Broccoli Nutrition Facts

You may have seen children making 'I am disgusted' faces when they see this bushy green vegetable in their plates. But it is hard to explain them the nutritional benefits, so you can go for various broccoli soups and recipes. That may change the expressions on their face. Broccoli looks like a cauliflower, which is green in color. It is also called Brassica aleracea and belongs to the Brassicaceae family. This article will let you know that eating this vegetable not only helps us stay healthy, but also keeps away diseases by fighting against health problems.

Broccoli Calories

Broccoli	Quantity	Calories
Canned Cream of Broccoli Soup	1 Cup (245 gm)	90
Frozen, Chopped, Cooked, Drained, (without salt) Broccoli	1 Cup (90 gm)	25
Cooked, Drained (without salt) Broccoli	1 Large Stalk (11''-12'' Long, 280 gm)	100
Raw Broccoli	1 Cup Chopped (90 gm)	30
Raw Broccoli	1 Cup Flowerets (70 gm)	20
Broccoli Stalk	1 (115 gm)	32

Steamed Broccoli Calories

Calories	Value
Total Fat 0g	0%
Saturated Fat	0%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 0mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 9g	3%
Dietary Fiber 6g	24%
Protein 3g	6%

Nutrition Facts about Raw Broccoli

Calories	Value
Total Fat 0g	1%
Saturated Fat 0g	0%
Trans Fat	---
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 30mg	1%
Total Carbohydrates 6g	2%
Dietary Fiber 2g	9%
Sugars 2g	---
Proteins 3g	---

Broccoli Health Benefits

• Apart from being one of the richest sources of calcium, it also contains vitamins A, B6, C and K.
• It is also very rich is dietary fiber.
• They are also rich in potassium and manganese.
• Having high content of vitamin C, it helps to supply our body enough of antioxidants that help keep away free radicals that cause aging.
• It also enhances the absorption of iron.
• The vegetable has indoles that help in the inactivation of harmful estrogens which promote the growth of tumors.
• A number of studies have come to a conclusion that people who ate broccoli in an abundant quantity, had lesser risk of a few types of cancers, such as cancer of the cervix, breast, colon, lungs, prostate, esophagus, bladder, larynx.
• Sulforaphane stimulates the cells that are engaged in the production of cancer-fighting enzymes.
• Beta-carotene is present in broccoli which is another cancer fighting agent.
• Diindolylmethanem, that is present in it, has anti viral and anti bacterial properties.
• It is also very high in magnesium, iron, pantothenic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, phosphorus, etc.
• Including broccoli in your diet will prevent the development of cataracts and ease the common cold symptoms.
• Broccoli that is high in fiber helps to prevent constipation.
• Some birth defect risks can also be lowered by including this green vegetable in our daily diet.
• Other health benefits include weight reduction, reduction of cholesterol, controlling Alzheimer's disease and prevention of diabetes.

There are various ways in which broccoli can be eaten. Some people like to have it raw, and some prefer it steamed. Others like to stir fry it. It is best when eaten raw, but you can still enjoy it cooked.

Now that you know nutrition facts about broccoli and its health benefits, I hope you are ready to keep yourself fit and healthy by having some amount of it daily. If you haven't, start including it in your daily diet, but remember not to over cook it, as broccoli nutritional value is lost in overcooking. Enjoy your dinner tonight!