031. Broccoli

1. Calabrese Broccoli. 2. Sprouting Broccoli. 3. Romanesco Broccoli

Broccoli is a plant in the cabbage family whose large flower head is used as a vegetable. The word broccoli is derived from the Italian plural form of ‘broccolo’ referring to “the flowering top of a cabbage”. Broccoli is usually boiled or steamed, but has now become very popular as a raw vegetable.

Broccoli is usually green in color and has large flower head arranged in a tree-like
structure with branches sprouting from a thick, edible stalk. The mass of flower heads is
surrounded by green leaves. Broccoli closely resembles cauliflower since it is a different
cultivar group of the same species.

Broccoli was derived from cultivated leafy crops in the Northern Mediterranean as far back as the 6th century BCE. Since the days of Roman empire, Italians have considered broccoli as a unique and valuable food.

Broccoli was brought to England in the mid-18th century. It was introduced to the United States by Italian immigrants. But it did not become widely known there until the 1920s.

Broccoli is high in Vitamin C and dietary fiber. It has potent anti cancer properties. Half a cup of broccoli provides ~ 50 mg of Vitamin C. Broccoli has potent anti viral and anti bacteial

Broccoli is also an excellent source of a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells. The benefits of broccoli are greatly reduced if the vegetable is boiled. Boiling broccoli reduces the levels of the anti-carcinogenic or cancer fighting compounds.

Boiling for 5 minutes causes a loss of 20 to 30% and 50% is lost when boiled for 10 minutes. Steaming, stir frying and microwaving has no significant effect on the beneficial compounds. A high intake of broccoli has been found to reduce the risk of heart disease and aggressive prostrate cancer.

There are three commonly grown types of broccoli. The most familiar is Calabrese broccoli – named after Calabria in Italy. It has large green heads and thick stalks. It is a cool season annual crop.

Sprouting broccoli has a larger number of heads with many thin stalks.

Purple cauliflower is a type of broccoli sold in southern Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. It has a head shaped like cauliflower, but consisting of tiny flower buds. It sometimes, but not always, has a purple cast to the tips of the flower buds.

Other cultivar groups of Brassica oleracea include cabbage, cauliflower, Romanesco brocccoli, Chinese broccoli and Brussels sprouts.