Broccoli is a very weird vegetable. It is despised by many people and there are people who just love eating it three times a day! It belongs to the cabbage family.
Whether you like it or hate it, you can’t simply deny the fact that Broccoli is extremely healthy. Today, we will tell you many interesting Broccoli facts through this article.
Broccoli Facts 1-5
1. Botanical name of broccoli is Brassica oleracea. It has a head which is like a flower and has a stalk.
2. The word ‘broccoli’ is derived from ‘broccolo’, an Italian word which means flowering crest of cabbage.
3. Broccoli is dark green in color. In simple terms, broccoli resembles trees. It also resembles cauliflower – one of the biggest differences is that the florets of broccoli are green and florets of cauliflower are white.
4. China and India produces 73% of broccoli and cauliflower produced in the world.
5. There are three types of broccoli – Calabrese broccoli, sprouting broccoli, and purple cauliflower.
Broccoli Facts 6-10
6. Calabrese broccoli is the most common type of broccoli and it is named after Italy’s Calabria. Purple cauliflower is a type of broccoli that is grown in North America and Europe.
7. As of 2017, 26 million tons of broccoli is produced worldwide. China and India are the top producers of broccoli. Other countries which are major producers of broccoli are USA, Spain, Mexico, and Italy.
8. This crop grows well in cool weather and can’t grow well in hot weather.
9. Before the flower heads turn yellow, broccoli must be harvested.
10. It actually originated in Italy. It developed from wild cabbage and was present since 6th century BCE.
Broccoli Facts 11-15
11. In 1560, broccoli made its way to France. Till 1700s, people of England called broccoli as ‘Italian asparagus’ or ‘sprout colli-flower’. It entered America with Italians but it became famous only in 1920s.
12. One American president, Thomas Jefferson loved broccoli so much that he imported seeds from Italy and planted them in his garden in May 1767.
13. Another American president, George H. W. Bush disliked it to the core and used his dislike for broccoli in his speeches.
14. Yet another American president, Barrack Obama, confessed his love for broccoli in 2013.
15. 90% of the broccoli produced in the USA comes from California.
Broccoli Facts 16-20
16. Tom Landers holds the world record for eating broccoli. He ate a pound of broccoli in just 92 seconds.
17. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, average American eats around 4 pounds of broccoli every year.
18. According to a 2007 study of the University of Warwick, anti-cancer enzymes, vitamins, and other nutrients are lost by boiling broccoli.
19. Researchers found out that steaming it for 20 minutes, microwaving it for three minutes, stir-frying it for five minutes didn’t cause any loss of nutrients that prevent cancer. Eating raw is always the best but it may cause flatulence!
20. The crop is 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide. It takes 70 to 140 days to reach maturity after planting. The crop is hand harvested meaning there is no machine to harvest the crop. The vegetable can be stored for 21 to 28 days.
Broccoli Facts 21-25
21. Coming to the nutrients present in broccoli – the list will go pretty long. It is high in fiber and vitamin C. It has vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin B9, vitamin K, and Potassium. It has a lot of protein, antioxidants, and phytochemicals as well.
22. Macro and micro nutrients like Magnesium, Zinc, Iron, Manganese, and Phosphorus are also present.
23. According to a report published in an issue of Science Translation Medicine journal, eating broccoli or taking broccoli extract has helped obese people with Diabetes type 2 and also improved the symptoms which are related to autism.
24. However, it must be noted that broccoli didn’t have any effect on non-obese diabetic patients.
25. Broccoli has a cancer-preventing ability. Now, this is certainly one big reason to include it in your diet. According to the American Cancer Society, antioxidants present in broccoli reduces oxidative stress thereby preventing cancer. It also has an impact on estrogen levels due to which it may help in reducing breast cancer.
Broccoli Facts 26-30
26. Thanks to its high soluble fiber, it helps in reducing cholesterol. The phytochemicals present in broccoli also help in the process of detoxification of the body. Other chemicals present help in strengthening the blood vessels and indirectly it improves immunity as well.
27. Antioxidants like lutein are amazing for good eye health. Eating broccoli regularly may also decrease the chances of contracting macular degeneration.
28. It also helps in keeping our digestive system healthy. It is also anti-inflammatory and reduces damage to the joints and helps in preventing arthritis. Oh! We forgot to mention. It also helps in weight loss!
29. The saying ‘too much is too bad’ holds true for broccoli as well. Eating too much broccoli increases flatulence as mentioned earlier.
30. People taking medicines that help in thinning blood should limit their broccoli intake and the same goes for people with hypothyroidism.
Broccoli Facts 31-35
31. Over the past two and a half decades, the consumption of broccoli has increased by 940%.
32. The crop is usually harvested from mid-October to December.
33. Broadly speaking, there are two types of broccoli – sprouting and heading. Heading type is most commonly found in the United States of America.
34. Other family members of broccoli are cabbage, kale, cauliflower, etc.
35. As per the Guinness world record the heaviest broccoli measured till date weighed 35 pounds. It was grown by John Evans and Mary Evans in 1993 in United States of America.
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