Your lung capacity affects your stamina, endurance, energy and mental focus. It may even help determine how long you live, according to the results of the Buffalo Health Study published in the September 2000 issue of “Chest,” a publication of the American College of Chest Physicians. Decreased lung capacity can make you short of breath, decrease your endurance and increase your susceptibility to respiratory infections. A compound in broccoli called sulforaphane is being studied to see if has an effect on lung function.

• Broccoli:Broccoli is a hardy member of the cabbage family that develops best during the cool seasons of the year. The immature flower cluster — called a head — and the stalks are the parts that are normally eaten. Broccoli is low in calories, rich in the antioxidants vitamin C and beta-carotene, and is a good source of potassium. According to the University of Illinois Extension service, broccoli is a better source of nutrients than any other vegetable.
• Sulforaphane and COPD:Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health reported in April 2011 that sulforaphane may decrease the risk of lung infections in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. The lung capacity of patients with COPD is reduced and they are more susceptible to infections because of their diminished lung function. Sulforaphane decreases the inflammation in the lungs and helps white blood cells attack and kill the bacteria that causes lung infections.
• Sulforaphane and Asthma:Asthma is a lung disease that affects lung capacity. Research published in the August 2008 “Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America” noted that the vitamin C and beta-carotene found in vegetables such as broccoli have a protective effect on lung function in asthmatic patients. The study notes that vitamin C improves lung function and decreases constriction of the bronchial tubes. A study reported in the August 2008 issue of “Current Molecular Medicine” found sulforaphane decreased airway inflammation and cytokine production; cytokines are proteins released by the body as part of the immune response.
• Conclusion:Although the research is promising, there is currently no evidence that eating broccoli has a direct effect on lung capacity. At this point, scientists know only that sulforaphane acts on the lungs and reduces inflammation, which makes the lungs function better in patients with COPD and asthma.