Health Benefits of Broccoli
Ever since our childhood, we have been hearing from our teachers and then from the doctors and parents to eat green vegetables. Why is that so? It is because green vegetables are rich in all the main nutrients that our body requires for proper growth. One such vegetable that is no less than a miracle vegetable is broccoli. The list of broccoli health benefits will astonish you and at the same time inspire you to include it in your daily meals. This fiber-rich vegetable is good for your overall immunity, heart, bones, and even for your skin. Isn’t it surprising to know that one vegetable is good for your health in so many ways?
Let us acquaint you with all the surprising benefits of eating broccoli daily so that you also agree with us that it indeed is a powerhouse of nutrition for your body.
Broccoli Nutrition Fact Sheet
Broccoli is one of the cholesterol-free vegetables that is packed with oodles of vitamins and minerals. You will easily get a good amount of Vitamin C, K, A, and B by eating broccoli. At the same time, it is a rich source of potassium and manganese.Â
Listed below is the nutritional value of a cup of broccoli:
- Carbohydrate – 6 g
- Protein – 2.5 g
- Fiber – 2.5 g
- Sugar – 1.5 g
- Fat – 0.3 g
- Sodium – 30 mg
- Calories – 30
Besides, broccoli also contains a small amount of Omega -3 fatty acids like ALA or Alpha-Linolenic Acid and some anti-inflammatory properties.Â
Types of Broccoli
Broccoli, a powerhouse of nutrition, is available in three different varieties and they are:
- Sprouting Broccoli
- Calabrese Broccoli
- Purple Broccoli
Benefits of Eating Broccoli
1. Good More Brain Health
The number one health benefit of eating broccoli daily is that it helps make your brain healthy. It is known to possess some compounds like Sulforaphane that slow down mental decline and promote good brain health.Â
 2. Promotes Weight Loss
Do count broccoli beneficial when you want to shed excess weight. One of the main benefits of eating broccoli is that it helps in weight loss. Its high fiber content helps you feel fuller for a longer period, and as a result, there is less intake of calories, which in turn leads to weight loss.Â
 3. Improves Heart Health
Trust on the incredible power of broccoli to improve your heart health. Some research has proved that broccoli helps to control LDL or bad cholesterol levels along with triglyceride levels, which are believed to be the main risk factors leading to heart diseases.Â
 4. Manages Diabetes
Another hidden benefit of eating broccoli is that it helps to manage blood sugar levels. Some studies revealed that this is due to the rich antioxidant properties found in broccoli. Besides, rich in fiber content, broccoli helps to control diabetes healthily.Â
 5. Prevents Risk of Cancer
Up next, you will be surprised to know that broccoli also helps prevent cancer. Being a part of the cruciferous veggie family, broccoli just like cabbage, cauliflower, and kale is rich in certain natural compounds that help to prevent cancer cell formation.Â
 5. Strengthening Bones
Make sure to consume this cruciferous vegetable to strengthen your bones. Yes, you heard us right, one of the main benefits of eating broccoli daily is that it helps to make your bones strong and prevents bone fractures and deformation. This is due to the rich content of magnesium, calcium, and potassium in broccoli.
 6. Fights Inflammation
When counting surprising broccoli health benefits, one must not forget that it has great anti-inflammatory properties. Due to this, it helps prevent premature aging and risks of diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, and inflammatory skin diseases.
 7. Aids in Digestion
At the same time, not to forget that people include broccoli in their daily salads because they hail for their digestive power. Broccoli aids in good digestion, thereby keeping constipation at bay. It is one of the best vegetables for your overall gut health.
 8. Broccoli Benefits for Skin
If you are now thinking that broccoli is good just for your internal health, then you are mistaken. This cruciferous vegetable is rich in Vitamin C, which helps the body to produce collagen, which helps to keep the skin healthy, and prevents aging. So, eating broccoli helps keep your skin free of skin diseases like skin cancer.Â
 9. Supports Healthy Pregnancy
One rare benefit not known to many people is that broccoli is a miraculous vegetable for pregnant ladies and those who wish to conceive. It is because this vegetable is packed with Vitamin B9 and other nutrients that help a pregnant lady for the proper growth of the fetus.Â
How to Eat Broccoli?
Now comes the big question that most of you might have in your mind! How do you cook and eat this cruciferous vegetable? One can enjoy eating this miracle vegetable in raw form as a salad with a dip of your choice and a little seasoning. Besides, use it in a soup or stew form to retain its nutrition that might vanish with over-cooking. An interesting way to consume broccoli is by using it in smoothies in a pureed form. You can even try being innovative using broccoli as a sauce or in a homemade pesto dish.Â
The Bottom Line
In a nutshell, when looking for a highly nutritious vegetable that offers you all the major health benefits, you must consider broccoli. This is a nutrient-rich vegetable that helps improve your health in more than one way. The best thing is that the internet is full of a variety of recipes to include broccoli in your meal and even a novice who doesn’t know how to cook broccoli can cook some tempting broccoli dishes with that information.Â