Broccoli
is a great source of calcium, the calcium in it being more easily accessed by
the body than from milk.
Uncooked broccoli is a great source of Vitamin K, essential
for the proper clotting of
the blood if you are cut. Heat from cooking destroys all the vitamin K.
The phytochemicals
(plant chemicals) in broccoli, as in
all
edible plants, are still yet being discovered as to what and why they
benefit.
Broccoli
is part of a family of veggies known as cruciferous vegetables. These
vegetables contain phytonutrients, which have anticancer properties. Human
population and animal studies show that diets high in cruciferous vegetables,
like broccoli, are associated with a lower risk of breast, ovarian, lung, colon
and bladder cancer.
One cup of steamed broccoli contains:
- 205
percent of the RDA of vitamin C
- 190
percent of the RDA of vitamin K
- 46
percent of the RDA of vitamin A
- 24
percent of the RDA of foliate
- 19
percent of the RDA of dietary fiber
- 17
percent of the RDA of manganese
- 15
percent of the RDA of calcium
Broccoli also contains significant amounts of protein, omega-3
fatty acids, B vitamins, iron and zinc.