Broccoli is a vegetable that belongs to the family of the Cruciferae (as are cauliflower and cabbages). As such, its major component is water, so it has very few calories and is high in fiber.
This vegetable is native to the Mediterranean, it is believed that it is the result of the natural crossing of several plants of the family of the Brassica, which grow in the north of Italy.
In the Roman Empire it was already considered a unique food. Later it was introduced to the United States although it did not become popular until 1920. Its incredible properties and benefits have made it an indispensable food in any healthy diet, especially the Mediterranean diet. There are numerous studies that corroborate this.
Do you want to know what properties we are talking about and why more and more people are consuming it? Here we will explain which are the most important
Its main properties:
It is rich in minerals and vitamins, thanks to this it is one of the most nutritious vegetables. Each portion of 200 gr provides up to 4 times more recommended daily intake of Vitamin C, also folic acid and 2/3 of Vitamin A.
It is low in calories, but rich in calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamins B1, B2 and B6. It also has iodine, zinc, copper and magnesium. This helps us fight iron deficiency anemia and prevent cancer. The sulforaphane it contains also helps pre-cancerous cells not to become malignant.
Another property of broccoli is that it helps eliminate toxins from our body and reduces bad cholesterol.
Benefits of broccoli for our body:
Prevents cancer: especially helps prevent breast cancer, uterus, prostate, liver, colon, kidney and intestine. Thanks to the properties of broccoli that we have mentioned before.
Improves heart health: thanks to the fact that it eliminates bad cholesterol and is high in fiber our heart is strengthened and we prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Cleanses our body: its antioxidant components facilitate the elimination of toxins, free radicals and uric acid from our body. This allows the blood and our skin to be cleaned, giving it a smooth, firm and more shiny appearance.
Strengthens bones: To protect our bones and make them healthy we should eat several servings of broccoli a week.
Helps during menopause: because it contains phytoestrogens and is anti-estrogenic. If you eat it, you will notice that the symptoms of menopause are reduced.
Improves the appearance of the skin: this is ideal for people who want to have young skin, with softness and brightness. It promotes the production of collagen, protects the cell membranes and protects us from UVA radiation.
Prevents constipation: as it is rich in fibre, it is recommended that it be consumed to prevent constipation. It also fights acidity, stomach inflammation, improves digestion, prevents gastric ulcers and certain types of gastric cancer. To be more effective, it is better to eat it lightly boiled or raw.
Strengthens our immune system: vitamins, minerals and beta-carotene help strengthen the cells of our body and protect us against possible diseases.
Helps during pregnancy: pregnant women should consume folic acid, proteins, calcium, antioxidants, fiber and phosphorus, and as we have already mentioned, broccoli contains all these elements. Therefore, its intake is recommended.
Add it to your weekly diet!
Now that you know both its properties and its benefits, you should include it in your diet. It can serve as a side dish for any dish or as a main dish with other vegetables. We can also prepare it with a sauce to accompany it.
To get the maximum benefits of broccoli we should not cook/boil it for more than 10 minutes. Although one of the best ways to prepare them is to steam them, no more than 8 minutes, then we accompany it with a spoonful of oil, salt and the species we want. This makes it a suitable ingredient for a sophisticated dish as well as for preparing a quick dinner when we don’t have time or are tired to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.
No wonder that thanks to all these properties and benefits, broccoli is becoming fashionable and more and more people are consuming it. Strangely enough, children like it too. If you have children you can introduce it into their diet gradually. You can mix it with other foods that they like and cook it in various ways, for example mashed potatoes. I’m sure they won’t notice it and will get used to its taste.
In a short time they will surely like this food and the whole family will enjoy good health thanks to the benefits of broccoli.