Parents the world-over now have more ammunition in getting their kids to eat their greens after researchers from the University of Queensland (UQ) found that broccoli boosts the battle against type 2 diabetes.

UQ’s Ann Nie Kong found that sulforaphane, an ingredient derived from broccoli sprouts, has many health benefits, such as reducing oxidative stress levels, which helps in the battle against type 2 diabetes.

Ms Kong and UQ researchers PhD student Christine Houghton, scientific officer Gary Wilson and supervisors Professor Jeff Coombes and Professor Robert Fassett will conduct clinical trials with the aim of developing an intervention for the disease. 

“I hope the results will show a significant decrease in signs of type 2 diabetes in patients using the supplement intervention,” Ms Nie Kong said 
Other studies have shown sulforaphane may reduce diabetes complications, however this will be the first time a characterised broccoli product will be used in a clinical trial to investigate the effects of an encapsulated broccoli sprout product in type 2 Diabetes patients.