The crown jewel of superfoods, broccoli gets our #1 spot atop a long long list, as well as our deepest admiration.
Welcome to The Foods You Should Eat Everyday for optimum health, weight maintenance, endless energy and an improved relationship with your gut. Kitchen Therapy lays out the top foods you should be consuming every day for a better version of yourself and all-natural access to the powerful healing properties they posses. Boost your nutritional arsenal against chronic disease, obesity, inflammation, fatigue and all the other enemies of good health.
Queen Broccoli
“The low-glycemic, low-calorie, high-fibre, nutrient-packed powerhouse you should definitely eat every single day.”
It’s the all-purpose cruciferous vegetable popping up on practically
every list of “foods that heal, treat & prevent.” With so much going for it,
we should probably do two of these blog entries.
Although the queen of veggies isn’t the most nutrient dense compared to say kale or spinach, broccoli is the best suited for everyday consumption, which is why Kitchen
Therapy puts it at #1.
Broccoli truly packs a nutritional punch. Among its other attributes, it’s
loaded with vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants. It’s an anti-inflammatory,
it reduces blood glucose, cholesterol levels, oxidative stress and
the development of chronic disease. It fights cancer, diabetes & heart disease,
supports the immune system, our teeth, bones, joints, skin, eyes,
brain, hormones and cells. It helps pregnant women absorb iron. It helps
older men reduce the risk of prostate cancer. It helps kids grow. There’s
hardly an organ, muscle, process, function or human condition that
doesn’t benefit either directly or indirectly from broccoli.
It’s low cal, high energy, fills you up fast and digests slow. 100 g will
send you well on your way toward the RDA of many key nutrients. A
bigger serving will get you there even faster. And that’s why you should
definitely eat broccoli every single day.
THE BROCCOLI BREAKDOWN
Broccoli benefits
ANTI-CANCER
Along with other cruciferous veggies, more and more studies are showing
broccoli to contain compounds that reduce cell damage caused by inflammation
that lead to numerous types of cancers.
ANTIOXIDANT
Broccoli packs numerous antIoxidants that neutralise free radicals, aid in
digestion, gut health, eye health and even brain and nerve tissue function.
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
We know inflammation is at the root of nearly all chronic diseases. Broccoli
contains numerous anti-inflammatory compOunds that prevent or reduce inflammation.
TYPE 2 DIABETES
Broccoli is showing great promise as a possible blood glucose regulator in
people with type 2 diabetes. Studies also suggest it improves insulin sensitivity,
possibly due to its high fibre and antioxidant content.
HEART HEALTHY
Broccoli supports heart health in more than one way. Research suggests
it improves triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels, helps reduce the hardening
of carotid arteries and may protect cell tissue around the heart
from oxidative stress. It’s high fibre content is also associated with reduced
risk of heart disease.
BEST WAYS TO EAT
Raw
The full spectrum of nutrients broccoli has to offer are available when eaten raw.
Pickled
Yes, pickled broccoli! The process of lacto-fermentation increases the bioavailability
of broccoli’s nutrients and turns an already powerful puncher into a probiotic your gut flora will love!
Steamed
Among all the ways you can cook broccoli, light steaming results in the lowest loss of nutrients.
Stir Fried
Fast stir frying for 3-5 minutes on high heat with a healthy cooking oil is a great & tasty way to preserve broccoli’s healing powers.
OVEN ROASTED
Oven roasting on high heat (about 400F - 205C) with a healthy cooking oil for about 15 minutes is healthy & yummy.
DON'T OVERCOOK
Too much heat will cook broccoli’s many benefits right out of it. Cook until deep green and try to maintain its firmness. Mushy, brown broccoli won’t harm you, but it won’t help much either.