Wonderful purple and white sprouting broccoli
This veggie takes the top spot on the vegetable platform for this time of the year.
If you have ever tried to grow these yourself you will know all the birds and insects love these tasty greens, because they know how good these vegetables are and if you don’t have a ‘belt and brace’ approach to protecting them, the whole crop will be decimated over a few days.
Purple and white sprouting broccoli are members of the brassica family of which cabbage, cauliflower, large headed broccoli and kale also belong. This type of broccoli appears mainly in farm shops from January to April and generally has more taste and health benefits than the standard supermarket broccoli.
Accolades of this seasonal vegetable
Broccoli is rich in anti-cancer nutrients, heart health supporting nutrients, Vitamin A for eye, skin and respiratory system health, supportive nutrients for our detoxification systems and vitamin K for bone and circulatory health.
It is also a great source of fibre, contains calcium, magnesium, folic acid and Vitamin C and B vitamins.
So with all these accolades, we need to make the most of this wonderful vegetable while it is in season.
I especially consider the sulphoraphane content, as this is one of the special contents of brassica vegetables and gives the sulphurous smell some are not so fond of. However it is this special nutrient that supports so many of the health benefits noted above and not least the detoxification system that is so important to support with our current environmental toxic load. The more we look after this system the better our general health can be.
How much is good to eat and how to eat
Approx. 80gms is a good portion of these vegetables and some people like to add them to smoothies and salads as raw veg., however I suggest the best way to serve is lightly steamed (5mins – max 15mins – depending on preference) or stir fried so the colour is maintained. I also steam the fresh tender tops for approx. 5 minutes and dunk them straight into cold water to keep the colour and then sprinkle onto salads. Cooking lessens some of the nutrients, however cutting and light steaming can make some nutrients easier to absorb. Whatever way you prefer these enjoy – just don’t over-cook (30mins) as this really lessens many of these special nutrients and also use as fresh as possible, again so the nutrients are not lost in storage.
Some people with thyroid conditions are concerned about eating too many of these brassica veg. as they contain goitrogenic properties, which reduce the competence of the thyroid gland, however if you steam these for approx. 15 minutes this lessens these properties and they can be enjoyed safely. Most broccoli contains less than 10 μmol of goitrin per 100gm serving and can be considered of minimal risk.
People on blood thinning medication (particularly Warfarin) need to be cautious with these vegetables as they have a high vitamin K content, which is involved in the blood clotting process in the blood; speak to you INR nurse and often a small amount can be suitable.
References
Dinkova-Kostova AT, Kostov RV. Glucosinolates and isothiocyanates in health and disease. Trends Mol Med. 2012 Jun;18(6):337-47. doi: 10.1016/j.molmed.2012.04.003. Epub 2012 May 10. PMID: 22578879.
Vasanthi HR, Mukherjee S, Das DK. Potential health benefits of broccoli- a chemico-biological overview. Mini Rev Med Chem. 2009 Jun;9(6):749-59. doi: 10.2174/138955709788452685. PMID: 19519500.
Felker P, Bunch R, Leung AM. Concentrations of thiocyanate and goitrin in human plasma, their precursor concentrations in brassica vegetables, and associated potential risk for hypothyroidism. Nutr Rev. 2016 Apr;74(4):248-58. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuv110. Epub 2016 Mar 5. PMID: 26946249; PMCID: PMC4892312.
Verkerk, R., Knol, J.J. and Dekker, M. (2010). The effect of steaming on the glucosinolate content in broccoli . Acta Hortic. 867, 37-46 DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2010.867.3
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2010.867.3
Zhang X, Shu XO, Xiang YB, Yang G, Li H, Gao J, Cai H, Gao YT, Zheng W. Cruciferous vegetable consumption is associated with a reduced risk of total and cardiovascular disease mortality. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Jul;94(1):240-6. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.110.009340. Epub 2011 May 18. PMID: 21593509; PMCID: PMC3127519.
Maruthanila VL, Poornima J, Mirunalini S. Attenuation of Carcinogenesis and the Mechanism Underlying by the Influence of Indole-3-carbinol and Its Metabolite 3,3′-Diindolylmethane: A Therapeutic Marvel. Adv Pharmacol Sci. 2014;2014:832161. doi: 10.1155/2014/832161. Epub 2014 May 8. PMID: 24982671; PMCID: PMC4060499.
Hodges, R. E., & Minich, D. M. (2015). Modulation of Metabolic Detoxification Pathways Using Foods and Food-Derived Components: A Scientific Review with Clinical Application. Journal of nutrition and metabolism, 2015, 760689. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/760689