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In the past year, I’ve been eating broccoli more often than before. Usually it ends up in soup, but I make it in various ways.

Mom didn’t pay much attention to this vegetable when I was a kid. However, I’ve learned about all the benefits of eating broccoli over time.

Now, broccoli is served at least three times a week in my home.

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What Are the Benefits of Eating Broccoli?

Broccoli has numerous positive effects, especially for seniors.

The reasons why experts recommend you include broccoli in your diet:

  • Rich in nutrients
  • Fights depression
  • Supports your immune system
  • Destroys cancer cells
  • Slows down osteoarthritis

Rich in Nutrients

Minerals, fiber, proteins, vitamins. Broccoli is rich in all these nutrients.

It is particularly high in vitamin C and vitamin K. One cup of raw broccoli contains the recommended daily amount of these vitamins for an average person. When cooked or steamed, these amounts may decrease.

Broccoli is also a great source of vitamins B9 and A, as well as phosphorus and potassium.

In one cup of broccoli, you will find 2.6 grams of protein, 6 grams of carbohydrates, and only 0.3 grams of fat.

Fights Depression

Broccoli contains significant amounts of other nutrients, too: lutein, zeaxanthin and above all glucoraphanin.

During digestion, glucoraphanin turns into an antioxidant: sulforaphane.

health benefits of broccoli

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Sulforaphane needs more investigation, and its benefits have not been precisely determined. So far, the results have shown that it prevents depression in mice, among other things.

Apparently, this antioxidant fights against depression and anxiety. Further studies will hopefully confirm these allegations.

Supports Your Immune System

We guess you have already concluded this by yourself.

Vitamin C is essential in keeping your immune system strong enough to fight against various diseases. It is important for both prevention and treatment.

When I was a kid, my mom would always give me plenty of vitamin C when she noticed I was getting sick. I drank a lot of lemonade and ate a couple of oranges every day.

Everyone knows lemons, kiwi, and oranges are rich in this vitamin, but only a few would guess that broccoli has plenty of it too. (Paprika, as well, but we will leave this for another article.)

Destroys Cancer Cells

According to certain research, broccoli can contribute to the prevention of cancer. This doesn’t mean if you eat this vegetable every day you are 100% protected. However, the risk of getting cancer will be lower.

Additional research may determine to what extent broccoli helps fight against cancer.

It is possible that eating this vegetable can help in protection against stomach, breast, prostate, bladder, kidney, and colorectal cancer.

Slows Down Osteoarthritis

Although broccoli doesn’t contain high levels of calcium, it has other nutrients important for supporting healthy bones.

Vitamins K, A, and C are essential in preventing bone-related diseases. Phosphorus and zinc are, too.

One study suggests that even sulforaphane can contribute to preventing osteoarthritis. However, we will wait for scientists to confirm these allegations.

Whether you like eating broccoli or not, you can’t deny that it has numerous health benefits for the elderly. It helps keep your immune system strong, fight against osteoarthritis and depression, and may have some effects on destroying cancer cells.

There are even studies which are trying to find the impact of sulforaphane from broccoli on fighting obesity, but the results are yet to come.

Add broccoli to your diet and embrace all the positive effects of this vegetable.

 

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