A team at the Institute of Food Research and John Innes Centre in Norwich says the new strain called Beneforte looks like normal broccoli, but it contains three times as much of a health-boosting nutrient called glucoraphanin.

Research has shown that glucoraphanin can help protect against heart disease and cancers which include those of the bowel and prostate. The nutrient is converted into a compound, sulphoraphane.

That apparently reduces inflammation which can cause heart attacks, stops uncontrolled cell division associated with early stage cancer and boosts disease-fighting antioxidants, say the scientists. The super broccoli raises sulphoraphane levels to two to four times that of normal broccoli, and not by genetic engineering.

"Our research has given new insights into the role of such vegetables for health and can lead to potentially more nutritious varieties of our familiar vegetables," Richard Mithen, who led the team, said.

The vegetable has gone on sale in Britain at Marks & Spencer and costs less than two pounds a pack.

 From the October 5, 2011, Prepared Foods' Daily News.