( TIME.com ) -- Even if you 're not a fan of broccoli , your joints may be . Nutritionists have rhapsodized about the various benefits of broccoli â€ ” the cruciferous vegetable is stuffed with vitamins A , B , K , C , as well as nutrients such as potassium , zinc and fiber â€ ” and arthritis sufferers may soon join them . Along with its cousins brussel sprouts , cauliflower and cabbage , broccoli contains sulfur compounds that can filter out carcinogens that promote tumor growth . The latest study , published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism , shows that those substances may also battle inflammation , which is at the root of osteoarthritis , a painful , degenerative joint disease in which cartilage that normally protects joints starts to wear away under the influence of the inflammatory factors . For the estimated 12.4 million people affected by arthritis in the United States , these results are certainly welcome news . TIME.com : Acupuncture may offer real relief for chronic pain . Starting with studies in mice , the researchers found that animals that ate a diet high in the sulforaphane found in broccoli had significantly less cartilage damage and signs of osteoarthritis compared to mice who did not consume sulforaphane . The team then moved to human and cow cartilage cells , and found that the sulforaphane was equally effective in protecting these cells from damage . The sulfur-based compound , they say , may be blocking enzymes that contribute to inflammation in cartilage , and the scientists are starting a trial to see if broccoli can protect a small group of arthritis patients getting knee replacement surgery . If that trial confirms these early results , that could help more people to avoid arthritis to begin with ; although surgery can treat symptoms , protecting joints from irreversible damage would keep joints stronger for a longer period of time . `` Although surgery is very successful , it is not really an answer . Once you have osteoarthritis , being able to slow its progress and the progression to surgery is really important , study author Ian Clark , professor of musculoskeletal biology at the University of East Anglia said in a statement . `` Prevention would be preferable and changes to lifestyle , like diet , may be the only way to do that . '' Not to mention that a broccoli-rich diet could lower risk of other chronic diseases like obesity , which prior studies have connected to ... arthritis . This story was originally published on TIME.com . & copy 2012 TIME , Inc. TIME is a registered trademark of Time Inc. Used with permission .
Broccoli is stuffed with vitamins A , B , K , C , as well as other nutrients . The broccoli, which has a high fiber content and low fat content, can be eaten raw or cooked in many different ways. Animals that ate a diet high in broccoli had significantly less cartilage damage .