Broccoli first became widely available in the U.S. in 1925. This vegetable is full of nutrition, and just one serving of broccoli per day -- about a half cup -- can deliver a significant amount of vitamins, minerals and fiber to your diet. The CDC suggests choosing broccoli that's dark green in color because this signifies a high level of nutrients.
Macronutrients
A half-cup serving of raw broccoli, approximately 78 g, contains just 22 calories. It offers 2.32 g of protein, 0.27 g of fats and 4.09 g of carbohydrates. It's low in fat and free of saturated fats. Much of the overall weight of broccoli is water. A 78 g serving contains 70.74 g of water.
Vitamins and Minerals
Broccoli is a rich source of several vitamins, including vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6 and folate. It's also rich in the minerals iron, calcium and potassium. A serving of raw broccoli contains about 21 g of sodium, making it a low-sodium food for people with high blood pressure. The 254 mg of potassium in a serving of broccoli also helps offset the potentially negative effects of consuming too much sodium in your diet.
Frozen and Fresh
The nutritional value of broccoli varies depending on whether it's fresh or frozen. The CDC says frozen broccoli typically contains more beta-carotene by weight compared with fresh broccoli. However, Frozen broccoli contains twice as much sodium compared with fresh broccoli. Furthermore, frozen broccoli has about half the calcium as fresh broccoli and contains smaller amounts of vitamin C, iron, riboflavin and thiamine.
Cooking Methods
The way you cook your broccoli also plays a role in its nutritional value. A 2009 Chinese study published in the "Journal of Zhejiang University Science B" found that steaming broccoli yielded the lowest loss of nutrients compared with microwaving, boiling and stir-frying it. The CDC agrees with these findings and also recommends steaming broccoli as the preferred way to cook it. However, no matter which way you choose to cook it, broccoli offers nutritional benefits.
Member Comments