Hidden Benefits in Broccoli

 

Coked broccoli

Despite their bad reputation among children, broccoli is actually one of the healthiest veggies out there. Broccoli belongs to the same family of vegetables as cauliflower, kale, cabbage, and turnips. All of these are known for being powerhouses of nutrition with little calories. Keep reading this article for an in depth look at why you should really be eating broccoli and making it a part of your family’s diet.

Did you know that one cup of broccoli provides over 100% of your daily need for vitamin C and vitamin K? Why is this such a crucial fact?Poor vitamin K intake is linked with a high risk of bone fracture. Just one cup of chopped broccoli provides 92 micrograms of vitamin K which is mre than enough to keep your bones strong!

Broccoli belongs to a group called cruciferous vegetables which, as previously mentioned, includes super foods like kale, cabbage and cauliflower. Eating a high amount of cruciferous vegetables has been associated with a lower risk of cancer; namely lung and colon cancer. Sulforaphane is a compound in these vegetables that gives them their bitter bite which also happens to give them their cancer fighting power!

These cruciferous vegetables are also high in fiber which leads to other positive effects in your body. According to the Department of Internal Medicine and Nutritional Sciences Program of the University of Kentucky, high fiber intakes are associated with significantly lower risks of developing coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and certain gastrointestinal diseases.

So not only is broccoli good for you bones and heart, but because of the vitamin C it provides, its even great for your skin! Vitamin C plays a vital role in the formation of collagen, the main support system of the skin. Vitamin A and vitamin E are also crucial for healthy looking skin, both of which broccoli provides. As a matter of fact, Broccoli provides 81 milligrams of vitamin C in just one cup! When eaten in its natural form (fresh produce as opposed to supplement form) it can help to fight skin damage caused by the sun and pollution, reduce wrinkles and improve overall skin texture.

So do your body a favor and pick up some broccoli for dinner!

 

Written by Charlie Marquez

Sourced from Medical New Today

Author: Charlie Marquez

Share This Post On

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

Real Time Web Analytics