Post: The #1 Way To Cook Broccoli for Maximum Health Benefits

Kseniya Ovchinnikova If you’re looking for ways to make your diet more nutritious, it’s never a bad idea to add in some broccoli .

“This nutrient-dense vegetable is a rich source of essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and iron,” Stephani Johnson, RDN, DCN , adjunct professor in the department of clinical and preventive nutrition services at the Rutgers School of Health Professions, told Verywell.

“Broccoli is also high in fiber, which supports digestive health, and it is packed with powerful antioxidants like sulforaphane, lutein, and zeaxanthin,” she added.

But cooking your broccoli a certain way may give you more of one of those antioxidants, called sulforaphane, maximizing the health benefits you get from the vegetable, research suggests.1

The paper, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry , raises the question of whether there are “right” and “wrong” ways to cook broccoli.

But while some preparation styles come with extra perks, broccoli , in any form, is good for you. “Regardless of how it’s prepared, broccoli remains a low-calorie food rich in fiber, making it a valuable addition to a healthy diet,” Johnson said.

Sulforaphane: Benefits, Safety, and Nutrition Why Broccoli Is So Good For You

Sulforaphane is a naturally occurring compound found in cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and kale, and it’s been linked to multiple health benefits, Johnson said.

“One of its key functions is stimulating the production of antioxidant enzymes in the body, which neutralize free radicals and protect cells from oxidative damage,” she explained.Antioxidants, such as sulforaphane, play a role in cancer prevention by supporting the removal of cancerous substances from the body, inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, and reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, she added.Sulforaphane also supports liver detoxification and helps keep your cardiovascular system healthy by improving your blood pressure, Johnson added. The Best Way To Cook Broccoli for Health Benefits Given the wide-ranging benefits of the compound, it’s good to know how to cook broccoli to get the most sulforaphane. “It is widely known that prolonged cooking can degrade nutrients in broccoli, including […]

The #1 Way To Cook Broccoli for Maximum Health Benefits