The luscious, green cruciferous veggie called Broccoli is well-known and liked by all. When it comes to health benefits, it has almost every benefit to offer and people love it for its qualities. This vegetable can increase the attractiveness of almost anything be it salad, in raw form or cooked with peas exclusively. The reason for the fan following of broccoli is due to its nutritional profile which is unbeatingly impressive. When one is eating broccoli, he is sure to get dozens, no actually hundreds of nutrients that support optimal body functioning. If you want to know about the origin of word ‘Broccoli’, it comes from Italian word, basically which means ‘flowering crest of the cabbage’ and is generally characterised by large flower head, green in colour. This large green or purple flower head is the reason that it is known to contain Phyto-nutrients that are found to have disease prevention and health maintenance properties. Broccoli is rich in Vitamin A, K, C, iron, zinc, B-complex vitamins phosphorus and dietary fiber. Also, it contains a very important compound, called glucoraphanin. Infact, just a 100gm serving of broccoli will provide you with 150% of daily recommended intake of vitamin C and regarding calories, it just contains 32 calories per 100 gm. Due to the presence of Vitamin C in such high quantities, it has gained so much popularity, as alongwith this, it is also a very good source of Omega-3 fatty acids.
To prepare Broccoli, it is recommended to cook only the amount one is going to eat for dinner or lunch and better not to keep extra with the purpose of consuming it later, when given fresh broccoli will be cooked in few minutes. Also, it is best to not overcook your broccoli as it will turn to mush and will take a very unappealing green colour and then you wont feel like eating it. Before Preparing, wash the broccoli in running water and don’t soak it in water. To cook it quickly, cut lengthwise slits in the stems, also, leaves are perfectly edible and contain the concentrated amounts of beneficial nutrients. Also, while cooking take care of the temperature by sticking to a low temperature to support your nourishment. It is good to eat freshly raw or half baked or cooked to get all the nutrients and to enjoy the benefits. As, the broccoli is available the year round in the market , it is preferred to choose bright, compact firm textured florets of broccoli seemingly rich in flavour and avoid the overmature flower heads with yellow buds, hollow stem and excessive branches.
Here are some enlisted benefits of broccoli and trust me there are many;
It prevents or at least reduces Cancer risk: This is the number 1 benefit of broccoli. Researches say that just eat broccoli three times each month and one could potentially reduce the risk of bladder cancer by 40 percent. The reason being that Sulforaphane in broccoli has been known to kill cancer stem cells, thereby striking the root of tumor growth. Even it was found in a study that men who ate broccoli showed a number of beneficial changes in genes that are known to fighting cancer.
Prevents Diabetes and improves heart health: Eating it promotes the production of enzymes that helps in protecting heart blood vessels and reduce the molecules that damages them. It is this Sulforaphane that reduces the number of molecules that reduces cell damage. As, people with diabetes are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease such as heart attacks and strokes and Eating broccoli might help in reversing these effects.
Prevents Arthritis: The sulphur rich broccoli compound blocks a key destructive enzymes that contributes in damaging cartilage. So, increasing broccoli in your diet can slow down and prevent arthritis. So, older people should start eating more broccoli and even the younger ones should develop taste of this wonderful veggie.
Improves the eyes and skin health: Yes, the added benefit of broccoli is that it improves the skin health not by eating it though but by directly applying it. It prevents the skin cancer and improves the skin when damage is caused by UV rays of sun. Also, due to stimulation of variety of antioxidant defense pathways in your body, it slows down the ageing process. Moreover, broccoli also maintains eyesight as it contains Vitamin A in the form of cartenoids.
Broccoli, overloaded with so many benefits for health, really makes it a wonder food. The range of benefits it offers like it alkalizes the body, helps in reducing cholesterol, maintains the right blood pressure and yes, is an excellent diet aid as it curbs overeating. This veggie, broccoli is powerful antioxidant and boosts immune health and prevents cold. The working of broccoli for cancer prevention goes like this; The combination of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification components in broccoli make it a unique food in terms of cancer prevention. Connections between cancer development and oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and inadequate detoxification are so well-documented in the research that any food improving all three of these metabolic problems is meant to be highly likely to lower the risk of cancer. The broccoli is the one, that is showing strong signs of decreased risk of prostate cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Recent studies have also provided us with a much better idea about the amount of broccoli that we need to lower our cancer risk and it is found like 1/2 cup of broccoli which is 22 calories per day can be enough. Though, some people are reluctant to have broccoli, the reason can be any many be they don’t like the taste or whatever, but even, a 2-cup serving twice a week would meet this minimum average amount, and this shows that it is a very little minimal amount in context of week’s food. You know, broccoli can provide you with some special cholesterol-lowering benefits, if cooked by steaming. Well, the benefits are innumerable and that’s the reason it has been counted as one of the world’s healthiest foods. Broccoli is like super pack of health food. The nutritional punch, that broccoli has, is irreplaceable from any vegetable. For diet conscious people, this is something perfect being high in fiber. So, keep eating this rich green food, Broccoli.
Healthy Eating. Happy Life.
