The benefits and harms of broccoli for the human body

Broccoli - an exotic Russian cabbage vegetable, was obtained in the form of a hybrid of asparagus cabbage of different varieties. It was first widely used in food in Italy, then it was learned about its benefits in Europe and Asia. Since 2011, the leading places for growing broccoli are occupied by China and India, European countries are not far behind them: Spain, Israel, Turkey and Italy. The useful properties of this asparagus are appreciated by many peoples of the world. They use it in fresh, boiled and canned form, add it to various dishes, and use it for medicinal purposes.

Structure

By the content of useful substances, broccoli is one of the first places among vegetables of the Cabbage family. It contains vitamins and minerals that affect human metabolism, have an effective effect on improving the condition of many internal organs of people.

100 grams of broccoli contains:

• carbohydrates - 6.6 mg;
• proteins - 2.8 mg;
• fat - 0.4 mg;
• dietary fiber - 2.6 mg;
• water - 89.3 mg.

Trace elements and their impact on human health.

Name of substances	Effects on the body
Potassium	Improves the cardiovascular system, prevents the accumulation of salts, removes their excess
Magnesium	Contributes to the normalization of blood circulation
Calcium	Strengthens bones, nails and hair
Sodium	Maintains normal water balance in the human body
Manganese	Stimulates the active formation of new cells
Zinc	Regenerates and restores the cellular tissues of internal organs
Chromium	Affects the stable functioning of the pancreas
Phosphorus	It affects the eyes, improves vision

Vitamins and microelements contained in broccoli, entering into the reaction of metabolic processes, form substances that can prevent the formation of cancer cells and slow down their reproduction. In asparagus cabbage there are vitamins of the following groups:

• Vitamin A - 386 mcg;
• Vitamin B 1 - 0.071 mg;
• Vitamin B 2 - 0.117 mg;
• Vitamin B 5 - 0.573 mg;
• Vitamin B 6 - 0.175 mg;
• Vitamin B 9 - 63 mcg;
• Vitamin C - 89.2 mg;
• Vitamin E - 0.78 mg;
• Vitamin K - 101.6 mg;
• Vitamin PP - 1.107 mg.

Varieties

Until recently, our gardeners did not grow such cabbage in large numbers on their plots, but every year broccoli is gaining more and more supporters. Learning about the benefits of vegetables, gardeners plant different varieties of this asparagus cabbage along with traditional white and colored representatives of a huge family. Like the usual cabbage, broccoli has many varieties, varieties and hybrids:

Early grades	Mid-season varieties	Late grades
Batavia F1	Arcadia F1	Continental
Vitamin	Calabrese	Greenia
Linda	Vitamin A	Atlantic
Curly head		Monterey F1

Varieties of broccoli vary in color of inflorescences, their density, the height of the main stem and productivity. The earliest cabbage ripen already at 65-70 days, later cabbage ripening dates of at least 120 days. The main color of the heads is green, but in certain varieties it can be lilac or even brown.Monterey F1 is characterized by high productivity, the mass of one head of inflorescences in this variety reaches almost 2 kilograms.

Benefit for health

Eating broccoli is good for people with diabetes. A small daily serving of cabbage lowers blood sugar and prevents the formation of cholesterol plaques. Patients with indigestion soon feel an improvement in the gastrointestinal tract.

The positive effect of daily use of broccoli is on the normalization of blood pressure, strengthening the heart muscle, nervous system. The blood composition is gradually improving, it is being purified from harmful substances that contribute to circulatory disorders.

For women

Women of all ages always want to be beautiful and slim, using broccoli also effectively helps:

• cabbage oil improves skin condition, prolonging youth;
• regular use of broccoli strengthens hair, protects against hair loss and gives it shine;
• the nail plates become strong, their fragility decreases, the cuticles look healthy, do not exfoliate from the nails;
• cabbage is used in diet food for weight loss, because it is able to break down fat and prevent its deposition on the hips and abdomen.

For men

After 50 years, the male body is at risk of prostate damage from inflammation and even the formation of cancer cells. Avoiding this helps regular consumption of broccoli. The substances that make up its composition reduce the risk of inflammatory processes and inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors, as well as prevent their proliferation.

It is no secret that these days young people of a younger age are at such risk, therefore it is recommended to include dishes containing broccoli in the daily menu in order to prevent prostate cancer.

For pregnant women and nursing mothers

During the bearing of a child, the woman’s body requires a more careful attitude, because the normal intrauterine development of the fetus depends entirely on the state of the mother. Subsequent breastfeeding of a newborn baby also affects the body of the mother and child. The complex of vitamins, minerals and other useful substances that make up broccoli cabbage strengthens the immune system, which allows you to reliably protect the body from viruses and pathogens.

Serotonin and folic acid, produced by using cabbage, can improve appetite and sleep, improve mood, protect the nervous system from postpartum depression. A small but daily portion of this amazing product in the diet of a future or already nursing mother effectively and positively affects the general condition of the mother and baby.

