Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable and a super food that is densely packed with nutrients. It is the reason why broccoli sits at the top of the charts of health foods you need to include in your regular diet. Eating broccoli regularly can help improve your digestion, lower your “bad” LDL cholesterol levels, prevent certain cancer from occurring, detoxify the body, and maximize the intake of vitamins and minerals. It also helps to protect your skin, improve and boost your immune system, lower your blood pressure, eliminate inflammation, improve your vision, and improve your ocular health. It is a very powerful vegetable.
As previously stated, broccoli has all types of nutrients that you can use. First and foremost, this plant is filled with dietary fiber and necessary proteins, like tryptophan. It also contains some essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin E, vitamin B6, and vitamin B9. Broccoli has thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, sodium, phosphorous, and potassium. It even contains omega-3 fatty acids.
Although there are many different kinds of broccoli that you can choose from, there are 3 main varieties that encompass all broccoli:
Calabrese broccoli
This is the most common type of broccoli. It is named after Calabria, in Italy and is referred to simply as, broccoli. It’s probably the broccoli you’re most familiar with.
Sprouting broccoli
This version of broccoli is stringy and has many different heads and supported on thin stalks. It is the kind of broccoli you often find in Chinese restaurants served with oyster sauce.
Purple cauliflower
This broccoli has a shape more similar to cauliflower, another cruciferous vegetable. It has tiny flower buds, and often looks purple.
The world of broccoli is vast, and there are a lot of options, but they are all healthy. So, get to munching on some broccoli starting today.
