Food is Medicine - Broccoli
Vegetables are generally recommended to be the staple of all diets. Low in carbohydrates, salt, sugar but high in nutrition and fibre.
Today we look at the health benefits of Broccoli.
When eating Broccoli we need to consider the best way of consuming it and maintaining the benefits it offers. In the case of Broccoli its best eating raw or lightly steamed. The less cooked, the higher the Bio-available are its nutrients.
Why Broccoli:
-Broccoli is very high in protein relative to other vegetables.
-Very high in Vitamin C, having significantly more Vitamin C than Oranges
-Broccoli supplies large amounts of Calcium
-It offers significant amounts of Vitamin K
- 100 grams of Broccoli also offers Vitamin A, Magnesium, Potassium, Vitamin B-6, selenium, manganese and folate in reasonable doses.
Broccoli is also well known for protecting health by having large amounts of antioxidants.
Glucoraphin is one of the phytonutrients found in significant amounts within broccoli.
When broccoli is consumed, the enzyme myrosinase transforms glucoraphanin into raphanin, which is antibiotic, and into sulforaphane, which exhibits anti-cancer and antimicrobial properties . Preliminary research also suggests that glucoraphanin may slow and prevent arthritis, and 'retune' mitochondrial metabolism.
Sulforaphane is thus touted as aiding arthritis, cancers, blood pressure and kidney health, anti ageing, heart health.
Conclusion:
Broccoli has been very well researched and it appears that their are so many positives to come from eating this vegetable. It can be added to salads, stir fry's, soups, baked or just eaten raw.
The more raw the better the bioavailable are broccolis nutrients.
Recent research has pointed to the higher potency of glucoraphin in broccoli sprouts.
Eating broccoli regularly is making your food your medicine.
