Do you eat broccoli on the regular? If not, you might reconsider your relationship with this green veggie after reading this article. Broccoli is a close relative of Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, and kale. The miniature tree-like veggie belongs to the cruciferous family and is very good for your health. Eating broccoli regularly will give you wonderful results.
1.You’ll feel fuller and eat less Do you hate those uncontrollable hunger pains?
Well, broccoli can help you not just manage them but it helps you feel full for a longer period. Yes, you heard that right. Broccoli promotes satiety. It might actually help you shed some extra pounds too! How? Broccoli is a great source of dietary fiber. 100 grams contains roughly 2.6 grams of dietary fiber. This offers health benefits like lower cholesterol levels, regular bowel movements, reduced risk of heart disease and stable blood sugar levels. Dietary fiber is water-soluble and adds to the bulk by absorbing water. It slows down the movement of food in the digestive system. This promotes the feeling of satiety, meaning you feel full for a long time. And when you consume fewer calories, you definitely lose weight. So, if weight loss has been on your mind, include broccoli in your daily diet. Remember one thing though. Eat it raw or steamed because frying, boiling, and microwaving destroys some of its nutrients.
2.Inflammation in your body will be reduced Fed up of the constant aches and pains?
Broccoli could be the answer to this problem. Inflammation is an indication that your body’s immune system is fighting something that can be harmful. Blood and fluids accumulate near the affected site and try to get rid of those harmful irritants. Inflammation is painful, but it suggests that the body is trying to heal itself. Chronic inflammation if not treated, can last for several months and even years. Though inflammation occurs to heal the body, chronic inflammation can eventually cause several diseases including some cancers and arthritis. So it is important to treat inflammation by addressing the root cause. You may ask how broccoli is going to help? Well broccoli contains potent substances like sulforaphane and kaempferol, which help fight inflammation. sulforaphane is an antioxidant and an anti-cancer compound that has anti-inflammatory properties. Similarly, kaempferol a phytonutrient is also an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and cardioprotective substance. That broccoli soup seems more inviting all of a sudden.
3.You’ll recover better after exercise
If you exercise regularly, broccoli can be your best friend. Your body needs to recover post-workout and broccoli accelerates the healing. Half a cup of cooked broccoli contains 51milligrams of vitamin C, which is around 57% of your daily requirement. Your body requires vitamin C for numerous life-supporting functions including the biosynthesis of collagen, L-carnitine and protein metabolism. Collagen in particular is produced with the help of vitamin C. Collagen is the main component of connective tissue that plays a vital role in wound healing. Other vital fibrous tissues like ligaments, tendons, skin and bones are also made up of collagen. When you work out, you feel soreness in the muscles. This happens because your muscle fibers and tissues are stretched and damaged to some extent. The vitamin C present in broccoli helps the muscles and tissues recover quicker by creating collagen and metabolizing protein. Studies have shown vitamin C has the potential to boost collagen production and accelerate healing.
4.Your Body Will Be Detoxified
Thinking about detoxification? Think broccoli ! Broccoli is one of those few natural green foods that detoxifies your body. Amongst many other phytonutrients, broccoli is packed with glucoraphanin, gluconasturtiin, and glucobrassicin. These phytonutrients help neutralize and eliminate unwanted toxins from the body. A study found that by drinking broccoli sprout beverages, you can detoxify your body of certain airborne pollutants. But how does broccoli do this? Sulforaphane occurs naturally in broccoli. It increases the amount of active Phase enzymes in the upper respiratory tract. These are the enzymes responsible for neutralizing the toxins that we breathe through the air. And the fiber present in broccoli helps in removing the toxins that get dumped by the liver into the intestines.
5.Stable Blood Sugar Levels
Broccoli is a natural food that helps regulate blood sugar levels. A study suggests that sulforaphane, found in broccoli, reduces the production of hepatic glucose and improves glucose control in type2 diabetes patients. This means insulin resistance decreases significantly in such patients. Another reason to eat more of broccoli sprouts is that it improves fasting glucose in obese patients dealing with irregular type 2 diabetes. Broccoli is also rich in dietary fiber, which has a positive impact on your blood sugar levels. Experts believe people who eat more dietary fiber have fewer chances of developing type 2 diabetes than those who consume less. By increasing your fiber intake, you can reduce the glycemic index of foods. Another reason to go all gaga over broccoli is that it helps fight off oxidative stress caused by diabetes. Antioxidants, like vitamin C and alpha-lipoic acid, present in broccoli are very helpful in reducing complications caused by diabetes.
6.Improved Digestive System Do you suffer from acid reflux?
Broccoli could be the perfect answer. Experts often recommend a high-fiber diet to help deal with symptoms arising from gut disorders like GERD, duodenal ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, and hemorrhoids. Our gut is home to different types of bacteria that play an important role in the digestion process. These beneficial microbes feed upon the fermenting fiber to extract short-chain fatty acids from them. This improves immunity, providing protection against obesity. So eat more broccoli for a healthy digestive system.
7. Relief From Constipation Are you finding it difficult to get your bowel going every day?
You have a cure in broccoli. Broccoli is loaded with dietary fiber, which helps in normalizing the bowel movements. There are two types of dietary fibers present in broccoli. Water-soluble fiber absorbs the excess water and forms a gel which helps in easy digestion of the food. If you are suffering from diarrhea, this fiber absorbs the excess water and solidifies the watery stool. The second type of fiber is the water-insoluble type that promotes the movement of food in the digestive tract. It increases bulk in the stool and makes it easy to pass. There have been studies confirming that eating broccoli sprouts normalizes bowel movements. So the next time you feel constipated, have steamed broccoli sprouts and let it do its work!
8. Better Concentration Experiencing brain fog?
Do you find it hard to concentrate? Broccoli might help. Broccoli is an excellent source of brain-healthy nutrients like vitamin K, lutein, and beta carotene. It is responsible for improving cognitive functioning and brainpower. Lutein and beta carotene are antioxidants known to improve brain health and memory. Scientists recently found that they can use a compound derived from broccoli sprouts to tweak the level of glutamate. Certain chemical imbalances occur in the brains of people suffering from schizophrenia upset the glutamate levels. The chemical sulforaphane present in broccoli was found to produce the desired effect. It is safe to say that broccoli is a great food for enjoying good mental health, and a sharper brain.
9. Say Hello to a Younger
You Reduced metabolic function and oxidative stress start the process of aging. While it's unavoidable, you can actually slow down this process with a healthy diet. The key bioactive compound in broccoli- sulforaphane has the ability to hinder aging by fighting oxidative stress. For a healthier body and healthier mind, eat more broccoli. How to include broccoli in your diet? There are three varieties of broccoli available for your consumption. Sprouting broccoli, calabrese broccoli, and purple cauliflower. Yes, purple cauliflower is a type of broccoli, despite what its name suggests. You can eat broccoli raw or steam it for as a lad. Another way is to saute it along with tofu or cottage cheese. Broccoli soup is both delicious and healthy. If considering still trying to figure out how to eat it, add this wonderful veggie to your pasta, noodles, or vegetable stock.
Is broccoli a part of your diet? Would you consider trying it after learning this info? Let us know in the comments below. We would love to hear from you!
2 Comments
Very informative knowledge
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