Broccoli Recipes and Health benefits
Overview:
Broccoli is a vegetable that is a member of the cabbage family. The name of this family is Brassicas. Its scientific name is Brassicas oleracea var.
Broccoli is common edible foods that are not Nightshade family food. Some people are mistaken for Nightshade foods.
It is a plant-like cauliflower. It has some varieties. The most consumed broccoli varieties are calabres green type.
This plant has a short and fleshy stem. The leaves are dark green and curled. This plant is a fast-growing annual plant.
It grows 60-90 cm tall. This plant is upright and branching. This vegetable has dense green clusters of flower buds at the end of the central axis and the branches. These buds bear yellow flowers with four petals and produce silique fruits.
Broccoli grows in moderate to cool climates. It is propagated by seeds and sown seeds directly in the field. Broccoli can be harvested when it is dark green in color with firm stems. The vegetable is collected after 120 days of sowing seeds but the harvesting time depends on its variety and climate.
The broccoli head is 10 to 18 cm wide. It grows 45 to 80 cm tall and has thick leaves and a thick main stalk.
It has pleasant and tasty food. It abounds with vitamins and minerals healthy food. This vegetable makes easy roast, salad, cheddar soup and curry easily.
Broccoli is a crop that is native to the Mediterranean region. It was cultivated in Italy in ancient Roman times. The cultivation of it was started in England in 1720. Nowadays, it is found in most of the countries in the world.
This vegetable is a fairly new crop to the Americans. But it has become a popular crop to American consumers. At present, it is grown commercially in the countries like USA, India and others.
Its production is spreading day by day because it is easy to cultivate. You can see this vegetable in our local and supermarkets in winter.
Nutrition:
Broccoli is a vegetable that is related to cabbage and cauliflower. It is a lot of contains fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K and potassium. It has more protein than other vegetables.
Serving Size: 1 Cup
Calories: 31
Carbs: 6gm
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Sugar: 1gm
Protein: 2 gm
Sodium: 30 mg
Potassium: 287 mg
Vitamin A: 28 %
Vitamin C: 81 %
Calcium: 42 %
Water: 89%
Health benefits
Broccoli is beneficial in many ways. It is rich in many nutrients which are essential for us. It is a great source of fiber. Fiber is important to a healthy diet. It helps prevent various diseases. It keeps good our gut healthy and helps to lose weight. The amount of protein is relatively high in this vegetable. It is necessary for both the growth and maintenance of our bodies.
Broccoli contains different kinds of vitamins that are useful to our bodies. It is high in vitamin C which is an antioxidant. It increases our immune system. It promotes our skin health. Vitamin K1 is high in broccoli. This vitamin is important for blood clotting and promoting bone health. It contains vitamin B9 which is particularly important for pregnant women.
Broccoli carries many kinds of minerals. One of them is potassium which is beneficial for controlling blood pressure and preventing heart disease. It is rich in manganese. We find manganese in whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
Broccoli is rich in various kinds of antioxidants and plant compounds which contribute to our health. Sulforaphane is a plant compound that protects us against various types of cancer.
So, we should eat broccoli much to save our bodies from cancer. This vegetable contains lutein, zeaxanthin and beta carotene which contribute to better eye health. It contains vitamin A which saves us from night blindness.
This vegetable contains kaempferol which is an antioxidant. It may protect us from heart attack, cancer and inflammation. We can find quercetin in broccoli. This is another antioxidant that helps to control blood pressure.
Cholesterol has many crucial functions in our bodies. It plays a vital role to form bile acids which help us to digest fat.
Substances in this vegetable bind with bile acids in the gut, increase their excretion and prevent them from being reused. As a result, new bile acids are produced from cholesterol.
Thus, this vegetable reduces cholesterol levels in our bodies. This effect lessens the risk of heart attack and cancer. Besides, Broccoli contains compounds that are believed to protect against cancer.
Broccoli Recipes
Salad Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sunflower kernels
6 cups small broccoli florets
Salt to taste
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup raisins
Method:
At first, bring a large saucepan of salted water. Add the broccoli to the saucepan. Boil broccoli until bright green and slightly softened for about 3 minutes. Stop cooking and drain well. Run the broccoli under cold water and drain again.
Mix the vinegar, onion, mayonnaise, sugar and raisins in a mixing bowl. Add this mixture to the broccoli and toss this to mix well. Just before servings, fold in the sunflower kernels and then serve.
Roasted Recipes
Ingredients:
2 pounds sliced broccoli, stems peeled
3 sliced cloves garlic
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
Method:
The temperature of the oven keeps 450 degrees F .Take a baking sheet and keep the broccoli florets on it. Then, add the olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper with broccoli florets. Toss the broccoli florets with these components. Then, roast without stirring until the edges are crispy. Serve warm.
Cheddar Soup Recipes
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped broccoli
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup butter
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon pepper
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
Method:
Take a small saucepan and fry the onion in butter until tender. Add flour, salt and pepper to it. Stir continuously until blended. Add milk and broth. Cook and stir until thickened for about 2 minutes. Then, add broccoli. Cook and stir until heated. Remove from the heat and then stir in cheese until melted. Serve warm.
Beef and BroccoliRecipes
Ingredients:
1 pound broccoli florets
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup beef broth
Salt to taste
Method:
In a bowl, pour half of the liquid over the sliced meat in a bowl. Mix together the soy sauce, cornstarch, sherry, brown sugar, ginger and garlic in another bowl. Then, pour the mixture into the meat and toss it with your hands.
Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the broccoli and stir for a minute. Remove it to a plate. Allow the skillet to get hot again. Add the meat in a single layer and cook until the meat is brown. After cooking the meat, Remove it to a clean plate.
Pour the reserved sauce and the beef broth into the skillet. Cook over high heat until it starts to thicken. Add the meat and broccoli into the skillet and toss to with your hand. Season with salt. Then Serve.
Can dogs eat broccoli?
Broccoli is one of the healthy vegetables. It is rich in vitamins, minerals and protein.
It is right that a dog is a non-vegetarian animal. It contains about the same components as flesh. Besides, the dog is actually a facultative carnivore which meaning is that meat should include most of its diet, but it also eats plant protein and can digest. So it can be told that dogs can eat broccoli.
The health benefits of broccoli are many. It has a lot of fiber that helps your dog’s digestive system. It is a great source of vitamin C and vitamin K.Vitamin C boosts the immune system of your dogs and vitamin K improve the density of your dogs and strengthen the bone of dogs.
Broccoli contains several minerals like magnesium, sodium, and potassium. Those work together to improve your dog’s immune and nervous systems.
This vegetable has two parts. One is florets and another is the broccoli stalks.
These vegetable florets contain small molecules called Isothiocyanate which can irritate your dog’s gastrointestinal system cause gas, nausea, bloating and diarrhea. For that reason, you will give broccoli to your dogs properly.
Broccoli stalks are very fibrous. The stalks can cause a choking risk if you give these in large pieces. Besides, dogs can not digest the raw stalks. So you must feed your dogs the stalks by roasting or cooking to avoid this problem.
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