I'm back from my mini-blogging vacay now that I'm officially done with college!
Broccoli is the super vegetable!
So you may be wondering why broccoli is such a healthy food? Well, not only is it my favorite vegetable because it tastes great, but broccoli is loaded with Vitamins A, C, E and K as well as the following minerals: calcium, magnesium, folate, potassium, manganese, selenium and iron (to name a few)! Broccoli is an excellent source of fiber as well to support colon health! The ascorbic acid or Vitamin C in broccoli is very beneficial for collagen synthesis, antioxidant protection and some clinical studies even show that Vitamin C has an inverse relationship with cancers of the oral cavity, esophagus, and uterus. Vitamin C also helps iron absorb easier into the cell. The Vitamin E in broccoli not only serves as another antioxidant, but there is evidence that Vitamin E may reduce the heart disease risk in both men and women! Like most other vitamins and minerals, heart disease risk is only reduced when the vitamin is received through foods and not in a supplement form- so I wouldn’t recommend going out and buying your Vitamin E supplements right away! Believe it or not, there is also a fair amount of Vitamin A in broccoli that you may not have been aware of. Vitamin A can help with vision, cell differentiation, bone development and it serves as an antioxidant along with Vitamin C and E. Vitamin K is necessary for normal blood clotting. Vitamin K also supports bone mineralization and crystallization.
The chlorophyll in magnesium also aids in bone structure and thus supports healthy bones. So when Vitamin K and magnesium combine with the calcium contained in broccoli, there is an even stronger association with bone health and calcium is able to easily absorb into bone to keep them nice and strong! Folate is not as easily absorbed into the bloodstream as folic acid, however it still helps prevent the same diseases such as neural tube defects in women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, as well as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Studies have shown that there is an inverse relationship between dietary folate and colorectal cancer! However, please be advised that this is a prevention method only. Studies also show that if you currently have colorectal cancer, increasing folate consumption can cause cancerous cells to grow!
One serving of cooked broccoli is ½ cup and one serving of raw broccoli is 1 cup. One cup of raw broccoli contains 30 calories, 0g of fat, 30 mg sodium, 6 g carbs, 2 g sugar, 2g fiber, and 3 g of protein. It’s a very nutritional snack offering 135% of the total daily value of Vitamin C, 11% of the total daily value of Vitamin A, 4% of the daily value of Calcium, and 4% the total daily value of Iron. So as you can see, one serving of this vegetable has over 10 different vitamins and minerals to keep your bones strong, and bodies healthy and to prevent infections or diseases!
