Could Broccoli Help Beat Autism?

We already know that Broccoli is something of a miracle veg, but now it seems that children and young people with autism could feel even more benefit from the tasty little trees.

The humble green veggies offer a wide range of essential nutrients such as folate, vitamin C and calcium, as well as protecting against cancer, inflammation and even looking after your heart.

And researchers have been looking into how a particular chemical found in broccoli affects those with autism.

The chemical - sulforaphane - is what gives broccoli its slightly bitter taste, and the research at MassGen Hospital for Children and Johns Hopkins University in the US, seems to suggest it can calm autistic people and help them be more sociably comfortable.

Professor of pharmacology Dr Paul Talalay, who worked on the project said: "It was a small study but the effects were very, very large.

"We believe that this may be preliminary evidence for the first treatment for autism that improves symptoms by apparently correcting some underlying cellular mechanisms."

In the study 44 boys and men between the ages of 13 and 27 were either given a pill form of sulforaphane or a placebo before undergoing assessments on their behaviour.

Those who were given the real substance showed definite improvements - aggression and irritability were reduced, energy was increased and the subjects found it easier to communicate and socialise.

Though the trials were blind, both parents and researchers were able to tell which subjects had been given the real pill and which hadn't, because the change in behaviour was so great.

Researcher Dr Andrew Zimmerman said: "The results seen on the social responsiveness scale were particularly remarkable.

"I’ve been told this is the first time that any statistical improvement on the social responsiveness scale has been seen for a drug in autism spectrum disorder."

Autism is a common disorder that's on the rise (in the UK diagnoses are 10 times higher than 30 years ago). It affects people's ability to communicate and socialise with others, often requiring very strict routine. Sufferers can become agitated and aggressive and find it hard to express themselves within normal social boundaries.

While many drugs help with individual symptoms, experts are still hunting for something that will tackle the condition as a whole.

Is there anything broccoli can't help with?

(Well actually, other substances in it, glucosinolates, are thought to affect iodine absorption and could potentially cause problems for people with thyroid conditions. If that's you, it's a good idea not to go overboard on your broccoli smorgasbord. But for most people you can chow down as much as you like.)

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