Broccoli is a cabbage-like green plant with a large flowering head, stalk, and small leaves that are eaten as a vegetable. Broccoli belongs to the Italica cultivar group of the Brassica oleracea species. Broccoli has large flower heads that are typically dark green in color and are arranged in a tree-like structure that branches out from a dense, light green stem. A ring of leaves surrounds the mass of flower heads. Broccoli is similar to cauliflower, which is a separate cultivar category of the same Brassica genus but closely related.
It can be eaten raw or fried. Broccoli is an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin K. Boiling reduces the content of the sulfur-containing glucosinolate compounds, isothiocyanates and sulforaphane, but steaming, microwaving, or stir-frying preserves them better.
Various kinds:
Broccoli comes in three different varieties. Calabrese broccoli, also known as "broccoli," is the most well-known. It is named after the Italian province of Calabria. It has thick stalks and wide (10 to 20 cm) green heads. It's an annual cool-season crop. Sprouting broccoli (white or purple) has a lot of thin stalks and a lot of heads. Purple cauliflower, also known as Violet Cauliflower, is a broccoli variety cultivated in Europe and North America. It has a cauliflower-like head that is made up of several tiny flower buds. The tips of the flower buds have a purple cast occasionally, but not always. Cauliflower may be purple, white, red, gray, or some other hue.
Nutritional Value:
A 100 gram serving of raw broccoli contains 34 calories and is a good source of vitamin C (107 percent DV) and vitamin K (97 percent DV) (table). Several B vitamins and the dietary mineral manganese are moderately abundant (10–19 percent DV) in raw broccoli, while other micronutrients are scarce (less than 10 percent DV). Raw broccoli is composed of 89 percent water, 7% carbohydrates, 3% protein, and very little fat (table). Broccoli is also high in fiber, which makes it beneficial for weight loss.
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