Interesting fact: broccoli was bred during the Roman Empire. The Romans liked the new vegetable very much, and therefore it began to be used to prepare various dishes. The name "broccoli" is of Italian origin and means "cabbage sprout". World fame came to the product only in the 1920s. And the real peak of popularity came in the early 2000s.
Broccoli: what is the use of this green vegetable
Broccoli: benefits / Photo: Pexels
How to prepare broccoli to make it healthier
In 2008, a report was published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry. It said that it is best to steam broccoli or in slightly salted water to preserve its antioxidant properties. However, it should be noted that vitamin C is destroyed due to heat treatment.
If you want to master the simple science of how to cook broccoli so that all its beneficial properties, vitamins and minerals enter the body, you should remember a few simple rules:
- First of all, it should be noted that broccoli can be eaten raw by adding it to a variety of salads - so you get the most benefit from this product;
- It is also very important to correctly divide the vegetable into separate inflorescences, because otherwise the vegetable will release the substance sulfurophane, which is considered poisonous for some animals (it is excreted from the human body after 3 hours, however, if the body is weakened, there may be health problems) - first cut off the rod itself, and then carefully divide into separate parts without a knife;
- how to cook broccoli in a saucepan - pour water, salt to taste, bring to a boil and only then add inflorescences;
- if you do not eat broccoli immediately after cooking, experts advise storing it in cool water - so it will remain crispy and retain its beneficial properties;
- How much to cook broccoli - an adult head of broccoli cabbage is boiled for no more than 5 minutes, but if it is large and you did not divide it into separate inflorescences - then this time increases to 10 minutes.
Broccoli: steaming
How to Steam Broccoli / Photo: Pexels
If you want broccoli to retain all its beneficial properties, it is recommended to steam it. Cooking does not take much time and effort:
- pour water into the double boiler bowl, turn on the device;
- carefully divide broccoli cabbage into separate inflorescences, rinse 2-3 times in cool water;
- transfer the broccoli to a double boiler sieve, place over the bowl where the water boiled;
- close the lid of the double boiler, set the timer for 5 minutes;
- to cook a whole head of broccoli cabbage - the timer should stand for 10 minutes;
- at the end of cooking, let the vegetable brew (3 minutes);
- When the dish is ready, it can be salted, seasoned with sesame or flax seeds, sprinkled with vegetable oil.