Broccoli

 46 Health Benefits of Broccoli

Broccoli’s health benefits can be explained by the vegetable’s rich vitamin, nutrient, mineral, and compound content. Regarding vitamins, broccoli outperforms a great number of other vegetables. If you want to get as many vitamins as possible on your dinner table, cook something with broccoli. Apart from its rich amount of vitamins and minerals, you should include broccoli in your everyday diet thanks to its high content of antioxidants and plant compounds, some of which promote good heart health and even prevent cancer. Broccoli has a number of science-proven health benefits, including cancer prevention, lowering cholesterol levels, improving eye and gut health, and many others. Instead of buying medication to fight various disease, isn’t it better to eat broccoli every day.

1. Cholesterol reduction

Like many whole foods, broccoli is packed with soluble fiber that draws cholesterol out of your body. This is because the fiber in broccoli helps bind with bile acids in the digestive tract. This makes excreting cholesterol out of our body easy. According to a research by the Institute of Food Research, a particular variety of broccoli can help reduce the blood LDL-cholesterol levels by 6 per cent.






2. Reducing allergic reaction and inflammation

Research has shown the ability of kaempferol to lessen the impact of allergy-related substances on our body. Broccoli even has significant amounts of omega 3 fatty acids, which are well known as anti-inflammatory. Along with this, broccoli can also help people suffering from arthritis as broccoli contains sulforaphane, a chemical that blocks the enzymes that can cause joint destruction and hence lead to inflammation.






3. Powerful antioxidant

Broccoli contains antioxidants that can help the body in a variety of ways. Broccoli is deeply concentrated with vitamin C, making it great for immunity. Other than this, broccoli also contains flavonoids which help recycle the vitamin C efficiently. It is also enriched with carotenoids lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene and other power packed antioxidants.

4. Bone health

Broccoli contains high levels of both calcium and vitamin K, both of which are important for bone health and prevention of osteoporosis. Along with calcium, broccoli is also full of other nutrients like magnesium, zinc and phosphorous. Because of these properties, broccoli is extremely suitable for children, elderly and lactating mothers.





5. Heart health

The anti-inflammatory properties of sulforaphane, one of the isothiocyanates (ITCs) in broccoli, may be able to prevent (or even reverse) some of the damage to blood vessel linings that can be caused by inflammation due to chronic blood sugar problems. Broccoli is great for heart health as it contains fibers, fatty acids and vitamins that help regulating blood pressure in the body. This also helps in reducing bad cholesterol, hence leading to a healthy heart. Broccoli helps protecting blood vessels from damaging as well.






5. Diet aid 

Broccoli is a good carb and is high in fiber, which aids in digestion, prevents constipation, maintains low blood sugar, and curbs overeating. Along with this, broccoli is also great for weight loss because it is rich in fiber. It is an ideal green vegetable to include in your salads and completing your five coloured vegetables everyday. In addition to this, broccoli also contains proteins, making it suitable for vegetarians that are otherwise not able to complete their protein requirement.

6. Rich in Potassium

One hundred grams of broccoli contains 316 mg of potassium, which is so essential for normal functioning of the human body. If you want to keep your blood pressure in check and prevent cardiovascular disease, try to eat this vegetable every day. Potassium found in broccoli is essential for the transmission of nerve impulses, which means your brain wouldn’t be able to function properly without getting the recommended daily amount of potassium.

If you’re an athlete or a bodybuilder, including broccoli in your everyday diet would be one of your best dieting choices. First of all, potassium is linked to weight reduction; second, it’s essential for muscle contraction, and it also promotes normal heart function.

7. Great for detoxification

Since broccoli is rich in fiber, it can help get rid of toxins through the digestive tract. Other than this, broccoli is also full of antioxidants that help in overall detoxification of the body. Broccoli includes special phytonutrients that help in the body's detox process. This means that the body gets rids of unwanted contaminants. Broccoli also contains isothiocyanates, which help in the detox process at the genetic level.

