Broccoli, thought not very popular among kids and adults alike, is a very nutritious vegetable. Considered one of the most beneficial and healthy cruciferous vegetables, broccoli not only helps to keep the digestive system up and going but also promotes overall good health by ensuring proper functioning of the kidneys, by supporting the cardiovascular system and by keeping cancer at bay. What’s more, this dark green vegetable has also been found to be extremely beneficial for skin and hair health.
Listed Below Are 15 Amazing Health Benefits Of Broccoli:
Heart Health
High quantities of vitamin B complex present in broccoli, proves the vegetable to be of particular help for improving heart health. Vitamin B is known to reduce homocysteine levels in blood, which is a type of amino acid that builds up in a person’s system after consuming red meat and can lead to coronary artery diseases. Other than that, high quantities of sulforaphane, a type of anti-inflammatory agent present in broccoli is also known to strengthen blood vessels by reversing their thinning effect and keeping cardiac arrest at bay.
Blood Sugar
Sufficient levels of chromium present in broccoli helps to keep blood sugar levels under check.
Boost Immunity
Sulforaphane and beta-carotene present in broccoli cater to the vegetable’s ability to boost a person’s immune system as he starts aging. Hence, it’s highly recommended to consume a healthy quantity of broccoli right from childhood to keep the immune system boosted and going.
Sunscreen
Broccoli extract is one of the best ways to keep the skin protected from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. While sunscreens that we buy from the market protect our skin for just a few hours and that too partly, broccoli extract gets easily absorbed into the skin, thus completely blocking the UV rays from reaching our skin and protecting it from inside out. The sunscreen powers of broccoli are known to remain effective for as long as three consecutive days after its application.
Beneficial For Pregnancy
Folate is an essential mineral for pregnant women but unfortunately women are often found lacking in sufficient quantities of folate, which in turn leads to many complications with pregnancy. Hence; broccoli being a very good source of folate, is considered extremely beneficial for pregnant women.
Fights Cancer
Eating a broccoli or any other cruciferous vegetable-rich diet has been found to be effective for reducing the chances of developing cancer, especially colon and lung cancer. High amount of sulforaphane present in this green vegetable caters to this property of broccoli. Sulforaphane has been found to be able to inhibit the production of a cancer-causing enzyme, known as histone deacetylase (HDAC), thereby keeping cancer development chances at bay. Other than that, folate present in broccoli has also been found to be effective for preventing breast cancer in women.
Younger Looking Skin
Broccoli is a blessing for the skin, as it helps to keep the skin looking younger and toned for longer by keeping the signs of aging at bay. Vitamin C present in broccoli helps to boost the process of skin regeneration and also protects the skin from the harmful effects of the polluted environment and sun, thereby keeping the damage at bay too. Broccoli thus provides a dual action to protect and improve the texture of the skin as it ages.
Bone Health
Broccoli has also been found to be very effective for ensuring sound bone health due to its huge reserves of vitamin k and calcium.
Low Cholesterol
Regular consumption of broccoli also ensures low blood cholesterol levels, as broccoli is packed with fibers, which help to satiate our appetite without replacing the hunger with cholesterol and fats.
Body Detoxification
Proper detoxification of harmful products should ideally take place in two steps and broccoli is one of those few foods which have this unique property to cleanse and detox the body in two steps, thereby ensuring complete detoxification. Glucosinolate and sulfuraphane present in broccoli are the two main compounds which aid in the detoxification process.
Fight Obesity
Broccoli is also one of the best vegetables to consume when you are on diet or are trying to reduce the extra weight that you have put on in the last few years. High fiber content of broccoli helps to keep the hunger pangs at a bay for a longer time, thereby keeping you away from food and unnecessary calories.
Counter Inflammation
Significant amounts of omega-3 fatty acids present in broccoli helps to counter the inflammation signal that our body sends as a response to allergic reactions. Glucosinolate present in broccoli actually help to prevent the inflammation by shutting down the system and the inflammation signaling.
Digestive Health
High fiber content of broccoli helps to promote over all good digestive health by normalizing the digestive functioning and providing enough roughage to keep the digestion process healthy and going.
Healthy Hair And Skin
Broccoli is also surprisingly beneficial for hair and skin due to its high vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acid content – both of which are considered vital for hair and skin health.
Kidney Health
Last but not the least, broccoli is also extremely beneficial for maintaining kidney health, primarily because of its high sulforaphane content, which works to reduce strain on kidneys and normalize their functioning.
