You can eat broccoli raw in salads or with other veggies dipped in yogurt for full nutrition with no nutrients cooked out of this healthy food item. But whether you steam it or combine it with other foods in a soup or vegetable medley, broccoli has plenty to recommend it as part of your healthy diet.
Rich in Dietary Fiber
Broccoli provides plenty of dietary fiber for proper digestion. The Produce for Better Health Foundation states that you can get 12 percent of the dietary fiber and 3 percent of the carbohydrates needed in a 2,000-calorie diet from one medium stalk, or about 148 g of broccoli. Dietary fiber helps regulate bowel movements and keeps your intestinal tract healthy.
Healthy Vitamins
Broccoli is rich in water-soluble vitamin C and folate and provides significant amounts of fat-soluble vitamin D. This can be especially important in the winter when you get less vitamin D from sunlight. The USDA states that broccoli provides more nutrients than any other vegetable, including beta carotene, a precursor to fat-soluble vitamin A. Fat-soluble vitamins can be stored in the body for later use, while water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C must be renewed daily. Vitamins A and C help protect your body cells from damage.
Minerals and Phytonutrients
Broccoli contains minerals like calcium and iron needed for strong bones and red blood cells. MayoClinic.com states that the vegetable also provides potassium and phytonutrients that help protect against heart disease, some cancers, diabetes and other chronic diseases. Phytonutrients are essential nutrients that don't as yet have established minimum requirements for daily intake.
Low in Fat and Sodium
Besides delivering vitamins and minerals, broccoli has very little fat or sodium as long as you don't add high fat sauces in preparation. The Produce for Better Health Foundation states that a medium stalk of broccoli contains only .5 g of fat, which is only 1 percent of the daily value for a 2,000-calorie diet. At 80 mg, the amount of sodium is only 3 percent of what a 2,000-calorie diet should provide.
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