How To Eat Broccoli To Enjoy Its Nutrients?

Although we are used to eating only its flowers, we must eat the whole broccoli to enjoy all its benefits and nutrients.

Broccoli is a very famous vegetable around the world, being recognized for its great amount of benefits for the body, highlighting its anti-inflammatory action, anti-cancer properties and alkalizing power that helps improve the body’s health.

This food is considered one of the most complete and nutritious foods, as it is a source of vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, flavonoids, isothiocyanates, sulfur compounds, dietary fiber, lutein and low calories.

However, most consumers do not know the correct way to prepare it and usually eat only the foil or the top of the vegetable. To start eating broccoli properly and make the most of all its nutrients, below we will share more information about this vegetable and its correct form of consumption.

What parts of broccoli should we eat?

People who like to eat broccoli usually consume only its flowers, throwing the leaves and stalks into the trash. What most do not know is that it is precisely  in these parts of the broccoli where a large amount of nutrients are concentrated that should be used.

For example, broccoli stalks contain an important amount of fiber, which in fact exceeds what flowers have. Furthermore, its leaves contain beta-carotene in greater amounts compared to the stems and flowers.

How to include broccoli stalks in your diet?

The taste of the broccoli stalks is slightly sweet and very delicious. They can be consumed by removing their outer layer and cutting them into small pieces. For correct preparation, they  must be cooked before the flowers, as they take a few more minutes to be ready.

How to include broccoli leaves in your diet?

Broccoli leaves are often discarded because we don’t know they are rich in nutrients. The leaves are characterized by their high content of beta-carotene, which is an important antioxidant capable of reducing the risk of breast cancer and the chances of developing age-related macular degeneration.

They are also a source of vitamin A, important for strengthening the immune system and protecting eyesight. Just 30 grams of broccoli leaves can contribute 44% of the recommended amount of vitamin C per day.

Broccoli leaves can be ingested in the diet in the same way as flowers are prepared, but the best way to consume them is roasted, braised or steamed.

What is the ideal way to eat steamed broccoli?

Most people are not aware, but the way to prepare food is very important in conserving all its nutrients. In this case, it is important to know how to properly steam broccoli, as this will allow you to enjoy its great benefits.

This way of preparing broccoli will allow us to enjoy all its nutrients and will contribute incredible benefits to the body.

In fact, in a study carried out in 2008 and published by the Jornal De Agricultura e Química, it was determined that steaming is the proper way to prepare vegetables, as it allows to conserve most nutrients and, as a consequence, the results will be healthier .

How to prepare it?

It can be steamed alone or with other vegetables. For this, the ideal is to use a pan suitable for steaming, in which we should leave the broccoli for approximately 15 minutes.

How to combine broccoli?

One of the advantages of broccoli is that it is a very versatile food that combines very well with other foods and flavors. This vegetable goes very well with foods rich in vitamin B, such as tomatoes and spinach. It can also be consumed in a simpler way, garnishing it with olive oil and lemon juice.

How to prepare a healthy broccoli salad?

This vegetable can be the main ingredient in your healthy salads within a balanced diet.

Ingredients

• 1 kg of broccoli
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 green pepper
• ½ onion
• 150 g cooked shrimp
• Olive oil
• a little pepper
• a flash of salt

Instructions

• Separate and wash the broccoli sprigs well. Put to cook in salted water and, when they are ready, drain and set aside in a bowl.
• Cut the tomatoes into cubes, the pepper into slices and chop the onion into thin strips. Mix everything with the shrimp and then add it to the bowl with the broccoli.
• Serve the salad cold.

Did you like these recipes? So be sure to try them out and start eating broccoli in the right way.