Broccoli Health Benefits

Broccoli health benefits along with the availability of being able to purchase this super food make it a very popular vegetable for young and old. Most grocery markets around the country usually have an ample supply of this super vegetable and it is usually the easiest to find all year long. Broccoli not only satisfies the daily requirements for vegetable intake, there are a number of health benefits connected to the ingesting of broccoli, so let us take a look some of these broccoli health benefits.

Sometimes broccoli gets a bad reputation in the eyes of a child as a dreaded vegetable that they have to eat. They find it sometimes very difficult to be eating a vegetable with a stalk and broccoli florets as a top, something that looks like a tree. But we can find many different ways to consume broccoli.

Broccoli vitamin C and its high content will help with the absorption of iron in the body. Vitamin C also helps prevent the development of cataracts in the eyes, calms the common cold symptoms. Broccoli folic acid also helps women maintain normal tissue growth and is sometimes used while taking birth control pills as a supplement. It is also always good to take vitamin C during pregnancy.

Broccoli also contains potassium which helps to control high blood pressure while its large amounts of calcium aid in preventing osteoporosis. This super vegetable is rich in fiber to maintain the gastrointestinal tract and reduce cholesterol levels.

Broccoli has made a few headlines lately regarding three components that are found in the vegetable which are I3C, sulforaphane, and beta-carotene. Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C) has caught the attention of people looking to prevent the hormone-related cancers, such as prostate and breast cancer. Pure I3C is a whitish solid that belongs to the group of indoles and it is only formed in some vegetables after crushing or during cooking. I3C is found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, and Brussels sprouts. I3C is made from indole-3-glucosinolate by an enzyme called myrosinase. This particular enzyme is activated only after crushing or during cooking. I3C will promote good hormones, as it is working against destructive ones. The sulforaphane that is in broccoli will also help to increase the enzyme levels that block cancer. The beta-carotene that is in broccoli transforms into vitamin A while it is in the body and provides an antioxidant that destroys free radicals. Radicals are responsible for weakening the defense of cells.

The health benefits also have been tied to controlling and preventing some of the following medical concerns: Alzheimer's disease, calcium deficiency, diabetes, colon and stomach cancer, lung cancer, some malignant tumors, heart disease, arthritis, and even the process of aging.

It is always a good idea not to overcook this vegetable, especially when boiling; it will reduce the important nutrients of broccoli. A better way to enjoy cooked broccoli is by steaming, stir-fry, or microwave. Broccoli can also be served raw with your favorite vegetable dip, onion dip or ranch dressing. Broccoli health benefits will be absorbed by your body no matter how you eat this healthy vegetable.