Cruciferous Vegetables List (and What Research Says About the Prostate)

By the ProstateFoods editorial team · Last updated October 13, 2026 Short answer: Cruciferous vegetables are the cabbage family (Brassicaceae). The common ones are arugula, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, horseradish, kale, radishes, rutabaga, turnips, watercress and wasabi [1]. Research on them and prostate cancer is mixed: large cohort studies found little or no association, while some case-control studies found one [1].

The list

The NCI list includes arugula, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, horseradish, kale, radishes, rutabaga, turnips, watercress and wasabi [1]. Mustard greens and kohlrabi are also in the cabbage family.

What the research says about the prostate

Cruciferous vegetables contain glucosinolates, sulfur compounds that break down into substances such as sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol when the vegetables are chopped or chewed. These compounds have been studied in laboratory and animal research [1].

In people, the National Cancer Institute summarizes it this way: cohort studies in the Netherlands, the United States and Europe "found little or no association with prostate cancer risk," while "some case-control studies have found that people who ate greater amounts of cruciferous vegetables had a lower risk" [1]. Cohort studies, which follow people forward in time, are generally considered more reliable than case-control studies, which ask people to recall their diets after a diagnosis.

So: eat them because they're vegetables most Americans don't get enough of [2], not because they've been shown to protect your prostate.

Cooking tips

• Roast for flavor. Roasting brings out sweetness in broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.
• Gas? These vegetables can cause bloating. Start with small portions and increase slowly.
• Blood thinners: if you take warfarin, keep your intake of leafy greens like kale and collards steady and talk to your doctor, because they are high in vitamin K.

A good sheet pan makes roasting easy: a Nordic Ware half sheet pan is heavy enough not to warp.

Sources

1. National Cancer Institute. Cruciferous Vegetables and Cancer Prevention. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/cruciferous-vegetables-fact-sheet
2. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/

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ProstateFoods writes about food, not treatment. Nothing here is medical advice or a claim that any food treats, cures or prevents a disease. Talk to your doctor before changing how you eat, especially if you take medication or have a health condition. See our medical disclaimer. Photo: Baskets of broccoli and cauliflower by QueenSaysay, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.