At the mention of its name, broccoli regularly makes our blond heads quiver! But this elegant green vegetable turns out to be one of our best health allies. Its origins date back to Roman times and, geographically speaking, this vegetable originated in Calabria, in southern Italy. Moreover, its name comes from “brocco” which means “sprout” in Italian. This member of the cruciferous family is said to have been developed from the cultivation of wild cabbage, just before the appearance of its cousin, the cauliflower. Very popular until the Renaissance, it was popularized by Catherine de Medici, who baptized it “Italian asparagus”. In France, it was not cultivated until the end of the 19th century. Since then, broccoli has been a delight to us and blooms abundantly on our stalls between October and March.
In video: 4 things to know about broccoli
>> Broccoli is a cocktail of vitamins. PAmong them, it is known to have a high content of vitamin C (which gives us peach skin), B9 (which participates in the renewal of our cells) and provitamin A (an antioxidant). Note to athletes: i also contains vitamin B, which protects against muscle cramps. Broccoli also contains lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants from the carotenoid family, which reduce the risk of cataracts. Other strengths: its concentration of minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium), protein and fibre. In his magic boot? Sulforaphane, a sulfur compound ideal for gourmets with asthma or prone to chronic bronchitis.
How to get all the benefits
- Believed. This is ideal so as not to lose a crumb of its abundant vitamin C (106 mg/100 g), more than two thirds of which are destroyed during cooking. You can cut it into bouquets to dip in a cottage cheese sauce as you do with cauliflower. Or crumble it like a tabbouleh.
- Steamed. This is the surest way not to see its vitamins and minerals evaporate, but also its glucosinolates, which are very soluble in water. Similarly, this gentle heat cooking method optimizes the formation of sulforaphane, while it is very sensitive to high temperatures. In a steamer or wok, a few minutes are enough to soften it, to take advantage of its crunchy texture.
- Entire. Do not remove its stem to cook it! It also contains valuable nutrients and cut into fairly thin pieces, it is also delicious.
>> We also eat broccoli in summer! We are so used to preparing it in soup or in a gratin, that we forget that French broccoli season starts in June. Broccoli, like the colored cauliflowers that arrive in July, make up an attractive summer collection that can be enjoyed in salads. Cook them for 3 to 5 minutes in a wok or steam before letting them cool and seasoning them. And above all, we avoid cooking in water where some of the good compounds escape…
Read also :
- 15 warming gratin recipes
- 15 squash recipes to savor fall
- 12 recipes for cooking autumn-winter vegetables