8. Skin care

Skin care not only includes glow, but also its immunity. Since broccoli is a powerhouse of antioxidants and nutrients like vitamin C and minerals such copper and zinc, broccoli helps in maintaining a healthy skin. This means it also protects the skin from getting infections as well as keep the natural glow of your skin. Broccoli is full of vitamin K, amino acids and folates, making it ideal for maintaining healthy skin immunity.

9. Safe Food for Children

Broccoli is also great for children’s health, since it’s a hypoallergenic product.

You can feed your children broccoli and not be afraid of allergies. If you’re looking for dietary sources that would provide balanced nutrition for your child, add broccoli to that list, since it provides a pretty good percentage of the daily recommended intake of many vitamins and minerals. Thanks to its high content of protein, broccoli is good for children who don’t like the taste of meat. If you’re breast-feeding your child, you can introduce broccoli into his/her diet in the form of vegetable mash from the seventh month. From the eighth month on, you can feed your child broccoli soup. When your child has enough teeth and can chew properly, you can add broccoli to salads.

10. Calcium-rich Vegetable

One hundred grams of broccoli contains about fifty mg of calcium, which is the same amount of calcium as in forty ml of milk. Calcium is an essential mineral, which makes up about 1%–2% of a human’s body weight. Calcium is also important for bone structure as well as regulating muscle and nerve function. Instead of getting calcium from dairy products, you can eat broccoli. In fact, broccoli would be a perfect source of calcium if you are lactose intolerant.

11. Prevents Cancer

Broccoli is one dietary source that prevents and treats various types of cancer, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, and skin cancer. This anticancer effect is provided by its large amount of sulforaphane. Sulforaphane prevents the development of cancer cells, and most of it can be found in the stems of baby broccoli. The cabbagehead of broccoli has about ten times less sulforaphane than its stems.

It should be noted that heating reduces the anticancer effects of sulforaphane as well as the health benefits of broccoli as a whole. Apart from sulforaphane, two other substances also prevent cancer. Sinigrin, which can be found not only in broccoli but also in other types of cabbage, destroys cancer cells. Indole-3-carbinol, which not only destroys cancer cells but also boosts the immune system, can fight off cancerous tumors. Folate, which broccoli has in abundance, is recommended for breast cancer prevention. This substance is recommended for pregnant women because it promotes rapid development of new cells. 

12. Improves Eye Health

It’s no secret that eyesight gets worse with age, but some substances help decrease the risk of age-related impaired eyesight. Broccoli contains in particular lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids that have been linked to preventing eye disorders. If you don’t consume enough vitamin A, you may even develop night blindness, conjunctival xerosis, and many other eye disorders. To prevent the development of eye disorders, it is recommended to eat foods rich in beta-carotene. Broccoli is rich in beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body. But it’s not only vitamin A that has this beneficial effect for the eyes, as broccoli also contains phosphorus, B vitamins, and vitamins C and E, all of which have been proven to have a positive impact on eyesight. Not only do these substances protect the eyes from macular degeneration and cataracts, but they also help you to recover from damage caused by UV radiation.

13. Treats Diabetes

Due to broccoli’s low sugar content, this vegetable is highly recommended for people suffering from diabetes. By including broccoli in your everyday diet, you can reverse the damage that diabetes does to your heart’s blood vessels. People suffering from diabetes are up to five times more likely to develop heart disease.

14. Anti-ageing:

Since broccoli is enriched with vitamin C, which has numerous antioxidant properties, it is great for anti-ageing. This is because antioxidants help fight the free radicals responsible for ageing. These free radicals often damage the skin. Eating broccoli regularly helps in reducing fine lines, wrinkles, skin issues like acne and even pigmentation.

15. Treats Gut Disorders

Broccoli is rich in fiber, which helps treat various gut disorders because it prevents constipation, the main cause of many gut disorders. Including broccoli in your diet is a must if you have trouble with your digestive tract. Magnesium and vitamins contained in broccoli maintain proper acidity in the body, promote digestion, help absorb nutrients from dietary sources more efficiently, and calm the stomach by reducing inflammation.

