Broccoli: Go Ahead, Sneak It In!

Introduction

A member of the cabbage family and the more colorful relative of the cauliflower, broccoli is the amazing vegetable that you can add to just about anything. Because of it’s various components, broccoli provides an eclectic array of tastes and textures, from soft and flowery to fibrous and crunchy. One reason for the recent jump in broccoli consumption is its growing reputation as a nutritional power house. It is not only rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, but it’s also loaded with antioxidants and protective phytochemicals as well. Not to mention, broccoili  contains some of the highest levels of vitamin A and C than in any food.

Nutritional Breakdown

Some of the figures expressed below are based upon 1 cup of broccoli or 1 medium sized stalk

• 1 cup only contains 45 calories.
• Broccoli contains natural substances that may help the body fight certain cancers.
• It also helps heal kids’ cuts and wounds and is a particularly good source of vitamin C.
• Broccoli helps to build strong bones and teeth. It is one of the best non-dairy sources of calcium. In fact, 1 cup of broccoli contains 74 mg of calcium (take that, dairy products!)
• 1 cup of broccoli contains 205% of your daily value of vitamin C, 194% of vitamin K, 45% of vitamin A, and 25% of folate.
• Broccoli has been singled out as a vegetable that contributes to the significant reduction in the risk for heart disease.
• Just 1 cup of broccoli fortifies your immune system with a hefty 1359 mcg of beta-carotene, and a small but useful amount of zinc and selenium (two minerals that act as cofactors in numerous immune defensive actions).

Selecting and Storing

The next time you are in the fresh produce section of your grocery store, look for stalks that are four to six inches wide with tight heads and a rounded dome. The tops should be deep green with tightly closed buds and stalks that are crisp and fresh looking. Be sure to avoid any heads that are limp and rubbery as this could mean the broccoli is old or has not been maintained at proper temperature.

When storing your broccoli, if it is prepackaged in sealed plastic it is good to go. If not, wrap unwashed broccoli in plastic wrap or a plastic bag and store ina fridge until you are ready to use. Although it is best eaten fresh, if you store it as mentioned above, it will keep five to seven days in your fridge.

Sneak it in

Broccoli does not have to be the main ingredient in your meal in order for you to reap the benefits. A cup of broccoli can easily be added to your already green juice, or as a flavorful edition to any salad. Happy chomping!

By rawfoodnation Tags: beta-carotene, broccoli, calcium, folate, immune system, vitamin a, vitamin c, vitamin k
Posted in Raw Foods | 2 Comments »

2 Responses to “Broccoli: Go Ahead, Sneak It In!”

1. Nikuli says:

   April 12, 2009 at 8:06 pm

   Hi
   I need broccoli seeds. How to get them

   [Reply]
2. rawfoodnation01 says:

   April 17, 2009 at 2:54 am

   Hi Nikuli.
   This is a tough question to answer without knowing where you live and what you’re doing with the seeds. You can either be growing broccoli in your garden this season, or sprouting the seeds for a yummy salad or raw meal later.

   Either way, the best way to start is with a simple internet search. Just typing in “organic broccoli seeds” into a search engine will bring up some options for you to check out. Or, based upon your area, you may be able to find them locally. Give us some more details and perhaps we can provide more specific information, or if you’re feeling adventurous, jump into the arms of the world wide web. Good luck to you!

   [Reply]