For children and the elderly

It is impossible to overestimate the benefits of broccoli for the health of children and people of an older age group. At any age, cabbage affects the human body positively:

1. This product is hypoallergenic, does not adversely affect people with sensitivity to many allergens (except for individual intolerance). For young children and the elderly can be eaten broccoli daily, but in reasonable quantities.
2. Children and elderly people who love broccoli get enough vitamins and minerals that strengthen their health, positively affect the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, nervous system, which is important for both a growing body and for the health of a weakened body of grandfathers and grandmothers.
3. For young children and the elderly it is very important to maintain normal body weight. Broccoli breaks down the fat that comes with food and prevents excess from being deposited on the walls of internal organs, thighs and abdomen.

Healing properties

The presence of a huge amount of vitamins, minerals and substances, beneficial to human health, allows you to use broccoli in the treatment of many diseases, including it in the complex of therapeutic measures, as a dietary product.

Disease	The properties	Mode of application
Pancreatitis	Facilitates the absorption of food, soothes pain in the stomach	Broccoli need to be boiled or steamed, can be eaten raw in salads, soups or main dishes
Gastritis	The magnesium contained in cabbage improves metabolism, carotene helps to restore the cells of the gastric mucosa, antioxidants are useful for healing wounds and scars, and vitamin C inhibits inflammatory processes.	It is not recommended to eat raw cabbage. Only boiled, stewed or steamed vegetables can be included in diet foods. With an exacerbation of the disease, an increase or decrease in acidity, you should refuse to take broccoli
Cholecystitis	It contributes to the normalization of the gallbladder, which provokes the appearance of cholecystitis	Broccoli is included in the menu only after heat treatment, boiled or stewed
Diabetes	Phytoncides, proteins and vitamins affect the state of blood vessels, normalize blood circulation, and prevent the formation of atherosclerotic plaques	Cabbage is added to salads, sauces and other dishes. Do not eat broccoli in its raw form.

Harm to health and contraindications

Like all broccoli products fried in fat or vegetable oils, it releases carcinogens that are harmful to the body. When accumulated, these substances can lead to serious diseases of the internal organs of a person.

It is recommended to use cabbage in smaller portions for people who are prone to:

• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, with gastritis with a pronounced increase in acidity;
• peptic ulcer or pancreatic dysfunction;
• allergic reactions or intolerance to the use of broccoli, associated with the individual characteristics of the body.

Patients with such diseases should limit the use of cabbage, adding it to food in small doses, or completely exclude it from the diet.

What to cook from cabbage

There are a lot of recipes for cooking broccoli dishes, we offer, as an example, only some of them:

Cheese Broccoli

For 500 g of cabbage you will need:

• hard cheese - 100 g
• milk - 200 ml
• 2 eggs,
• vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. spoons.
• salt and pepper to taste.

Cooking:

Blanch broccoli in boiling water for 2-5 minutes, discard in a colander and transfer to a frying pan greased with oil. Warm the cabbage for 5-7 minutes, then place in a baking dish. From cheese, eggs and milk, prepare the mixture, pour its vegetables, bake in the oven for up to 20 minutes.

Broccoli in sour cream

For 800 g of broccoli you will need:

• sour cream - 250 g,
• mayonnaise - 2.5 tablespoons,
• spices to taste - basil, salt, pepper, vinegar
• juice of 0.5 lemon.

Cooking:

Boil the cabbage until tender, mix all the spices and herbs with sour cream and mayonnaise. Transfer cabbage inflorescences to a salad bowl, and pour in sour cream sauce.

Reviews

Gardeners who grown broccoli on their land, they know a lot about its benefits and are ready to share their opinion on what they consider to be the most important in this unique cabbage.

 

Sokolov Roman Konstantinovich, 30 years old

My wife and I planted broccoli for the first time last year. We have a large greenhouse, there is enough space for all healthy vegetables. Cabbage has grown "for glory", we learned about its benefits from neighbors in the country, and buying in a store is very expensive, now we have our own wellness vegetable. We add inflorescences to salads, soups and main dishes, we give them to children and parents, maybe that's why we rarely get sick.

 

 

Ivanov Petr Valerevich, 65 years old

I used to buy broccoli in a store or in a market, it’s a little expensive, so 5 years ago I found a place for growing this healthy cabbage on my site. During this time, he learned all the necessary conditions for obtaining good yields from small plots of land. Now we eat only our, young and fresh cabbage. I have known about its benefits for a long time. I have diabetes, cabbage helps me maintain health, I do not get sick with colds. Broccoli should be consumed, but not abused so that there are no complications.

 

 

Petrova Klavdiya Sergeevna, 44 years old

At my cottage there is a special plot where I grow healthy herbs and vegetables. There was a place for broccoli too. Before, I often caught a cold, my immunity was weakened, and after regular use of cabbage, I began to notice that colds were less and less prevailing, and if I got sick, I could endure ailments more easily. The general condition also improved, the pressure does not increase, blood sugar is always normal.

Conclusion

Broccoli asparagus, unique in its composition of vitamins and nutrients, is well-known these days. The healing properties of this amazing cabbage have already been evaluated by nutritionists, cosmetologists, therapists and many doctors of other specialties. They successfully apply these properties in the treatment and prevention of cancer, disorders in the digestive system and the nervous system. Nutritionists use it as a component for diet menus, and cosmetologists use it to rejuvenate the skin of hands and face.