Explain about Broccoli
Broccoli a green vegetable is a power house of all essential nutrients, has low calories and including broccoli in diet provides many health benefits like controls constipation, hypertension, stroke and also very beneficial for skin and hair.
Broccoli is scientifically known as brassica oleracea. Broccoli is an edible dark green plant which belongs to green leafy vegetable plant family like cabbage and spinach. The name broccoli is derived from Italian word broccolo which means the flowering crest of a cabbage. Broccoli has large flower heads usually surrounded by leaves, which are green in colour and looks like a tree. Leaves are discarded as they are bitter in taste, the flower florets and stalks are eaten as raw and cooked. Broccoli is native to the Mediterranean, it is a result of careful breeding of cultivated brassica crops.
Broccoli is a cool weather crop. Broccolis vary in shape, size, colour and disease resistance properties. There are three types or varieties of broccolis are available, they are
- Calabrese broccoli, it is often referred as simple broccoli.
- Sprouting broccoli
- Romanesco broccoli.
Broccolis are the powerhouses of nutrients with low calories. Broccoli is a healthy and tasty vegetable, including broccoli in diet gives numerous health benefits.
Nutrient factors present in Broccoli :
Broccoli is very high in nutrients, proteins and minerals. It is one of the low calories vegetable. Broccoli contains sulforophane, which is a sulphur containing compound present in cruciferous vegetables. Broccoli contains 90% water with almost no fat and very low in calories. Broccoli is low in carbohydrates and high in fibre and proteins.
Broccoli is an excellent source of vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K1, vitamin B1 and vitamin B6. Vitamin C improves immunity and good for skin. Vitamin K1 is important for bone health. Broccoli is an excellent source of folates, it is important for tissue growth and cell function and it is very important during pregnancy as it helps control neural tube defects in newborns.
It contains important minerals like calcium, potassium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese and zinc. Potassium is a mineral and electrolyte useful for Bp control and for the function of nerves and heart contractions. Iron is important for functions like transport of oxygen
Broccoli also contains omega 3 fatty acids, phytonutrients, antioxidants and carotenoids.
Health benefits of Broccoli :
Here are some of the health benefits of broccoli
Control cancer (protect against prostate, colon, urinary bladder, pancreatic, and breast cancers.)
- Heart and bone health
- Improves digestion and helps in natural detoxification
- Control cholesterol levels
- Good for eye health (control risk of age related eye problems)
- Good for skin
- Helps to treat osteoarthritis
- Controls Bp and improves kidney health
- Helpful for diabetics
- Treat gastrointestinal diseases
Other benefits of broccoli are it lowers the risk of developing obesity, hypertension and stroke. Broccoli treat constipation, maintains low sugar levels and treats eating disorders like binge eating. It also treat allergic reaction and inflammation. Promotes skin health, repairs skin damage, gives natural glow to the skin and keeps your skin young. Broccoli is good for hair; it promotes hair growth, strengthens hair follicles and control hair loss.