Sick of nagging stomach aches? Try upping your consumption of broccoli. Eating just 2.5 ounces a day of the green sprouts can greatly reduce your risk of stomach ulcers and even cancer (of the stomach, esophagus, bladder, skin, and lung), according to a new study in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.
The chemical in broccoli responsible for the protective effect is sulforaphane, and scientists in Japan demonstrated significantly lower levels of the H. pylori infection—the cause of ulcers and a known carcinogen—in those who ate daily doses of broccoli. About 1 in 3 Americans are infected with H. pylorus, which is spread through person-to-person contact.
Don’t like broccoli? Garlic also contains sulforaphane. Aim for two to three ounces of either stomach-saver.