Eating green vegetables or raw veggies is not a preferred option, but due to dietary requirements or a weight loss diet, you need to incorporate many greens in your diet.
Everyone wants to have a diet rich in calories, less in cholesterol, and filled with proteins, iron, minerals, and vitamins. Therefore it is necessary to include all the vegetables and fruits in your diet.
One such healthy cruciferous vegetable is broccoli. Calabrese broccoli can be eaten in different combinations of broccoli recipes. Brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli florets can be eaten raw, blanched or cooked, or stir fry.
To add daily value to nutrition and improve immune function, broccoli is the best option. The health benefits of eating fresh broccoli are experienced by many people across the globe. As a cruciferous vegetable, Broccoli is closely related to Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and kale.
This dark-green vegetable is rich in dietary fiber and protein. The nutrients in broccoli also help manage the cholesterol levels in the body. Nutrition facts regarding healthy broccoli recipes are all over the internet.
Let us find some amazing broccoli nutritional value facts before you include them in your diet to stay healthy. Afterward, also check canned green beans nutrition facts and canned vegetable nutrition facts here on Kidadl.
Health Benefits Of Broccoli
Broccoli is found to be the most effective when it is eaten in combination with other non-processed healthy food. Let us have a look at the health benefits of broccoli for the thyroid gland as well as bone health.
Broccoli helps in preventing chronic diseases. This is because broccoli contains phenolic compounds that help to avoid chronic diseases.
This compound also lowers the chance of developing diseases such as asthma, diabetes, heart disorders, and many other illnesses. Broccoli also improves the health of our liver.
The Journal of Nutrition has published a report in 2016 that revealed that in order to keep our liver functioning healthy and reduce the fatty liver, broccoli is the best vegetable to be consumed in your diet. Broccoli florets contain potent antioxidants which produce anti-inflammatory effects.
It has vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, kaempferol, sulforaphane which makes the vegetable develop anti-inflammatory properties. This was published in a study in 2014 in the Preventive Nutrition and Food Science Journal.
The aging process can be slowed down with the addition of a compound, namely nicotinamide mononucleotide, which is present in broccoli. These compounds trigger the process of metabolism and promote certain genetic changes that can lead to premature aging.
Thus antioxidants like vitamin A, C, and some amount of collagen also play an important role in delaying the process of aging, and you stay young and fresh throughout your major years of life. Broccoli sprouts help to improve the effective resistance of insulin in Type-II diabetes.
The sulforaphane and kaempferol possess the ability to reduce the blood sugar levels in patients having type 2 diabetes. Broccoli is found to be extremely healthy when a carbohydrate-controlled diet and a heart-healthy diet are consumed. This vegetable helps in controlling the blood glucose level.
Vitamins And Minerals
Broccoli also improves our cognition power and develops memory since broccoli is rich in choline and Vitamin K. Broccoli also contains sulforaphane which also helps in reducing the chance of getting Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative illnesses. Thus broccoli is also good for brain health.
Broccoli can also improve hair growth and give healthy-looking hair. This vegetable is rich in the nutrients of vitamin A and vitamin C. These two are necessary to keep your hair shiny, healthy, and thick.
The above vitamins also help in nourishing dry hair by regulating the sebum production on your scalp. This will naturally moisturize your hair and reduce hair loss, fragile hair growth, and have fewer split ends.
Broccoli is a good source of vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin D, and folate. All these help in boosting the metabolism process of our body.
Fibrous vegetables have a thermic effect on our food, and that increases the metabolic rate after eating food. The right amount of fiber in our diet improves satiety. Vitamin C, amino acids, and sulfur make broccoli a detoxifying vegetable.
Raw and fibrous vegetables are a great way to detoxify our bodies. Free radicals and toxins like uric acid are removed from our bodies.
It helps in purifying our blood and keeps our internal organs healthy. The external effects of toxins such as itches, rashes, arthritis, boils are all prevented.
Broccoli also helps achieve balance in the pH levels of our body. Everyone wants fresh, glowing, and healthy-looking skin to make a radiant appearance.
This can be achieved by consuming the antioxidants like vitamin A, vitamin E, b-complex, amino acids, vitamin C and E, beta carotene folate, which are present in broccoli, and it works like magic to keep your skin look fresh and healthy.
Storage And Food Safety
In order to extend the shelf life of broccoli, it is advisable to store the entire bunches of broccoli in a zip-lock plastic bag. It is preferred to eat the broccoli in the fresh form and freshly brought from markets.
However, it is also possible to store this vegetable for longer terms, like six to eight months, without affecting the broccoli nutrition.
In this case, you first need to blanch the broccoli and then freeze them in sealed tight containers. Food storage becomes extremely crucial when it comes to a wholesome diet and healthy food requirements. Proper food storage helps in eating healthy at all times, cutting on frequent food costs, and helping the environment by minimizing food wastage.
The cooking methods might differ in every household. But usually, broccoli is eaten raw and fresh. Stir fry vegetables is also a quick and healthy option for someone who doesn't like to cook. Make sure that broccoli bought from the market is fresh and organic.
Nutrients Per Serving
If you consume 3.5 oz (100 gm) of raw broccoli in your regular diet, then you get 32 calories. This makes it an excellent choice of raw vegetables to include in your meal, especially when you are aiming for weight loss.
You also feel satiated after consuming broccoli because the fiber content keeps you full for longer time periods. Broccoli is also rich in amino acids like tryptophan.
The USA Food Data Central also found that broccoli consists of vitamin A, lutein zeaxanthin, riboflavin, niacin, beta-carotene, etc. these are essential to promote healthy organ growth and improve metabolism. Broccoli also contains important minerals required for a healthy body like iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and phosphorus.
Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage contain unique, organic compounds. Broccoli is a rich source of flavonoids, phytonutrient glucosinolates, kaempferol, isothiocyanate, and many other antioxidant compounds that promote positive growth of our health.
Risks And Warnings
This fiber vegetable is an asset in being healthy, but there is also a chance of certain common side effects. Excessive consumption or an incorrect proportion of broccoli might result in dangerous situations like allergic reactions or skin rashes.
If broccoli is consumed with incorrect combinations of vegetables and food, then it may result in abdominal pain and bloating. Many people have gas due to the excessive inclusion of broccoli in their diet.
One should plan their diet and include particular proportions of food and vegetables to minimize the risk of side effects and maximize the health benefits. If you suffer from any thyroid condition, then you need to consult your doctor or dietician before consuming broccoli.
An excessive amount of broccoli eaten in your food may result in worsening the thyroid condition.
Therefore it is best to ask your doctor’s opinion to avoid the risk of hypothyroidism. Otherwise, it is completely safe to eat broccoli in moderate amounts and enjoy different combinations of these raw fibrous vegetables to make your diet wholesome and nutritious.
A sudden increase in the daily consumption of broccoli might also be a cause of worry. If you are administering any blood thinners or warfarin, then it is recommended to avoid eating large amounts of broccoli.
The vitamin K present in broccoli can suppress your anticoagulant medication. This might result in blood thinning. It is always advisable to consult your dietician or your family doctor before consuming excessive broccoli in your diet.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for broccoli nutritional value, then why not take a look at canned corn nutrition facts or almond nutrition facts.
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Joan AgieBachelor of Science specializing in Human Anatomy
With 3+ years of research and content writing experience across several niches, especially on education, technology, and business topics. Joan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Anatomy from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, and has worked as a researcher and writer for organizations across Nigeria, the US, the UK, and Germany. Joan enjoys meditation, watching movies, and learning new languages in her free time.
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