Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, the author of the book “The Four Pillar Plan” and a correspondent on the BBC program, ‘Doctor in the House’ says that if you want to include more veggies in your diet, eating broccoli is the best thing you can do for yourself.
The MailOnline quoted the doctor in a long article debating the merits of this vegetable. “Broccoli is a lifesaver”, he says, because our immune systems are heavily supported by gut bacteria. And broccoli helps your gut stay as healthy as possible by boosting gut bacteria.
“As it goes through the small intestine it helps to balance your immune system. And then the fiber from the broccoli that can’t be digested goes along to the colon, which is the last part of the bowel, where most of the gut bugs reside and they start feasting on the fiber and making short chain fatty acids,” he said.
Eating broccoli has huge benefits
Broccoli is a member of the anti-cancer superhero squad known as cruciferous vegetables, along with kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, cabbage, collard greens, rutabaga, and turnips. All of them are loaded with nutritious elements that are absolutely necessary for your body. And out of all, broccoli might be the most kick-ass.
Researchers have linked eating a high amount of this veggie with a low risk of cancer, especially lung and colon types. That’s probably thanks to the compound sulforaphane, which contains sulfur, and is also responsible for the bitter taste of cruciferous veggies. Researchers have found that sulforaphane can inhibit the enzyme histone deacetylase (HDAC), which has a big hand in the progression of cancer cells.
Another advantage of broccoli? It contains a high concentration of vitamin K, 92 micrograms in one cup, which is a little bit over 100 percent of your daily need. And your body needs vitamin K because scientists associated the absence of it in your system with a higher risk of bone fracture. Consuming it improves the health of your bones by improving the absorption of calcium and it also reduces urinary excretion of calcium.
The intake of vitamin K also helps with cardiovascular development; it maintains the size of the heart’s left ventricle, which pumps oxygen-rich blood all around the body.
If you’re lactose intolerant or don’t consume dairy, you’ll be happy to know that broccoli also has 43 milligrams of calcium in one cup.
Looking for more broccoli inspiration? Here is our vast archive of recipes that have broccoli as one of the main ingredients. Enjoy!
