Generally, we consider broccoli to be one of the best vegetables we can incorporate into our diet, but are we right? Would you like to know if it is advisable to include broccoli in the diet ? One of the main aspects of this food for which many families find it difficult to cook it is the strong smell that it gives off when it is boiled in a pot. Although there are different methods of consuming it, normally, the boiled form is the most popular.
Next, we show you all the properties of broccoli and we reveal the correct way to introduce it into our usual diet.
Benefits of including broccoli in the diet
These are all the benefits you will get from including broccoli in your diet:
- Two of its most advantageous functions are the repair of tissues and its antioxidant power .
- It helps calcium to be efficiently absorbed by the bones.
- Slow down the aging process.
- Vitamin K allows clotting to develop properly.
- According to some experts, its consumption helps prevent the appearance of cancer . This is due to the sulforaphane it contains, since this substance blocks a series of enzymes that cause negative effects in the cell.
- Reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases .
- Due to its contribution in vitamin C, vitamin E and zinc, it reduces the chances of suffering from macular degeneration caused by the passage of time. This disease occurs after the age of 60 and involves an alteration of vision that can prevent reading or visualizing some details.
- As it contains folic acid, its intake is recommended by pregnant women to prevent malformations in the baby.
- It is a satisfying food , so it comes in handy in low calorie diets . In addition, it also has a laxative effect.
- It provides few calories. 100 grams of broccoli provide only 34 Kcal, since they are composed mainly of water.
What parts of broccoli should we eat?
In general, when we cook this vegetable we use the flowers and throw the stems . However, did you know that it is in this part where a greater percentage of the nutrients accumulate?
To consume the stems you must remove their outer layer and cut them into small pieces . We recommend cooking them before the flowers, since they usually take a little longer to be ready.
On the other hand, the leaves of this vegetable have a high content of beta-carotene and vitamin A. The best methods of eating the leaves are roasting, sautéing, or steaming them.
How to cook it
Most consumers are unaware of the correct way to consume broccoli. Keep in mind that this aspect will allow you to benefit from all its nutrients.
The best method is steamed , since it allows to maintain its quality and does not negatively affect its properties.
To steam it, you can do it alone or with other vegetables. First, fill a pot with water and wait for it to boil. Next, introduce the stems and, later, the florets.
After about 15 minutes, you should check that all the parts are tender.
Other ways to cook this vegetable are the following:
- Boiled Place the broccoli in a pot of hot water. Once it's tender, drain it and pour it into a bowl of ice to stop cooking. Finally, you must heat it to the temperature you want to consume.
- You can add this vegetable to your favorite salad . Use a little olive oil and lemon as a dressing.
- Another possibility is to use it as a garnish with a portion of meat or fish.
- We can make a sauce for the pasta. You just have to beat it with a tablespoon of olive oil and a little garlic.
- Grilled vegetable stir- fries are a great option. Also, we can add a little rice to create a wok .
- You can also cook it in the oven . It is even possible to make a savory cake based on this vegetable.
When is it advisable to include broccoli in our diet?
Specialists point out that it is advisable to include broccoli in the diet two or three times a week . The recommended amount is approximately 90 grams . In addition, as you have seen, the ideal is to take advantage of each of its parts.
In the case of children, its intake is only recommended once its digestive system has developed, since this vegetable usually produces gas.
Although it is a recommended food due to its great benefits, it is not good to abuse the quantities. An excess of broccoli in our diet can cause indigestion problems .
So … should we include broccoli in our diet?
In short, we can affirm that it is advisable to include broccoli in the usual diet. Thanks to its high percentage of vitamins and nutrients, it provides very positive health effects.
Despite all the benefits that broccoli intake provides, it is only recommended to add it to our diet two or three times a week. Each plate should contain about 90 grams of this vegetable. In addition, in the case of children it is only advisable to introduce it after a certain age.
Finally, do not forget to cook it correctly to obtain all its properties.
