Broccoli is the tasty super-green that packs the most nutritional punch of any vegetable. Broccoli has numerous health benefits, apart from being low in calories and rich in essential vitamins and minerals. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-oxidant properties that prevent allergic reactions, boost the immune system, protect the skin, lower blood pressure, eliminate inflammation, fight cancer, and improve vision and ocular health.
Let’s delve deeper to know why’s broccoli the super-healthy vegetable we all must have!
Broccoli is known as “hari phoolgobi” in Hindi. Broccoli is a versatile vegetable that is cooked in different ways, starting from steaming to stir-frying. It is also incorporated into a variety of cuisines across the world, whether it’s an Indian curry or Italian pasta.
Did You Know?
– A cup of cooked broccoli offers as much vitamin C as an orange and is a good source of beta-carotene.
– Broccoli was custom-bred from the wild cabbage plant (Brassica oleracea), with the sole purpose of cultivating a more palatable vegetable.
– The largest cultivator of broccoli in the world is now China, followed by India.
– Broccoli is very common all over the world, particularly in Europe, America, and Australia.
Broccoli contains vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, folate, potassium, selenium, manganese, tryptophan, fiber, calcium, and phosphorus. In terms of organic compounds, broccoli is a rich source of different phytonutrients such as glucosinolates, flavonoids, carotenoids, and various other antioxidant compounds that boost our health in major ways, which we have discussed below.
Here are the 6 reasons why you should add broccoli to your diet. However, there are even more benefits than what we could include!
Detoxification
The phytochemicals glucoraphanin, gluconasturtiin, and glucobrassicin compose a terrific trio in broccoli. Together, they aid all the steps of the body’s detoxification process, from activation to neutralization and elimination of contaminants. The sulforaphane in broccoli sprouts protects the aerobic cells from damage by inducing a network of detoxification enzymes. Broccoli also contains isothiocyanates, which help in the detox process at the genetic level. Since broccoli is rich in fiber, it can help get rid of toxins through the digestive tract.
Cholesterol Reduction and Heart Health
Broccoli has the ability to lower cholesterol levels due to its high soluble fiber content, which binds with cholesterol in the blood. This binding process makes the cholesterol easier to excrete from the body and therefore reduces overall levels. Broccoli sprouts are more potent in this aspect than mature broccoli.
Read about other foods that can help you reduce cholesterol here!
Broccoli keeps the blood vessels strong, which is one of the ways in which it improves heart health. The sulforaphane in broccoli is also anti-inflammatory and may be able to prevent or reverse damage to the blood vessel linings caused by chronic blood sugar problems. The B-complex vitamins in broccoli can also help regulate your body’s homocysteine (an amino acid) levels. Excess homocysteine builds up when a person eats excess red meat, increasing the risk of coronary artery diseases.
Eye Health
Zeaxanthin and lutein, found in broccoli, are also known as “the eye vitamins,” which have vision-strengthening properties. They help prevent serious eye diseases like cataracts and macular degeneration by repairing damage caused by radiation. Sulforaphane, too, protects your eyes from UV radiation. Other nutrients like vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin C, phosphorus, vitamin E, and B complex vitamins found in broccoli are also essential for maintaining good eye health.
Cancer Protection
Several studies have provided evidence of the protective effects that broccoli and broccoli sprouts have against cancer. Consumption of cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, is linked to a reduced risk of many cancers. This includes lung, colorectal, breast, prostate, pancreatic, and gastric cancer. Broccoli contains isothiocyanates, mainly sulforaphane, which act against the formation of cancer at the molecular level by reducing oxidative stress. Studies have found that these compounds also boost liver detox enzymes, reduce oxidative stress, decrease inflammation, stimulate the immune system, and decrease the development and growth of cancer.
Digestive Health
Broccoli is rich in dietary fiber, which is the primary dietary ingredient in curing almost all stomach disorders. The fiber reduces constipation and also adds to the bulkiness of the food, retains water, and forms healthy bowel movements. Magnesium and vitamins present in it also cure acidity, soothe stomach inflammation, and facilitate proper digestion and absorption of nutrients from the food.
Anti-inflammatory
A 2010 study published in the Inflammation Researcher journal found that decreasing the influence of allergy-related substances, kaempferol in broccoli also helps to lower the risk of chronic inflammation. Apart from kaempferol, there are other antioxidant phytonutrients such as quercetin, isothiocyanates (especially sulforaphane), and omega-3 fatty acids present in broccoli that help regulate inflammation and allergic reactions. Quercetin is especially potent in treating allergies and, hence, is used as an active ingredient in most anti-allergic drugs.
How can you Include Broccoli in your Diet?
Broccoli is one of the most nutritious vegetables that you can eat in both cooked and raw forms. Raw broccoli contains more sulforaphane than the cooked one and is a suitable addition to salads. You can cook broccoli in many different ways and easily incorporate it into your diet. After cutting it into smaller florets, you can steam it (either in a microwave or on the stove), bake it, or stir-fry it with ginger, garlic, and other vegetables. You can add it to your pasta, pizzas, salads, or soups to give them an interesting twist. People who cannot eat raw broccoli should try to eat steamed broccoli. This cooking method helps retain more nutrients than other methods such as stir-frying, blanching, boiling, sautéing, or frying.
Thus, whether eaten raw or cooked, this vegetable provides your body with a plethora of vitamins and other nutrients that protect you from various diseases.
Is broccoli your favorite vegetable? If not, read our article once more! Comment below to let us know how you prefer cooking broccoli.
Disclaimer: Some people might have allergies due to broccoli consumption. Consuming high amounts of broccoli may have harmful effects on the thyroid gland in sensitive individuals. Individuals taking blood thinners (or the drug warfarin) should consult a doctor before increasing broccoli consumption, because the high amount of vitamin K present in broccoli may interact with the medication. Overeating broccoli can also cause stomach problems due to its high fiber content.
Nutrition Information
100 grams of broccoli (raw) provides 34 kilocalories, Carbs- 6.64 grams (sugars- 1.7 grams and dietary fiber- 2.6 grams), protein- 2.82 grams, Fat- 0.37 grams, Sodium- 33 grams, Potassium- 316 grams
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