Health Benefits of Broccoli

Broccoli belongs to the unique classification of vegetables from the Brassica genus, also known as the cruciferous vegetables. This category of vegetables is special for a host of reasons, most notably, as rich sources of sulfur compounds that play a role in protecting the body from oxidative stress, or abnormal cell proliferation and damage. Interestingly, the health benefits of broccoli are also part of what makes this vegetable a prime candidate to aid in weight loss.

As a healthy veggie and overall aid in weight loss, broccoli is low in calories, fat-free and plentiful in micronutrients essential for protecting your digestive health. Its beneficial nutrients include vitamin C, folate, potassium and selenium. Broccoli is a good source of antioxidants, which protect your cells from free radical molecules. Broccoli is fiber-rich, flavorful and contains phytosterols, which help to reduce intestinal absorption of bad forms of cholesterol that can lead to arterial damage and high triglycerides, or extra fat, in the bloodstream. The health benefits of broccoli are immeasurable but keep in mind that the way you cook your broccoli could have detrimental effects in the nutrients delivered to your body.

Although the low calorie content remains the same, if you fry broccoli in oil or add other fattening ingredients, you change the nutritional value of the vegetable. Additionally, broccoli contains specific enzymes that normally dissipate the sulfur compounds called glucosinolates, which serve as powerful carcinogen fighting agents. When you cook broccoli, these enzymes are destroyed, not completely, but enough to warrant speculation from researchers in how to best eat your veggies.

Preserve the best part of broccoli by consuming it chopped and raw as part of your salad, or while snacking on vegetables between meals. When steaming your broccoli, make sure to cook the vegetable for no more than three minutes to glean the most nutritional benefits per serving. As part of your healthy approach to life and weight management, add broccoli to your plate at least once a day to further your efforts for healthy living.

While broccoli is a healthy choice for those that are trying to lose weight through diet and exercise programs, it can be a harmful dietary choice for those that are looking to lose weight with weight loss surgery. That is because broccoli is rich in enzymes that aid in the digestive process, but after weight loss surgery the gastric tract is often shortened. While the exact changes and effects of broccoli depend on the type of weight loss surgery that you have undergone, it is important to ask your weight loss surgeon if broccoli is something you will be able to handle after your bariatric operation.