Broccoli AND ITS USES

Broccoli is full of good stuff, including:

• Vitamin A – in the form of beta-carotene.
• Vitamin C – 100 grams (approximately 3.5 ounces) of broccoli contains 75 percent more vitamin C than an equal amount of oranges.
• Vitamin D
• Dietary fiber – one of the highest among vegetables.
• Calcium – in just 1/2 cup of broccoli, there is 21 mg (milligrams) of calcium.
• Antioxidants – foods high in antioxidants can help protect against cancer and heart disease.
• Folate.
• Iron.
• Potassium and other vitamins and minerals.

Reports on the link between broccoli and the compound sulforaphane, a potent anti-cancer chemical, have been in the news since researchers at Johns Hopkins University began releasing study results in 1992.
Broccoli helps strengthens bones, is good for your eyesight, has cancer-fighting abilities, protects your heart, and helps controls your blood pressure.

Selection

• When you buy broccoli, choose bunches that are dark green, this indicates high nutrient value.
• Florets that are bluish green, purplish, or dark green contain more vitamin C and beta-carotene than paler or yellowing ones.
• Buy bunches of broccoli with stalks that are very firm. Stalks that bend or seem rubbery are of poor quality.
• Avoid broccoli with open, flowering, discolored, or water-soaked bud clusters and tough, woody stems.
• Store broccoli unwashed, in an open plastic bag and place in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator.
• Broccoli is best if used within a day or two after purchasing.

Fresh versus Frozen

Packaged frozen broccoli differs from fresh in its nutrient content. The flower buds or florets are richer in beta-carotene than the stalks. Manufactures typically cut off most of the stalk before packaging, so frozen broccoli may contain 35 percent more beta-carotene by weight than fresh broccoli. The downside is that frozen broccoli has twice as much sodium as fresh (up to 68 mg per 10 oz. package), about half the calcium, and smaller amounts of iron, thiamin, riboflavin, and vitamin C.

Cooking

The best way to cook broccoli is to steam it, microwave it, or stir-fry it with a little broth or water. If you boil it, some of the vitamins and minerals are lost from the broccoli and end up in the boiled water. Cooked broccoli should be tender enough so that it can be pierced with a sharp knife, but still remain crisp and bright green in color.