Health Benefits of Broccoli

Broccoli is an edible green plant in the cabbage family whose large flowerhead is eaten as a vegetable.

The word broccoli comes from the Italian plural of broccolo, which means "the flowering crest of a cabbage", and is the diminutive form of brocco, meaning "small nail" or "sprout". Broccoli is often boiled or steamed but may be eaten raw.

Broccoli is classified in the Italica cultivar group of the species Brassica oleracea. Broccoli has large flower heads, usually green in color, arranged in a tree-like structure branching out from a thick, edible stalk. The mass of flower heads is surrounded by leaves. Broccoli resembles cauliflower, which is a different cultivar group of the same species.

Broccoli is a result of careful breeding of cultivated leafy cole crops in the northern Mediterranean starting in about the 6th century BC. Since the time of the Roman Empire, broccoli has been considered a uniquely valuable food among Italians.[6] Broccoli was brought to England from Antwerp in the mid-18th century by Peter Scheemakers.Broccoli was first introduced to the United States by Italian immigrants, but did not become widely known there until the 1920s.

Varieties

There are three commonly grown types of broccoli. The most familiar is Calabrese broccoli, often referred to simply as "broccoli", named after Calabria in Italy. It has large (10 to 20 cm) green heads and thick stalks. It is a cool season annual crop. Sprouting broccoli has a larger number of heads with many thin stalks. Purple cauliflower is a type of broccoli sold in southern Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. It has a head shaped like cauliflower, but consisting of tiny flower buds. It sometimes, but not always, has a purple cast to the tips of the flower buds.

Other cultivar groups of Brassica oleracea include cabbage (Capitata Group), cauliflower and Romanesco broccoli (Botrytis Group), kale and collard greens (Acephala Group), kohlrabi (Gongylodes Group), Brussels sprouts (Gemmifera Group), and kai-lan (Alboglabra Group).[9] Rapini, sometimes called "broccoli raab" among other names, forms similar but smaller heads, and is actually a type of turnip (Brassica rapa). Broccolini or "Tenderstem broccoli" is a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli. Beneforté is a variety of broccoli containing 2-3 times more glucoraphanin that was produced by crossing broccoli with a wild Brassica variety, Brassica oleracea var villosa.

Nutrition

A 100 gram serving of raw broccoli provides 34 calories and is an excellent source (> 19% of the Daily Value, DV) of vitamin C and vitamin K (table). Raw broccoli also contains moderate amounts (10-19% DV) of several B vitamins and the dietary mineral, manganese, whereas other essential nutrients are in low content (table). Broccoli has low content of carbohydrates, protein, fat and dietary fiber (table).

Boiling broccoli reduces the levels of sulforaphane, with losses of 20–30% after five minutes, 40–50% after ten minutes, and 77% after thirty minutes. However, other preparation methods such as steaming, microwaving, and stir frying had no significant effect on the compounds.

Broccoli also contains the carotenoid compounds, lutein and zeaxanthin (table) in amounts about 6 times lower than in kale.

Broccoli, raw (edible parts)

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy 141 kJ (34 kcal)

Carbohydrates

6.64 g

Sugars 1.7 g

Dietary fiber 2.6 g

Fat

0.37 g

Protein

2.82 g

Vitamins

Vitamin A equiv.

beta-carotene

lutein zeaxanthin

(4%) 31 μg

(3%) 361 μg

1403 μg

Thiamine (B1) (6%) 0.071 mg

Riboflavin (B2) (10%) 0.117 mg

Niacin (B3) (4%) 0.639 mg

Pantothenic acid (B5)

(11%) 0.573 mg

Vitamin B6 (13%) 0.175 mg

Folate (B9) (16%) 63 μg

Vitamin C (107%) 89.2 mg

Vitamin E (5%) 0.78 mg

Vitamin K (97%) 101.6 μg

Minerals

Calcium (5%) 47 mg

Iron (6%) 0.73 mg

Magnesium (6%) 21 mg

Manganese (10%) 0.21 mg

Phosphorus (9%) 66 mg

Potassium (7%) 316 mg

Sodium (2%) 33 mg

Zinc (4%) 0.41 mg

Other constituents

Water 89.3 g

Health Benefits of Broccoli

Broccoli is known to be hearty and tasty vegetable which is rich in dozens of nutrients. It is said to pack the most nutritional punch of any vegetable.

Here are some of the benefits of broccoli:

1.Cancer prevention: Broccoli shares these cancer fighting, immune boosting properties with other cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage.

2. Cholesterol reduction: Like many whole foods, broccoli is packed with soluble fiber that draws cholesterol out of your body.

3. Reducing allergic reaction and inflammation: Research has shown the ability of kaempferol to lessen the impact of allergy-related substances on our body. Broccoli even has significant amounts of omega 3 fatty acids, which are well know as an anti-inflammatory.

4. Powerful antioxidant: Of all the cruciferous vegetables, broccoli stands out as the most concentrated source of vitamin C, plus the flavonoids necessary for vitamin C to recycle effectively. Also concentrated in broccoli are the carotenoids lutein, zeaxanthin and beta-carotene, other powerful antioxidants.

5. Bone health: Broccoli contains high levels of both calcium and vitamin K, both of which are important for bone health and prevention of osteoporosis.

6. Heart health: The anti-inflammatory properties of sulforaphane, one of the isothiocyanates (ITCs) in broccoli, may be able to prevent (or even reverse) some of the damage to blood vessel linings that can be caused by inflammation due to chronic blood sugar problems.

7. Diet aid: Broccoli is a good carb and is high in fiber, which aids in digestion, prevents constipation, maintains low blood sugar, and curbs overeating.

