A brief history of broccoli provided by the Department of Horticultural Sciences at Texas A&M University states that broccoli has been eaten for more than 2,000 years in Europe but has become popular in the United States only in the last 25 years. This relative newcomer to the U.S. produce section is an exceptional source of a variety of nutrients.
Definition
Broccoli belongs to the cabbage family, whose scientific name is Brassicaceae. The plant consists of a thick stalk with branches that are topped by a bunch of flower heads. Every part of the plant is edible although the stalk is more palatable if the tough outer layer is peeled or cut off.
Nutrition Content
The USDA nutrition label includes the basic nutrition facts for a one cup serving, or 71 grams (g), of broccoli florets. One cup of broccoli contains a very small calorie count of 20, 19 milligrams (mg) or 1 percent of the daily value (DV), 4 g of total carbohydrates and 2 g of protein. It provides 1.8 g of dietary fiber.
Vitamins
Broccoli is an excellent source of vitamin C, containing 66.2 mg, or 110 percent DV. One cup of broccoli also provides 43 percent DV of vitamin A and 13 percent DV of folate. Other vitamins you'll find in broccoli in smaller amounts (from 3 to 6 percent of DV) include thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6 and pantothenic acid.
Minerals
While it does not contain such high percentages of minerals, you can still count on obtaining a wide variety of essential minerals from a serving of broccoli. It contains 19.2 mg of sodium (1 percent DV), two percent DV of zinc and copper, and 3 percent of calcium, iron and selenium. You'll receive 4 percent DV of magnesium and 5 percent of phosphorus. Broccoli has slightly higher amounts of potassium (231 mg or 7 percent DV) and manganese (0.2 mg, which is 8 percent DV).
Antioxidants
Broccoli provides two antioxidants that are important for eye health. It is rich in beta carotene (0.26 mg) and has a trace amount of alpha carotene. It also contains 1 mg of lutein and zeaxanthin.
Fatty Acids
Two of the total calories in a serving of broccoli come from fat, but it is primarily unsaturated fat. It also contains 91.6 mg of omega-3 fatty acids and 27.0 mg of omega-6 fatty acids.
Cruciferous Vegetable
You won't find this information in the standard nutrition label, but as a cruciferous vegetable, broccoli is a good source of lignans (phytoestrogens), phytosterols (help lower the bad LDL cholesterol) and a compound called sulforaphane, which stimulates enzymes that boost the body's antioxidant defenses and increase the body's cancer-fighting ability.
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