    

16. Boosts Immune System

The substances responsible for the purplish and green colors of broccoli, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and other vitamins and minerals (in particular, zinc, phosphorus, and copper) boost the immune system and help fight off various types of infections. The next time you think drinking hot tea with lemon is the only countermeasure to prevent colds in the winter, think again. Eating broccoli regularly will do the job as well!

17. Great for Pregnant Women

Thanks to broccoli being rich in the nutrients so essential for pregnant women—proteins, calcium, phosphorus, foliate, vitamins, antioxidants, detoxifiers, zinc and other nutrients—it is a great addition to the diet of pregnant women. Broccoli also improves the state of tissues in the body, which results in less cellulite, reduces the risk of inflammatory process and tumors in women’s reproductive organs, and promotes normal growth of offspring.

18. Regulates Blood Pressure

Chromium, which can be found in broccoli, helps insulin to function properly and regulates sugar levels in the blood, both of which result in normalization of blood pressure.

  

19. Broccoli Treats Anemia

Anemia is directly caused by iron deficiency and the lack of protein in the body. Thanks to its rich content of iron, broccoli is helpful in treating anemia. Iron is a highly essential mineral, especially during times of rapid growth and development, which means that pregnant women and children require even more iron in their diet.

20. Promotes Weight Loss

Women are confident that broccoli helps them maintain their beauty and can be safely introduced into their weight loss diets. Since its low in calories and has a high fiber content, broccoli is one of the few products that not only does not make you fat but also helps you lose weight. Broccoli is low in calories, but its fiber content also guarantees that you will feel full for a long time. Broccoli would be a great addition to the diet of overweight people.

21. Increases Humanity Stamina in Men

Apart from its general health benefits, broccoli is also good for men’s health. Broccoli prevents prostate cancer and prostate gland cancer. It is used as a natural aphrodisiac agent and also increases bone strength and reduces the recovery time needed after injuries.

  

22. Helps You Look Younger

Broccoli is a great source of vitamin C, which means if you consume broccoli regularly you reduce wrinkles and improve your overall skin complexion. Vitamin C is known to fight skin damage caused by the sun, pollution, and aging. Vitamin C also contributes greatly to the formation of collagen, which is the most essential support system of your skin.

23. Rich in Fiber

Broccoli is a rich source of fiber, which cleanses the body of toxins, bad cholesterol, and dead cells. In fact, by including broccoli in your everyday diet, you can eliminate excessive cholesterol from your body, and its high fiber content promotes weight loss.

24. Contains Amino Acids

Broccoli is also rich in amino acids, which are so essential for your health. For example, it contains tryptophan, the amino acid from which serotonin (the “happiness hormone”) is made.

25. Rich Source of Sodium

Since potassium comes with sodium and chlorine in broccoli, it guarantees the transportation of nutrients to the cells. You’ve probably heard that a large portion of sodium comes from salt, but it’s essential for this nutrient to come from vegetables as well, as it promotes normal liver and heart function.

26. High in Magnesium

This crunchy vegetable is also high in magnesium, which is an irreplaceable trace element for normal functioning of the brain. One hundred grams of broccoli contains twenty-one mg of magnesium.

27. Great Source of Phosphorus

Phosphorus, which is critical for regulating bone structure in the human body, is also found in broccoli.

28. Contains Beta-Carotene

Beta-carotene is great for keeping your skin glowing: not only does vitamin A keep your skin moisturized from the inside, but it also regulates function of your sebaceous gland. Vitamin A also provides your body with antioxidant protection, promotes rejuvenation of the cells, and improves eye health.

29. Dietary Source of Vitamin B1

Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is essential for adenosine triphosphate synthesis as well as reduplication of DNA and RNA molecules. One hundred grams of broccoli contains 0.07 mg of vitamin B.

