Broccoli’s ‘Super-food’ status has been elevated, following findings from the Institute Food Research (IFR) claiming a new variety could reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

The new strain was developed using conventional breeding techniques and is reported to contain up to 3 times more of the naturally occurring compound glucoraphanin which converts to sulphoraphane.

‘Glucoraphanin’ is converted by the body to sulphoraphane, which turns on specific genes that activate our bodies defences against this (cholesterol-loading) happening, rebalancing metabolism away from the production of LDL cholesterol.