

Food
Almost all parts of some species or other have been developed for food, including the root (rutabaga, turnips), stems (kohlrabi), leaves (cabbage, kale), flowers (cauliflower, broccoli), and seeds (many, including mustard seed, and oil-producing rapeseed). Some forms with white or purple foliage or flower heads are also sometimes grown for ornament.
Medicine
Brassica vegetables are highly regarded for their nutritional value. They provide high amounts of vitamin C and soluble fiber and contain multiple nutrients with potent anticancer properties: 3,3'-diindolylmethane, sulforaphane and selenium. Boiling reduces the level of anticancer compounds, but steaming, microwaving, and stir frying do not result in significant loss. Steaming the vegetable for three to four minutes is recommended to maximize sulforaphane.
Brassica vegetables are rich in indole-3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells. They are also a good source of carotenoids, with broccoli having especially high levels. 3,3'-diindolylmethane in Brassica vegetables is a potent modulator of the innate immune response system with potent antiviral, antibacterial and anticancer activity; however, it also is an antiandrogen. These vegetables also contain goitrogens, which suppress thyroid function. This can induce hypothyroidism and goiter. People with hypothyroidism should avoid Brassica vegetables or eat them only after consultation with doctor.

The following is an abbreviated list, with an emphasis on economically important species:
• B. carinata: Abyssinian mustard or Abyssinian cabbage, used to produce biodiesel
• B. elongata: elongated mustard
• B. fruticulosa: Mediterranean cabbage
• B. juncea: Indian mustard, brown and leaf mustards, Sarepta mustard
• B. napus: rapeseed, canola, rutabaga (swede turnip)
• B. narinosa: broadbeaked mustard
• B. nigra: black mustard
• B. oleracea: kale, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kai-lan, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi
• B. perviridis: tender green, mustard spinach
• B. rapa (syn B. campestris): Chinese cabbage, turnip, rapini, komatsuna
• B. rupestris: brown mustard
• B. septiceps: seventop turnip
• B. tournefortii: Asian mustard

Eat to Beat Illness

Normal Diets

Healthy Diet Tips

Weight Reduction Diets

Tailored Diets

Food Groups

Beauty & Foods

Wonder Foods

Food Nutrients

Unhealthy Foods

Nutritive Values in Foods

Low Calorie Recipes

Mughlai Recipes

South Indian Recipes

Bengali Recipes

Chinese Recipes

Lebanese Recipes

Thai Recipes

Practice,Benefits & Diet in Yoga

Yoga Types

Yoga Postures

Types of Asanas

Yoga Cleansing

Pranayama

Physiology of Pregnancy

Diagnosis of Pregnancy

Duration of Pregnancy Nutritional Care in Pregnancy

Child Birth

Parenting Style

Parenting Effectively

How to be a Good Father

How to be a Good Mother

Parenting tips

Parenting Young Children

Teaching your Child about Budgeting

Child Tantrums