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If you want to reap the health benefits of broccoli and other cruciferous veggies, supplements just won’t do, according to new research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

“Adequate levels of nutrients like vitamin D are often difficult to obtain in most diets. But the particular compounds that we believe give broccoli and related vegetables their health value need to come from the complete food,” says Emily Ho, the principal investigator with the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University.

The study shows that glucosinolates, a class of phytochemicals found in cruciferous vegetables that may reduce the risk of breast, prostate, lung, and colorectal cancer, is poorly absorbed and of far less value if taken as a supplement.

Intensive cooking depletes the vegetables’ health benefits as well, Ho says. However, they can be lightly cooked for two or three minutes, or steamed but left crunchy, and still retain sufficient health benefits.

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