Broccoli is a powerhouse of health and we should all consume it regularly, but is it so healthy even when eaten raw?
With the arrival of the first cold weather, the first broccoli of the season begin to appear in the stalls of the greengrocers. Broccoli is a real "super food", because they provide our body with many vitamins and antioxidants that are important to counteract cellular aging. They are generally eaten cooked - mostly boiled or baked au gratin - but can they also be eaten raw? According to experts, yes: even when raw, broccoli offers a very high vitamin and fibrous supply, and does not contain any poisonous substances.
Indeed, raw broccoli has many benefits. They are rich in vitamins B, C and K: think that a cup of raw broccoli - about 90 grams - provides up to 108% of the vitamin C to be taken daily according to experts. They also contain potassium, calcium and beta-carotene, but also antioxidants, which protect the body from the action of free radicals; finally, broccoli is rich in folic acid - a natural supplement for pregnant women.
By avoiding cooking broccoli, all the benefits of this food are maintained which otherwise would be partially lost during the cooking process: in fact above all vitamins C and those of group B are particularly sensitive to heat; Vitamin C is also water-soluble and therefore disperses in the cooking water of the broccoli. A study has shown that by stir-frying or stewing broccoli in water, they lose respectively 38% and 33% of the vitamin C they contain; moreover, cooking in the microwave, steaming and pan causes losses not only in the levels of vitamin C, but also in those of chlorophyll, the pigment that gives the vegetable its characteristic green color and which represents an injection of health for the our body. (Also Read: How You Should Wash Broccoli: Tricks To Get Rid Of Worms And Pests Completely)
Precautions to follow if you eat raw broccoli
Green light therefore to raw broccoli, but be careful. Before consuming a consistent dish it would be advisable to taste a small amount, to see if our digestive system is able to assimilate them (raw broccoli can cause episodes of bloating or flatulence, and can be annoying to digest for those suffering from irritable colon) . Furthermore, it is better to consume without cooking only the broccoli florets, which are more digestible and tasty; we can use the part of the stems, which is more fibrous and therefore more difficult to digest raw, to make an excellent soup.
How to consume raw broccoli? Nothing better than preparing one green smoothie, rich in vitamins and fiber: to a handful of raw broccoli cut into small pieces, just add an apple, some spinach leaves or a few stalks of celery and a little lemon juice to prepare an energizing and tasty smoothie, ideal for breakfast or for snack. Or we can use broccoli florets like fresh side dish or as a base for a salad, perhaps adding small pieces of dried fruit and a few cubes of fresh cheese.
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Fonte: FDA / US National Library of Medicine
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