benefits of broccoli

Choose broccoli with floret clusters that are compact and not bruised. They should be uniformly colored, either dark green, sage or purple green, depending upon variety, and with no yellowing. In addition, they should not have any yellow flowers blossoming through, as this is a sign of over maturity. The stalk and stems should be firm with no slimy spots appearing either there or on the florets. If leaves are attached, they should be vibrant in color and not wilted.

Place broccoli in a plastic bag, removing as much of the air from the bag as possible. Store in the refrigerator where it will keep for 10 days. Do not wash broccoli before storing because exposure to water encourages spoilage. Partial heads of broccoli should be placed in a well sealed container or plastic bag and refrigerated. Since the vitamin C content starts to quickly degrade once broccoli has been cut, it is best to use it within a couple of days. Broccoli that has been blanched and then frozen can stay up to a year. Leftover cooked broccoli should be placed in tightly covered container and stored in the refrigerator where it will keep for a few days.

Rinse broccoli under cold running water. Cut florets into quarters for quick and even cooking. Be sure to enjoy the stems and leaves of broccoli; they provide a good balance of flavors. Peel the broccoli stem and cut the stem into 1/2 slices To get unique health benefits from broccoli, let it sit for several minutes before cooking.

If youre cooking broccoli, make sure to support your nourishment by sticking with a low cooking temperature in a range that includes the steaming temperature of 212

The principle of a 212

In general, we try to avoid the stir frying of foods in oil due to risk of nutrient damage in the oil from high heat. That being said, we have seen a study of broccoli stir frying that produced some fairly encouraging results with respect to nutrient retention in the broccoli. (The study did not measure nutrient damage in the oil.) The stir frying took place for 3 1/2 minutes in a frying pan heated to 248

Both cooked and raw broccoli can make excellent additions to your meal plan. If you enjoy raw broccoli, by all means include it in your diet! There may be some special advantages for your digestive tract when broccoli is eaten in uncooked form. And if youre concerned about issues involving enzymes and sulfur compounds in broccoli

Weve been especially impressed in the most recent research by the impact of uncooked broccoli

Broccoli is sometimes referred to as a goitrogenic food. Yet, contrary to popular belief, according to the latest studies, foods themselves

Broccoli is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin C, chromium, and folate. It is a very good source of dietary fiber, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin E, manganese, phosphorus, choline, vitamin B1, vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids), potassium, and copper. Broccoli is also a good source of vitamin B1, magnesium, omega 3 fatty acids, protein, zinc, calcium, iron, niacin, and selenium.