The English language is full of eccentric words that start with the letter C: cahoots (conspiring together secretly) and callipygian (a well-shaped backside) are just two examples.

But in our book, "cruciferous" tops the list. This word, used for a group of nutrition-packed vegetables, comes from a Latin term that describes their cross-shaped flowers — but  provides no clue about which veggies fall into the category.

Now, a study in the British Journal of Nutrition adds to the evidence that what's in this hard-to-pronounce and harder-to-spell category can save your life.

First the list (we bet there are some surprises), then the benefits.

Cruciferous vegetables include: arugula, bok choy, broccoli, broccoli rabe, broccoli Romanesco, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese broccoli, Chinese cabbage, collard greens, daikon, garden cress, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, komatsuna, land cress, mizuna, mustard seeds and leaves, radishes, rutabaga, tatsoi, turnips roots and greens, wasabi, and watercress.

The researchers found that older women (median age 74) who've been eating the equivalent of 10.5 ounces of cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, or broccoli weekly (2.5 ounces more than one serving) have a 46% lower risk of abdominal aortic calcification compared to women who ate only 3.5 ounces of those veggies weekly.

Abdominal aortic calcification is an indicator of blood flow to your lower extremities and a predictor of serious coronary events like heart attack and peripheral artery disease.

Now that you know which veggies pack this powerful benefit, you can make sure to get your weekly servings.