Spotlight on Broccoli
Broccoli is one of my favorite vegetables. Though many may not like it raw, it is delicious when cooked or added to many dishes. In today’s post, I’ll share the health benefits of broccoli, how it can be eaten, and some of my favorite recipes that contain broccoli.
Nutrition and health benefits
According to the USDA, 1 cup of raw broccoli contains:
30 calories
0 grams of fat
5 grams of carbohydrate
2 grams of fiber
2 grams of protein
The fiber in broccoli is beneficial for digestion, heart health, and blood sugar control. The fiber and protein in broccoli can help you feel full, so filing your plate with broccoli can help you eat less of other higher calorie foods.
Broccoli is an excellent source of vitamin K and vitamin C. Vitamin K helps blood clot (which is a good thing) and is important for bone health, while vitamin C helps with wound healing and acts as an antioxidant. Antioxidants can help reduce the risk of certain cancers and chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. Broccoli also contains vitamin A (important for eye health), folate (helps prevent neural tube defects in pregnancy), and potassium (regulates blood pressure).
How to cook broccoli
Certain cooking methods may alter the nutrients found in broccoli. Steaming, sautéing, or roasting broccoli until it is fork-tender helps to preserve the nutrients and make them more available for your body to absorb them. It is best to avoid cooking broccoli too much (to the point where it is mushy), as this reduces the vitamin and mineral content. It also doesn’t taste as good when it’s mushy!
And remember, broccoli doesn’t have to be fresh. Using frozen broccoli is a great option because it is frozen at its peak ripeness, meaning it has the highest volume of vitamins and minerals. You can even try roasting frozen broccoli!
My favorite broccoli recipes
I love adding broccoli to almost any meal. An easy meal we eat at my house all the time is baked chicken, steamed broccoli, and quinoa or brown rice. Though it may sound bland, you can easily add seasonings or sauces to a meal like this to bump up the flavor. Some of my favorite recipes that include broccoli are:
There are many health benefits to broccoli and several ways to cook it, such as steaming, roasting, or sautéing. Adding just a bit of seasoning and oil can really spruce up the flavor and make it a wonderful addition to almost any meal. Next time you’re looking for a new way to try broccoli, test out one of the recipes above!
