Cruciferous Vegetables: The Hidden Secret To Maintaining Healthy Testosterone Levels

Broccoli may have started as the bane of your existence and maybe still is. But now I present you an illuminating reason to climb that tree or at least its siblings. Broccoli is part of the cruciferous family.. A family you should get cozy with; they can help testosterone levels.

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What Are Cruciferous Vegetables

All cruciferous means is of the cabbage (Brassicaceae) family. Examples of cruciferous vegetables are:

  • Broccoli

  • Kohlrabi

  • Cauliflower

  • Turnips

  • Cabbage

  • Kale

  • Collard Greens

  • Wasabi

  • Brussel Sprouts

  • Watercress

  • Bok Choy

  • Rutabaga

  • Arugula

  • Radishes

  • And More

These veggies have several benefits. One is a potentially great indirect impact on testosterone production.

Note: a common question that comes up is: Is celery a cruciferous vegetable? While nutritious and low in calories; celery is not a cruciferous vegetable. Celery is from the Apiaceae family.

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What Makes Testosterone Important

Testosterone is the main hormone for development in boys and young men. After adolescence it continues to play a major role in muscle building, metabolism, libido, and bone density for men, as well as women.

Since male testosterone can be counted on to decline after 30.. Year over year,  any assistance should be welcomed. Age is one factor, yet poor diet, extra body fat, and inactivity also contribute to low Testosterone aka low T.

Low T can result in withering libido, subpar sperm count, poor erections, muscle atrophy, weakened bones, and lack of energy.

The cruciferous family helps by inhibiting some of estrogen’s production. We all have estrogen, men and women, but excess estrogen usually correlates with low T.

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What Is Estrogen And How Does It Impact Testosterone

Estrogen is the main hormone for development in girls and young women. Though men produce estrogen as well, to a lesser extent.

It assists brain functionality, bone health, and has a heavy influence on mood. Estradiol is a form of estrogen that’s critical to men for sexuality.

Nevertheless, excess estrogen can lead to low libido, infertility, weight gain, depression, raises risk of heart disease, leaves you more likely to get certain cancers, and can diminish testosterone particularly in men.

Men have a limited need for estrogen, so reaching overflow takes less than that of our women cohorts. So you don’t want high estrogen, namely as a man. Too much estrogen in men is a dagger to life quality.

Note: excess body fat can lead to excess estrogen.

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How Do Cruciferous Vegetables Affect Testosterone Levels

The focus here is on lowering or preventing excess estrogen for the sake of protecting or reinvigorating testosterone levels. Any capitulation would undercut muscle building and fat loss aims.

The cruciferous family is packed with phytochemicals that do a good job of standing in the way of excess estrogen production. Phytochemical is one of those fancy words that makes me feel healthier just typing 😆. Phytochemicals are plant-made compounds that work to protect cells from damage and may assist in cancer prevention.

One of those phytochemicals is isoflavone.

Isoflavones are considered phytoestrogens. That means they are similar to estrogen. This similarity removes some of your body’s desire to produce estrogen.

Again about aging men.. Our testosterone dips, our estrogen rises. A diet blocking some of that estrogen production is a saving grace, but in addition the cruciferous fam may even help you metabolize excess estrogen.

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Cruciferous Vegetables Benefits

We covered testosterone it’s necessary, let's maintain it. The cruciferous crew doesn’t stop there.

These types of vegetables are not only fibrous (so they’ll keep you full longer), they possess low calories, and employ several health benefits such as: providing rich vitamins and minerals, cutting down on cancer’s risk, assisting with inflammation control, and:

“Cruciferous vegetables can potentially prevent DNA damage and metastatic cancer spread, activate defenses against pathogens and pollutants, help to prevent lymphoma, boost your liver detox enzymes, target breast cancer stem cells, and reduce the risk of prostate cancer progression. The component responsible for these benefits is thought to be sulforaphane, which is formed almost exclusively in cruciferous vegetables.

Beyond being a promising anticancer agent, sulforaphane may also help protect your brain and your eyesight, reduce nasal allergy inflammation, manage type 2 diabetes, and was recently found to successfully help treat autism.” [2]

Looking at that all I saw was cauliflower saying eat me. Whether you’re a fitness snob or not I recommend calling dibs next time cabbage is being passed around the table.

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Cruciferous Dosage

Get you at least 2 servings of cruciferous veggies in each day; you’ll feel the difference. It’s as simple as throwing some frozen broccoli in the microwave. I do so 2-5 times daily.

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So, It’s About That Time.

I’m not saying the cabbage family does it all, but they come close 😆. If they had more protein maybe (wink). Cruciferous veggies have an array of benefits one of them being to slow excess estrogen production. Although important for all humans, extra estrogen can be a problem, especially for aging men’s testosterone levels. Go cruciferous so you can keep putting those muscles to use and Be Great.