Here are ten enjoyable facts about broccoli, brought to you by FusionSouth! Broccoli is now one of the best-selling vegetables in North America. Indeed, broccoli is among the most powerful weapons in your dietary arsenal against cancer. This alone is enough to elevate it to the status of a ’super food.’ But, additionally, broccoli also boosts the immune system, lowers the incidence of cataracts, supports cardiovascular health, builds bones, and fights birth defects. Enjoy these facts, and Be Well!
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1. Broccoli is one of the most nutrient-dense foods known at this time; it offers an incredibly high level of nutrition for a very low caloric cost. Of the ten most common vegetables eaten in the North America, broccoli is a clear winner in terms of total polyphenol content; it’s got more polyphenols than all other popular choices; only beets and red onions have more polyphenols per serving.
2. A recent meta-analysis, which reviewed the results of eighty-seven studies, confirmed once again that broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables lower the risk of cancer. As little as 10 grams a day (less than 1/8 cup of chopped raw cabbage or chopped raw broccoli) can have a significant effect on your risk for developing cancer. Indeed, eating broccoli or its relatives is like getting a natural dose of chemoprevention.
3. Broccoli and its related crucifers are rich in folate, the B vitamin that is essential to preventing birth defects. Neural tube defects such as spina bifida have been linked to folic acid deficiency in pregnancy. A single cup of raw, chopped broccoli provides more than 50 milligrams of folate (the plant form of folic acid). Folate also is active in helping to remove homocysteine from the circulatory system; high levels of homocysteine are associated with cardiovascular disease. Folate also plays a role in cancer prevention. Interestingly, folic-acid deficiency may be the most common vitamin deficiency in the world.
4. Broccoli is rich in the powerful phytochemical carotenoid antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin (as well as vitamin C). Both of these carotenoids are concentrated in the lens and retina of the eye. One study found that people who ate broccoli more than twice weekly had a 23 percent lower risk of cataracts when compared to those who ate broccoli less than once a month. Lutein/zeaxanthin and vitamin C also serve to protect the eyes from the free-radical damage done to the eyes by ultraviolet light.
5. Broccoli and cruciferous vegetables are also bone builders. One cup of raw broccoli provides 41 milligrams of calcium along with 79 milligrams of vitamin C, which promotes the absorption of calcium. Whole milk and other full-fat dairy products, long touted as the main sources of calcium, contain no vitamin C and are often loaded with saturated fat and many more calories than the 25 in 1 cup of raw, chopped broccoli.
6. Broccoli also supplies a significant portion of vitamin K, which is important for blood clotting, and also contributes to bone health.
7. There are only 30 calories in one cup of broccoli! Imagine, a powerful, healthy, and natural super food low in calories!
8. Broccoli is a great source of the flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamin C, folate, and potassium that help prevent heart disease. It also provides generous amounts of fibwe, vitamin E, and vitamin B6, which promote cardiovascular health.
9. Broccoli is one of the few vegetables, along with spinach, that are relatively high in coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a fat-soluble antioxidant that is a major contributor to the production of energy in our bodies. At least in people with diagnosed heart disease, CoQ10 may play a cardio-protective role.
10. The word ‘broccoli’ comes from the Latin word brachium and the Italian word braccio, which means “arm”.