Broccoli has always been on top of the list of recommended vegetables. There’s a reason for that: it’s simply one of the most healthy options out there. There’s not a thing about it for which a complaint can be made, except for the taste perhaps, but we grow out of that soon enough. As tasteless as it might be compared to some other vegetables, it’s positive qualities make it a much needed addition to your diet.

A Short History Lesson On Broccoli

The vividly green tree shaped vegetable that was first cultivated in mass around the 6th century BC. It’s stuck around through the ages - we have much to thank the Italians for - and a good thing that it has too. Since the Romans began paying attention to it, broccoli has slowly gained the hearts of countries around the world. Even England and America, two countries in which the vegetable is consumed in considerable amounts, were only recently introduced to it. It goes to show how broccoli wins the general crowd, even if some dislike the taste and prefer to look elsewhere for their nutrients.

In modern times, as it is with many vegetables, China and India have become the mass producers of the vegetable and have overtaken the native producer Italy’s place as the source of the great green veggie.

Health Benefits

Broccoli boasts of the most nutritional benefits - other vegetables are simply not in the same league as it. These benefits covers a wide range of effects on a wide range of organs in the body. There really is no excuse for not taking advantage of this super vegetable.

Let’s have a look at what these benefits are:

1. It Strengthens Your Bones

This one might come as a surprise to you, but broccoli makes your bones stronger. This is because it has an abundance of the vitamin K, an essential element for strong bone health. It is well known that a deficiency of vitamin K leads to a higher probability of bone fracture. A small serving of broccoli covers more than your daily need of vitamin K.

Major health benefit no.1 covered. A small cup of broccoli is enough to toughen your bones. If this is something you suffer from, consider eating broccoli. If it isn’t, eat it anyway, because of the benefits down below.

2. Experience Better Protection Against...Many Many Diseases

Broccoli, as we said, is a super vegetable. It offers protection against a wide range of diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, strokes, diabetes, hypertension, obesity and digestive illnesses. That is no small achievement for a singly vegetable.

Broccoli does this through its high vitamin and mineral content and its richness in fiber. Dietary fiber is a slightly underappreciated aspect of our diet. It keeps our blood sugar levels in check, and consequently, keeps diabetes and other illnesses at bay.

Again, this is all from a average sized daily serving of the vegetable.

3. Digest Better

Broccoli contains a lot of fiber and dietary fiber promotes healthy bowel movement and encourages good digestion. If you suffer from digestion, eating broccoli is a good way of eliminating the problem. It is also a natural detoxifier because this high fiber content helps eliminate harmful residue in your body. As with all such substances which promote these particular benefits, broccoli is believed by some to promote resistance to diseases and reduce inflammation.

I think the case for broccoli has been made, and been made indisputably. The single vegetable covers so much of our daily requirements that it behoves us to put it on to our plate. You just have to have a moderately sized cup of it every day to make the most of it - although feel free to have more. There are a number of good recipes available online that bring out the full potential of the flavour of broccoli. Gone are the days where you have to eat it raw. Now go grab some of that broccoli!