They don't enjoy much popularity, they are often considered too poor and unrefined. Yet, Broccoli has many qualities that help to concretely improve our health without taking anything away from the taste.
The origin of broccoli, Brassica oleracea L., 1753 plant of the Brassicaceae family (from which various varieties derive: cabbage, broccoli, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and other less known ones) is very ancient. It is certain that they were cultivated by the Etruscans, Ancient Greeks, Sicilian Phoenicians, Corsicans and Sardinians. Pliny the Elder (23AD-79AD) talks about it extensively, emphasizing his appreciation for this plant both for its versatility in the kitchen and for its beneficial properties: even then it was in fact considered a mine of precious substances. The Romans even created a variety known as Calabrian broccoli. In 1533 Catherine de Medici introduced them to France and from there they spread to Europe. Not only that but in 1922 they were even introduced into the United States.
It is impossible to describe them all, but one representative of the family is enough: Romanesco broccoli, with a bright green color (in this it differs from cauliflower which is white) characteristic for its pyramid shape composed of a set of rosettes arranged in a spiral, which in turn are composed of other smaller rosettes always arranged with the same pattern.
The nutritional content is rather modest: only 24 kcal in 100g of raw food, 3.4g of proteins and 2g of carbohydrates (CREA composition tables). On the other hand, broccoli is rich in mineral compounds and vitamins: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, copper, Vitamin C (77mg), Vitamin A (123µg), Vitamin B3 (1.8mg), Vitamin B2 (0.21mg). If we also add a good fiber content, it's easy to understand why this vegetable is so precious for health: it remineralizes, has good satiating power and is low in calories. Broccoli is so rich in substances because it is capable of effectively fixing the minerals present in the soil. This feature has a flip side: if crops are grown on polluted soil, harmful substances such as heavy metals could contaminate the plant. For this reason we must always pay attention to the type of cultivation, origin and quality of the products we buy. Made in Italy is usually a guarantee.
The most interesting aspect of the whole broccoli family is the presence of substances containing sulfur which give the unpleasant smell, which can be alleviated in the kitchen by adding a few tablespoons of wine vinegar to the cooking water, or a little lemon juice or a piece of stale bread, but also many interesting properties. Sulforaphane is an active form of a glucosinolate found in this family, is absorbed in the jejunum, passes into the blood, and then accumulates in the tissues where it has an antitumor effect. Since the rediscovery of this bioactive molecule in 1992, numerous studies have been conducted to understand its activity and it has been seen that the action against cancer is carried out at different levels, from development to disease progression: it inhibits the division of cancer cells, promotes apoptosis (programmed cell death), counteracts neoangiogenesis and metastases. Sulforaphane protects against cancers of: skin, oral cavity, stomach, colon, bladder, breast and lungs. In other studies it has also demonstrated: anti-inflammatory and antioxidant action, protective against cardiovascular diseases; antibacterial action against Helicobacter pylori; antioxidant at levels of the retina that prevents macular degeneration; reduces hepatic glucose production and improves blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes. A phase 2 clinical study supported by the United States Department of Defense tested the effectiveness of sulforaphane supplementation in 50 children aged 3 -12 years old with autism spectrum. Preliminary results showed improvements in behavior and social interaction in 26% of children after 7 weeks, 38% at 15 weeks and 64% at 22 and 30 weeks.
The effects of the three most used cooking methods worldwide: boiling, steaming and microwaves on the content of: polyphenols, Vitamin C, anthocyanins, glucosinolates and sulforaphane in red cabbage and broccoli were recently examined. The results show that boiling causes a significant loss of nutritional compounds while the other two types of cooking allowed for their greater conservation. This means that we have to cook the broccoli in a little water, steam or better yet quickly sauté them in a pan. I also suggest chewing them well because it is the breaking of the vegetable cells that allows the release and activation of the bioactive molecules.
Here we can really go indefinitely because there are so many studies and they concern different pathologies and mechanisms of action, one thing is certain: broccoli is good for you and increasing their consumption can bring numerous benefits to our health.
In addition to being good, Romanesco broccoli is also interesting to observe: its appearance is governed by the laws of mathematics. The rosettes arranged in a spiral follow each other with regularity and their number is a Fibonacci number, that is, it is the sequence of natural integers of which each is the result of the sum of the previous two. Looking closely, it almost recalls the very strict visual codes of the American Optical Art of Victor Vassarely and Bridget Riley and their illusory perspectives.
One of the dishes of traditional Roman cuisine is the "broccoli e sprite" soup, it is a poor but very nutritious dish where the broccoli with its pungent smell covers that of the sprite, a fish also considered to be of little value.
THE RECIPE OF PASTA, BROCCOLI AND ARZILLA
Ingredients
A sprightly 750 gram
a Romanesco broccoli
200 g of chopped spaghetti
Two salted anchovy fillets
Half a glass of dry white wine
Celery, carrot and a white onion
A clove of garlic
One red pepper
A sprig of parsley
Extra virgin olive oil
Sale
Peel the spruce, wash it under running water, cut it into pieces. Place it in a pan together with chopped celery, carrot and onion and a handful of salt. Add water to cover everything and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes. At this point, take the sprawling and bone it. Be careful: the scraps and fishbones should not be thrown away but placed back to cook in the pan for a good half hour, taking care to skim everything off to keep the flavor light. Apart, fry the garlic in a little oil, add the anchovies until they melt, add the chilli pepper and the peeled tomato pieces, adjust so that everything maintains a slightly pink colour. Drizzle with half a glass of wine. This is the time to throw the Romanesco broccoli into the pan. Sauté it for 5 minutes to release all its flavour. Then proceed by pouring in the fish broth which has been filtered in the meantime. Stir the mixture a bit then add the sprightly and, after a short time, the chopped spaghetti. When cooked, sprinkle a nice handful of chopped parsley over everything and cook. Complete with the chopped parsley. The soup is ready to be served.
A very useful information. Thanks.