BROCCOLI
Scientific name : Brassica oleracea var. italica
Taxonomic hierarchy of Brassica oleracea var. italica
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum : Spermatophyta
Subphylum : Angiospermae
Class : Dicotyledonae
Order : Capparidales
Family: Brassicaceae
Genus : Brassica
Specie : Brassica oleracea var. italica
Origin: Italy (discovered 2000 years ago)
Broccoli is the healthiest vegetable we can take as food and immunity booster. Broccoli is a superfood enriched with vitamins, minerals, fibers, antioxidants and phytochemicals.
The best way to take it is in raw form,so as to take or utilize maximum of its nutrients. If s9meone want to cook it, then cook it as little as possible to keep the nutrients intact. Researches have shown that steaming is the best way to keep the nutrients intact in Broccoli.
[HOW DO BROCCOLI HAS BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON OUR HEALTH]
- Some important nutrients that are present in broccoli
Broccoli is a potent source of minerals like potassium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium and folate ions, vitamins like vitamin A, C and E, phytochemicals include carotenoids and many others.
- According to a research in The University of California in Los Angeles , researchers reported that broccoli can be a great diet to prevent cold majorly because of vitamin C. Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables (these are the vegetables that belong to Brassicaceae family and include vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale) and have proven to boost up the immunity.
VITAMIN C is essential for immune system’s function because it helps to stimulate the formation of antibodies.
- A chemical called as sulforaphane , present in broccoli turns on antioxidant gene and enzymes in specific immune cells which combat free radicals in human body and prevent from getting sick.
- Broccoli is also a good source of lutein. Lutein is a powerful antioxidant, and sulforaphane which is a potent antioxidant. Lutein is one of 600 known naturally occurring carotenoid found in high quantities in green leaf vegetables such as spinach and kale. Broccoli has abundance of dietary fibers which helps to improve digestive system.
Why it’s important not to overcook broccoli?
Broccoli contains a sulforaphane, a gas that is a killer to bug in garden and in the body. Sulforaphane is a sulphur-rich compound present in abundance in cruciferous vegetables like bok-choy, cabbage, and kale and most abundant in Broccoli.
Broccoli protects its plant also from bug bites. When an invader like bug tries to bite the plant body of broccoli that is stalk, buds, leafs ,flowering buds , Broccoli releases sulphur gas here to kill the invader thereby protecting the plant.
While cooking, broccoli has a small like that of sulphur. This smell is produced by the sulforaphane.
It shows that while cooking sulforaphane decomposes into sulphur and its compounds. In this way broccoli lost many of its nutrients and powerful components while cooking. The healthier compounds which are essential to our body and have to be utilized in human body,starts decomposing out of the body. Hence , broccoli won’t remain as much beneficial as it is in raw form.
In short, boiling leach all the essential nutrients out of the broccoli and many other green vegetables like spinach and kale. So the best way to utilise Broccoli is in raw form .