30. Rich in Vitamin B2

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is an essential antioxidant vitamin, which fights free radicals in the human body. It’s also essential for the development of red blood cells. One hundred grams of broccoli contains 0.12 mg of vitamin B2.

31. Contains Vitamin B6

Broccoli is also rich in vitamin B6 (0.18 mg in one hundred grams of broccoli), which is important in the production of antibodies and is an essential vitamin for normal functioning of the immune system.

32. Unique Source of Vitamin B9

Broccoli is best known for its high content of vitamin B9 (folate), which is a crucial element for pregnant women, as it promotes normal development of the offspring’s nervous system. If you’re pregnant and wondering whether or not it’s safe to include broccoli in your everyday diet, the answer is Yes. It’s safe and highly recommended. Folate also stimulates normal tissue growth and regulates cell function.

33. Contains Vitamin C

The most surprising feature of broccoli is that it has more vitamin C than citrus fruits. Exactly one hundred grams of broccoli covers 100% of the daily value of vitamin C, which is so necessary for boosting the immune system and improving skin health.

34. More Vitamin E than in Olive Oil

Broccoli is also high in vitamin E, which is important for heart health as well as protecting cellular membranes from breaking down. One hundred grams of broccoli (0.78 mg) contains more vitamin E than a teaspoon of olive oil (0.65 mg).

35. Rich in Vitamin K1

Broccoli is also rich in vitamin K1, which is crucial for bone health as well as blood clotting. One hundred grams of broccoli contains 85% of the daily recommended intake of this vitamin.

36. Rich in Cancer-Fighting Sulforaphane

Broccoli’s cancer-preventing properties can be attributed to sulforaphane, which has been very thoroughly studied over the years. This plant compound protects the human body from various types of cancer.

37. High in Indole-3-carbinol

Indole-3-carbinol, which is found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, is also believed to protect against cancer.

38. Source of Carotenoids

If you’re looking to improve your eye health, don’t limit yourself to carrots only; include broccoli in your diet as well. Thanks to its high content of such carotenoids as lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene, eating broccoli helps improve eyesight. 

39. Rich in Kaempferol

Kaempferol is a do-everything plant compound that protects against cancer, reduces inflammation in the body, promotes good heart health, and fights allergies.

40. Best Sources of Quercetin

If you’re suffering from high blood pressure, eat broccoli! This vegetable lowers blood pressure, thanks to its high amount of quercetin.

41. Extremely Low in Calories

Broccoli is low in calories—only thirty-four kcal per one hundred grams. By contrast, one medium apple contains seventy-two kcal. In fact, one hundred grams of boiled broccoli has even fewer calories than raw broccoli—twenty-seven kcal.

42. Broccoli’s Protein Content Can Compete with Meat

One hundred grams of broccoli has three grams of protein, which is pretty good for a vegetable. In fact, the structure of broccoli’s protein reminds one of animal protein. Consuming broccoli won’t contaminate your body with cholesterol as much as meat does.

43. Source of Complex Carbs

One hundred grams of broccoli contains seven grams of carbs, including only 1.3 grams of sugar and 2.6 grams of fiber. Broccoli’s other carbs are complex carbohydrates, which don’t spike insulin levels and provide the body with energy for long periods of time. Eating broccoli one to two hours before a workout would be a great idea if you want to keep your energy levels in check.

44. Contains No Fat

Broccoli has no fat whatsoever, which is why it’s recommended for people who want to lose weight.

45. Reduces Harmful Effects of Sugar

If you treat yourself to sweets every once in a while, eating broccoli is essential to reduce the harmful effects of sugar. Sugar gradually destroys blood vessels, which may result in atherosclerotic plaques. Thanks to its high content of vitamins, minerals, and other plant compounds, broccoli protects the vessels from this and other harmful effects of sugar.

46. Positive Effect on Nervous System

Physiologically active substances found in broccoli positively affect the nervous system and heart health. If you’re suffering from heart disease, it’s recommended that you eat broccoli every day.