8. High in Indole-3-carbinol, a compound that helps reduce estrogen levels, broccoli is a great libido booster in men (although it can have the opposite effect in women). Brussel sprouts are also a great source of Indole-3-carbinol.

9.Eat healthy for a healthier bedroom experience. According to Spanish research published in Fertility and Sterility, upping your intake of folates found in broccoli can increase semen production, which leads to stronger orgasms and improved fertility.

Furthermore, a cup of broccoli has as much protein as a cup of rice or corn with half the calories.

Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe-(Vegetarian)

This is a very simple stir fry recipe prepared with broccoli in Indian style. This stir fry goes best with rice. Broccoli is considered to be one of the most nutritious vegetable with numerous health benefits.

Ingredients

2 heaped cups broccoli florets

1/2 to 1 cup capsicum or potatoes or peas (optional)

½ tsp cumin

¾ to 1 tsp ginger grated or ginger garlic paste

Oil as needed

1 small onion sliced thinly

1 medium tomato chopped finely

Salt and turmeric as needed

½ tsp Red chili powder

½ to ¾ tsp garam masala

Few roasted peanuts crushed (optional)

Method

1. Heat 3 to 4 cups of water in a pot, add salt and add the florets. Leave them for about 5 minutes. This helps hidden worms come to the water. Drain off the water and rinse them well under running water. Drain them and set aside.

Bok Choy

Bok choy or pak choi is a type of Chinese cabbage. Chinensis varieties do not form heads; instead, they have smooth, dark green leaf blades forming a cluster reminiscent of mustard or celery. Chinensis varieties are popular in southern China and Southeast Asia. Being winter-hardy, they are increasingly grown in Northern Europe. This group was originally classified as its own species under the name B. chinensis by Linnaeus.

Nutritional value

Bok choy contains a high amount of vitamin A per 4 oz. of serving - about 3500 IU. Bok choy also contains approximately 50 mg of vitamin C per 4 oz. serving.

Chinese cabbage was ranked second for nutrient density out of 41 "powerhouse" fruits and vegetables in a peer-reviewed US Center for Disease Control study.

Toxic effects

Bok choy contains glucosinolates. These compounds have been reported to prevent cancer in small doses, but, like many substances, can be toxic to humans in large doses, particularly to people who are already seriously ill. In 2009, an elderly diabetic woman who had been consuming 1 to 1.5 kg of raw bok choy per day, in an attempt to treat her diabetes, developed hypothyroidism, for reasons relating to her diabetes, resulting in myxedema coma.

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy 54 kJ (13 kcal)

Carbohydrates

2.2 g

Dietary fiber 1.0 g

Fat

0.2 g

Protein

1.5 g

Vitamins

Vitamin A equiv. (30%) 243 μg

Vitamin A 4468 IU

Vitamin C (54%) 45 mg

Minerals

Calcium (11%) 105 mg

Iron (6%) 0.80 mg

Magnesium (5%) 19 mg

Sodium (4%

Health Benefits of Bok Choy

Containing a wealth of vitamins C, A, and K, and excellent sources of calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, and iron, bok choy deserves its reputation as a powerhouse among vegetables. Vitamin A, for instance, is essential for a properly functioning immune system, while vitamin C is an antioxidant that shields the body from free radicals. Bok choy supplies potassium for healthy muscle and nerve function, and vitamin B6 for carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism.

Cabbage including bok choy contains powerful antioxidants like vitamins A and C and phytonutrients such as thiocyanates, lutein, zeaxanthin, isothiocyanates, and sulforaphane, which stimulate detoxifying enzymes and may protect against breast, colon, and prostate cancers.

Bok choy contains a wealth of anti-inflammatory nutrients to help keep inflammation in check. You need some level of inflammation in your body to stay healthy. However, it’s also possible, and increasingly common, for the inflammatory response to get out of hand.

One cup of bok choy contains about 26 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin K1, a fat-soluble vitamin most well-known for the important role it plays in blood clotting and bone metabolism. Vitamin K1 is also a known Alzheimer’s disease preventive by helping to limit neuron damage in your brain.

Bok choy is also an excellent source of calcium… so good that nutrition experts from The Harvard School of Public Health called out bok choy as being a better source of dietary calcium than dairy products. It also contains other important nutrients for bone health, including magnesium and phosphorus.

Cabbage like bok choy contains healthy amounts of B vitamins, including folate (which is better than the synthetic form known as folic acid found in many supplements), vitamin B6, vitamin B1, and vitamin B5. B vitamins are not only important for energy, but they may also slow brain shrinkage by as much as seven-fold in brain regions specifically known to be most impacted by Alzheimer’s disease.

Sulforaphane in bok choy and other cruciferous vegetables has been found to significantly improve blood pressure and kidney function. Scientists believe sulforaphane’s benefits are related to improved DNA methylation, which is crucial for normal cellular function and proper gene expression, especially in the easily damaged inner lining of the arteries known as the endothelium.

Bok Choy Healthy Recipe: Stir-Fried Sesame Bok Choy

Ingredients:

1 tsp. sesame oil (dark)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)

1 1/2 lbs. baby bok choy, carefully cleaned and cut into bite-sized pieces

1/4 cup chicken or veggie broth

2 Tbsp. naturally fermented soy sauce

1 tsp. honey

1/2 tsp. flour

1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds

Procedure:

Heat a large skillet or wok to med-high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Add oil to the skillet and swirl to coat the pan.

Add in the garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper; stir-fry until fragrant - about 30 seconds.

Add in the bok choy; cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Stir in the broth, soy sauce, sugar or honey, and flour; bring to a boil stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute or until thickened.

Remove from heat and sprinkle with sesame seeds.