Broccoli
contains twice the vitamin C of an orange. It has almost as much calcium as
whole milk, and the calcium is better absorbed. One of the most nutritious
vegetables that has the unique property of fighting against many of the common
cancers is Broccoli.
Broccoli
is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family, along with cauliflower,
Brussels sprouts and cabbage. Eating broccoli has many potential health
benefits that have been established by the scientific community, as well as
some that are still under investigation. Eating broccoli raw versus cooked may
help to preserve its nutritional value. It is a type of
vegetable that has heads of small green or purple heads. Though the vegetable
belongs to the family of cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli is
found to have more nutritional and medical benefits.
It
is one of those vegetables that is subjected to intense research over the past
20 years. The results of these intense research and finding revealed that
people consuming this vegetable in abundance have discovered that the risk of
contracting common types of cancers such as colon cancer, breast cancer, cervix
cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer and such other types of concerns have
greatly reduced.
If
you haven't been eating enough fruits and vegetables, then stocking your
refrigerator with raw broccoli may be helpful. While not true for all
vegetables, broccoli tastes good when eaten raw and is also portable so it
makes a convenient and healthy snack. If you rinse it before an outing, you
won't have to keep it cold or warm it in the microwave to enjoy it during
travel. At home, if there's little time to prepare a healthy side dish, just
rinse raw broccoli and eat.
Certain
methods of food preparation may cause a vegetable to lose some of its
nutritional value. Some of the vitamin, mineral and phytochemical content may
be lost during cooking. Phytochemicals are plant compounds responsible for some
of the disease-fighting actions of vegetables in the body.
The
more water used to cook broccoli, the more water-soluble vitamins are lost.
Therefore, eating broccoli raw ensures that nutrients are not lost during
preparation. However, if you wish to cook broccoli, steam it using the smallest
amount of water possible to limit loss of vitamins.
When
you chew or chop broccoli, it releases a type of chemical in the food called
glucosinolates. These chemicals give broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables
their bitter or spicy taste. According to the Linus Pauling Institute,
glucosinolates are powerful anti-cancer agents that neutralize cancer-causing
substances before they can damage healthy cells. Glucosinolates, that are discovered to
be natural cancer fighters, are found to be in abundance in this unique
vegetable of broccoli. This glucosinolates are capable of breaking down into a
number of healthful compounds such as indoles, isothiocyanates and sulforaphane
and these components are discovered to cancer fighters. Broccoli is a rich source for fiber and
contains lower amount of calories.
In
addition, Broccoli provides a sizable amount of essential minerals as well as
vitamins. One cup of cooked broccoli contains only about 44 calories. While the
calorie content is only less, it has been found that one cup of cooked broccoli
provides more than 100% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance or RDA of Vitamin
C, and also about 20% of the RDA for folate. Also broccoli contains a sizable
amount of beta carotene.
According
to nutritionists, one cup of broccoli provides about 75 milligrams of calcium
and about 1.2 milligrams of iron. About 5 grams of protein can be secured from the
consumption of about 1 cup of cooked broccoli.
Broccoli
is also effective in preventing constipation as it has been found that one cup
of broccoli contains as much as 3.5 grams of fiber and also contains a number
of natural laxatives.
Researchers
estimate that broccoli sprouts contain 10-100 times the power of mature
broccoli to boost enzymes that detoxify potential carcinogens! A healthy
serving of broccoli sprouts in your salad or sandwich can offer some great
health benefits.
Other
ways broccoli helps our lives include, help for sun-damaged skin, significant
reduction in heart disease risk, cataract prevention. Broccoli
can help boost the immune system, build stronger bones and is useful during
pregnancy with 1 cup of brocolli offering 94 mcg of folic acid. Folic acid
deficiency is the most common vitamin deficiency in the world. All this adds up
to, eat your broccoli, 3 or more serving a week.
Eating
broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables may help to prevent cancers of the
breast, colon, lung and prostate. While these vegetables are generally known to
work against cancer-causing agents, your DNA influences just how powerful
broccoli will be in protecting your body from cancer. To realize the
anti-cancer benefits of cruciferous vegetables, the Linus Pauling Institute
recommends at least five servings per week.
In
a nut shell, broccoli was discovered to be an excellent source for Vitamin C.
In addition, broccoli also is a very good source for folate and beta carotene.
Broccoli also contains significant amounts of minerals such as iron, potassium
and calcium and is also rich in proteins.
References
No comments:
Post a Comment