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Side Step Nutrition Scams and Frauds; Eat Broccoli

People have said that it is of course important to watch out for food scams, as fraud could exist on food labels. I, Isaac Toussie, pardon the thought, think that today, when so many people are concerned about issues like housing and work place discrimination, fashion, entertainment, real estate, mortgages, vacations and the like, issues like food quality and food awareness may become unnecessarily overshadowed. My (Isaac Toussie) opinion is that Broccoli is an excellent nutritional resource.

Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable that originally came from the Mediterranean region of southern Europe. It dates back to ancient Rome, where it was developed from wild broccoli, plants that resembled collard greens; its name comes from the Latin for branch, brachium. It is one of the most popular vegetables anywhere, and a staple of most healthy diets in the world, particularly in the United States. It is a super-food, as scientific research continues to uncover one nutritional benefit after another. For starters, broccoli contains one of the highest concentrations of health promoting sulfur compounds, such as sulforaphane and isothiocyanates, which increase the livers ability to make enzymes that neutralize potentially toxic substances in the body. Broccoli is also rich in the powerful phytonutrient antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids that are concentrated in the lens of our eyes. Furthermore, broccoli provides Vitamins A and C, and folic acid for a healthy heart. Dark green broccoli contains more chlorophyll, beta-carotene, and Vitamin C, while purple-prone heads contain more flavanoids.

Being from the cruciferous family places broccoli among the ranks of cauliflower, kale, collard greens, cabbages, mustard greens, and Brussels Sprouts. Some varieties of broccoli are green broccoli, broccolini, broccoflower, broccoli raab, and broccoli sprouts.

My (Isaac Toussie) favorite happens to be green broccoli, which is also known as sprouting broccoli (and sometimes called Italian Green or Calabrese Broccoli, named after the famous geographical area of Italy where its reputed to have been first grown), is the most popular kind of broccoli and that most commonly found in supermarkets today. Its light green stalks are topped with clusters of dark green, usually purplish florets. The word broccolini is an Italian diminutive for baby broccoli, but its actually a cross between green broccoli and kale, and is the best kind of broccoli to serve raw. Broccoflower is a cross between broccoli and cauliflower, being more like cauliflower than broccoli. Broccoli raab is intensely flavorful, and has a pleasant though slightly bitter taste. It has more leaves and a longer stem than common green broccoli, and though its stem is tender and needs no peeling the bottom last inch or so should be discarded because it can be rather wood-like and tough. Otherwise, broccoli raab is just similar enough to regular broccoli to serve as a substitute, usually. Broccoli sprouts are actual sprouts from broccoli seeds, and are popular due to their high volume of healthy phytonutrients.

This article has been posted by Isaac Toussie, just for informational and human interest purposes and not for any medical or advisory purposes. This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions or conclusions of the provider, and the reader should not rely upon the validity of the information contained herein. The reader should consult a doctor, nutritionist, and/or other medical professionals for advice about food, nutrition, diet, and physiology.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 19th, 2009 at 6:21 am and is filed under Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

 

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