Fat-destroying phytochemicals found only in these vegetables will blast through your belly fat.

Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli and Brussels sprouts, contain unique phytonutrients that help fight stubborn stomach fat.

The carb-heavy, low-fiber diet so prevalent in today’s society has an overwhelming number of Americans struggling with hard-to-lose stomach fat.

Not only is stomach fat unsightly, but it is also deadly. Stomach fat — as measured by waist circumference – is actually a better predictor of heart attack than a person’s total weight. We should not be so concerned with how much we weigh as where we wear it!

Luckily, losing that stomach fat may be as simple as increasing your intake of a special type of produce called cruciferous vegetables.

Cruciferous vegetables are so named because of the cross-like shape of their four-petaled flowers. They are also referred to as cole crops or brassicas.

You already know that cruciferous vegetables include broccoli and brussels sprouts, but the family is expansive. Consider the following list of cruciferous veggies, as seen on Dr. Fuhrman’s “Cancer Alert – Go Cruciferous!” page:

• arugula
• bok choy
• broccoli
• broccoli rabe
• broccolini
• brussels sprouts
• cabbage
• cauliflower
• collards
• horseradish
• kale
• kohlrabi
• mustard greens
• radish
• red cabbage
• rutabaga
• turnips
• turnip greens
• watercress

Cruciferous vegetables are remarkable in that they contain high levels of beneficial phytochemicals, special chemicals that are found in plants, particularly the phytochemicals DIM and I3C (Zeligs, 2003).

People who have trouble losing weight through the usual dieting methods can benefit mightily from these phytochemicals, for they not only assist in weight loss, they also burn through fat.

Personal Trainer and Nutrition Specialist, Mike Geary breaks down just how cruciferous vegetables are able to battle belly fat by fighting against the estrogen-like compounds that cause it:

Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kale, bok choy, cabbage, etc. contain very specific and unique phytonutrients such as indole-3-carbinol (I3C) that help to fight against these estrogenic compounds…

And by fighting against these belly fat stimulating estrogenic chemicals, this is just 1 more step in helping you to win the battle against abdominal fat!

If the weight loss benefits of cruciferous (a.k.a. brassica) vegetables aren’t enough to whet your appetite, consider these words from researchers at Poland’s Department of Human Nutrition:

The beneficial effects of Brassica vegetables on human health have been somewhat linked to phytochemicals. They prevent oxidative stress, induce detoxification enzymes, stimulate the immune system, decrease the risk of cancers, inhibit malignant transformation and carcinogenic mutations, as well as, reduce proliferation of cancer cells (Kapusta-Duch et al, 2012).

In other words, eating cruciferous vegetables can help your body detoxify from harmful toxins, stimulate your immune system and reduce your risk of cancer.

About the Author

Dr. Becky Gillaspy, DC graduated Summa Cum Laude with research honors from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1991.