Health Benefits of Broccoli

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.