We get a little suspicious when we hear the claims that it’s possible to get rid of the gunk that accumulates in our cells by doing a cleanse with “clean” foods.

But what if some foods actually do help detox the body?

The results of a recent clinical trial suggest that compounds in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli (and kale) prod cells to get rid of certain air pollutants. The intriguing randomized control trial of about 300 Chinese adults found that consuming a beverage made with broccoli sprouts every day for three months lead to high rates of excretion (in urine) of two harmful chemicals: benzene and acrolein.