Broccoli, a member of the Brassicaceae family of nutrient-rich vegetables, offers several health benefits. The brassica genus also includes familiar cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and bok choy. Once considered strictly a winter vegetable, markets now feature fresh broccoli year round. Broccoli derives its name from the Italian word "brocco" meaning arm or branch.
Broccoli Types
Sprouting broccoli, the most familiar U.S. variety, consists of a chunky, green stalk and with dark green buds in tight clusters at the top of each stem. This variety of broccoli was first grown commercially in California in the early 1920s. The other main broccoli type is referred to as heading broccoli. It features a solid, creamy white head, resembling cauliflower.
Raw Broccoli
Raw broccoli makes a great addition to crudite platters or garden salads. According to the USDA Nutrient Database, a standard 100 g serving of raw broccoli has 34 calories with .37 g fat, 1.70 g sugars, 6.64 g carbohydrates, 2.6 g dietary fiber and 2.82 g protein. Broccoli also contributes greatly to your daily vitamin and mineral requirements. For example, raw broccoli delivers 89.2 g of vitamin C, which equates to 149 percent of your daily allowance. In its raw state, broccoli provides 9 percent of your daily requirement of potassium and 12 percent vitamin A.
Fresh Cooked
Serve cooked broccoli as a healthy side dish with lean meats or fish. Most people think cooked vegetables lose a substantial amount of nutrients, however the USDA Nutrient Database tells a different story. A 100 g serving of cooked broccoli has 35 calories, comprised of .41 g fat, 1.39 g sugars, 7.18 g carbohydrates, 3.3 g dietary fiber and 2.38 g protein. The same serving size contains 64.9 g of vitamin C, or 108 percent of the daily recommended amount and 31 percent vitamin A. Look to cooked broccoli as a good source of potassium, delivering 8 percent of RDA, or 293 g per serving.
Frozen Cooked
Use frozen broccoli in baked recipes or as a healthy side dish. A 100 g serving of frozen broccoli contains .11 g fat, 1.44 g sugars, 5.35 g carbohydrates, 3 g dietary fiber, 3.10 g protein and 28 calories. Frozen broccoli delivers 40.1 g, or roughly 67 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C. It also provides 5 percent of your total requirement of potassium and 22 percent, or 1118 IU of vitamin A.
Micronutrients
The micronutrients contained in broccoli show significant promise in the fight against cancer. Of cruciferous vegetables, broccoli contains the highest concentration of sulfur-rich glucosinolates. Scientists from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University believe these organic compounds may act to eradicate carcinogens in the body before they have a chance to attack healthy DNA. In addition, glucosinolates could possibly prevent normal cell tissue from becoming cancerous.
References
- USDA National Agricultural Library: Bold Broccoli
- University of Florida; Broccoli; James M. Stephens; 1994
- Penn State University Agriculture Alternatives; Broccoli Production; 2000
- USDA National Agricultural Library: Broccoli, Raw
- USDA National Agricultural Library: Broccoli, Cooked, Boiled, Drained, Without Salt
- USDA National Agricultural Library: Broccoli, Frozen, Spears, Cooked, Boiled, Drained, Without Salt
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