Eating broccoli could help
curb arthritis

EATING broccoli could help prevent or slow the most common form of arthritis.

Researchers from the University of East Anglia found that sulforaphane – a compound found mainly in broccoli but also in sprouts and cabbage – slows down the destruction of cartilage in joints associated with painful and often debilitating osteoarthritis.

Ian Clark, professor of musculoskeletal biology at the Norwich university, said: “We have shown that this works in the three laboratory models we have tried, in cartilage cells, tissue and mice. We now want to show this works in humans. It would be very powerful if we could.

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“As well as treating those who already have the condition, you need to be able to tell healthy people how to protect their joints into the future.”

More than eight million people in the UK have osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease affecting the hands, feet, spine, hips and knees.