Here's why you should eat broccoli

Eating broccoli and plantain can help fight Crohn's disease, an inflammatory disease of the intestines that affects any part of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus.

Eating broccoli and plantain can help fight Crohn's disease, an inflammatory disease of the intestines that affects any part of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus.

A research team from Liverpool University has found that certain types of soluble fibre can help prevent bacteria from sticking to the gut's walls, and hence reduce the progress of the disease.

They found soluble fibre from plantain and broccoli - dubbed a superfood for its abilities to fight cancer and prevent furring of arteries had a marked effect.

During the study, researchers added a common type of E coli bacteria to lab-grown bowel lining "microfold" cells, then tested them with soluble fibre from different fruits and vegetables.

"Soluble fibre might have a beneficial effect by blocking adhesion to the intestinal lining of potentially harmful bacteria," telegraph.co.uk quoted lead researcher Jonathan Rhodes, a gastroenterologist at Liverpool University, as saying.

A clinical study looking at the effect in people is now under way, but Rhodes thinks those with the condition would probably have to eat at least one large plantain each day to see the effect.

Bananas, from the same family and more commonly available, were also likely to be beneficial. However, Rhodes said they contained less soluble fibre so people would have to consume more.