Broccoli belongs to the cruciferous family of vegetables along with kale, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts and collard greens. With its many health benefits and amazing nutritional profile it is easy to see why broccoli is sometimes called the ‘king of vegetables’.
Detox Health Benefits of Broccoli
One of the most amazing health benefits of broccoli, and other cruciferous vegetables, is their powerful ability to help us detox. Cruciferous vegetables contain antioxidants called indoles and sulforaphane that stimulate the liver into dramatically increasing its production of detoxifying enzymes. These enzymes transform toxic heavy metals, harmful chemicals and carcinogens into less harmful substances that can be safely eliminated out of the body. This is the reason that cruciferous vegetables are often a key ingredient in many detox programs. This detoxifying effect has great benefits of protecting us from cancer. Research shows that people who eat lots of cruciferous vegetables are even less likely to develop cancer than those who eat lots of other kinds of vegetables!
When it comes to eating broccoli, research shows that lightly steaming is the best method. Steaming opens up the fibers so that more of the antioxidant indoles and sulforaphane are released and therefore available for digestion. Boiling however, kills off the antioxidants. Making your own homemade broccoli vegetable juicer recipes is another great option. Juicing mechanically breaks open the fibers releasing an abundance of antioxidants into the juice.
Vitamin C Health Benefits of Broccoli
Broccoli is a fantastic source of vitamin C, just 1 cup will provide you with twice the recommended daily allowance! Vitamin C is an essential part of a healthy immune system and can help protects us from viruses like cold, flu and ear infections.
Vitamin C is also one of the most heart healthy of nutrients. As an antioxidant it protects cholesterol cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. Once damaged, cholesterol cells attach them selves to the artery walls and arteriosclerosis develops – the number 1 risk factor for heart disease. Vitamin C is also essential for creating collagen in our arteries. If we do not have enough vitamin C in our diet then the body has to use cholesterol instead of collagen! This also leads to arteriosclerosis.
Broccoli Health Benefits for the Eyes
Broccoli is a good source of two eye healthy antioxidants called lutein and zeaxanthin. These two antioxidants are condensed heavily in the retina of our eyes, provided we consume enough of them in our diets. Their job is to protect the retina of the eyes from the harmful effects of free radicals found in UV light. This helps keep the eyes youthful for longer and also greatly reduces the risk of eye diseases like cataracts and macular degeneration from developing.
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