1.cabbage, green or red,
2.bok choy,
3.arugula,
4.mustard greens,
5.cauliflower,
6.radishes,
7.broccoli,
8.collard greens,
9.rape greens,
10.horseradish,
11.turnip greens,
12.kale,
13.watercress,
14.cohlrabi,
15.brussel sprouts.

They are called cruciferous; their flowers are 4 equally spaced
petals in shape of cross, hence, crucifer(cross bearer). They
have sulfur-containing compounds that are responsible for their
pungent or bitter flavours. When their cell walls are broken by
chewing, blending or chopping, a chemical reaction occurs, converting these into ITC(isothiocyanates), proven and powerful
immune boosting effects and anticancer activity.
From "Super Immunity" by Joel Fuhrman, 2011.

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Cont'ed;
More than 120 ITCs are identified. working synergistically to remove carcinogens and kill cancer cells. Some ITCs are anti-
inflammatory, anti-oxydant or even have immunologic effect.
ITCs inhibit angiogenesis(stops cancer cell growth), and detoxify. ITCs like sulforaphane, indole-3-carbinol, diindolyl-
methane(DIM) stop growth or induce death in cancer cells; breast and colon cancers. Other ITCs; phenylethyl-isothiocyanate and allyl isothiocyanate are anticancer.
Cruciferous vegetables decrease breast, lung, prostate and colorectal cancers.

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Cont'ed;
ITCs are made by mixing glucosinolates in cells and myrosinase
(enzyme in between inner and outer membranes of each cell) by
breaking these cell membranes. Cooking heat may destroy myrosinase enzyme only. So, crushing the greens first, allowing
mixing myrosinase and glucosinolates, resulting in ITC, and then cooking with heat retains activity and functions of ITC;
good gut bacteria produce myrosinase as well.

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Cont'ed;
Nrf2, called transcription factors, in cruciferous vegetables
are critical for detoxification inside our cells and scavenging
free radicals. And ITCs activate Nrf2. Without cruciferous vegetables, Nrf2 simply does not function. Exogenous(ouside of
cells) antioxydants like vitamin C and E are short-acting.
Nrf2 factors are also responsible for preventing adhesion of fat deposits(plaque) inside of blood vessels,(preventing strokes, heart attacks and diabetes).

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So, let's eat a lot of cruciferous vegetables. Whew! Too long, I
admit. Now I understand why President Obama eats arugula.