Broccoli

Broccoli is a plant of the Cabbage family, Brassicaceae (formerly Cruciferae). It is classified as the Italica Cultivar Group of the species Brassica oleracea. Broccoli possesses abundant fleshy flower heads, usually green in colour, arranged in a tree-like fashion on branches sprouting from a thick, edible stalk.

History Of Broccoli

The word broccoli comes from the Latin bracchium, meaning arm via the Italian braccio. Broccoli is a cultivar of wild cabbage, originating along the northern and western coasts of the Mediterranean, domesticated thousands of years ago. There are some Roman references to a cabbage-family vegetable that may have been broccoli, implying the Romans grew their own during the 1st century, however Broccoli was an Italian vegetable -- as its name suggests -- long before it was eaten elsewhere. Italians brought broccoli to North America by 1806, but it did not become popular until the 1920s

Broccoli Nutrition Info

Broccoli contains some 3% of protein and is one of the richest vegetable sources of calcium, iron and magnesium. Moreover, broccoli is very rich in vitamins A and C, exceeding even oranges in the concentration of the latter.

Broccoli Health Benefits

Over the past 20 years, numerous studies have concluded again and again that people who eat an abundance of broccoli have fewer cancers of the colon, breast, cervix, lungs, prostate, esophagus, larynx, and bladder. Broccoli contains indoles, which can help inactivate harmful estrogens that can promote the growth of tumors, sulforaphane, which stimulates cells to produce cancer-fighting enzymes, and beta-carotene, another cancer fighter.

You can eat your way to beautiful, smoother skin when broccoli is a regular part of your diet. The Vitamin C helps maintain skins’ elasticity and prevents bruising. Vitamin A tackles acne from the inside out by boosting resistance to infection. With fewer wrinkles and a brighter complexion, everyone will see your face reflect the joy of a healthy life!

Storing Broccoli

Refrigerate fresh broccoli in a plastic bag right after purchase. Use broccoli within 3 days of purchase, since the vitamin content will decrease the longer it is stored.

Broccoli Trivia

United States President George H. W. Bush was known to have an active disdain for broccoli, having actually said so in an offhand remark during his presidency.[15] In response, a powerful broccoli agriculture lobby sent several tons of it to the White House. This broccoli was promptly donated to the Capital Area Food Bank

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