Broccoli's Natural Health Benefits

Recipes for the Superfood Vegetable

Besides its amazing cooking versatility, broccoli's a proven cancer fighter, containing the compound sulforaphane, which stimulates the production of anti-cancer enzymes and may help stop the growth of-and even destroy-ovarian cancer cells.

Brassinin is another compound that's been shown to inhibit the start and growth of breast cancer. (To fully benefit from these anti-cancer properties, it's best to eat broccoli raw or lightly steamed. Total cooking destroys some of the compounds.)

Broccoli's packed with folate, which helps guard against birth defects. And the veggie's a strong weapon against heart disease and arthritis, for it's rich in antioxidants like vitamin C and beta carotene.

Broccoli is a great "filler food", packed with fiber. (Fiber slows mealtime digestion and absorbs water, which expands your stomach and creates a feeling of fullness. Thus, fiber's a natural weight-loss aid. Added to a low-calorie diet, it also relieves constipation.)

Consuming large quantities of fiber while on a diet increases your chances that you'll stick to the diet.

Broccoli has only 25 calories per serving (one-half cup non-leafy or cooked veggies or 1 cup raw leafy vegetables; one-half cup of lightly cooked broccoli has 60 milligrams of vitamin C!); your body burns at least that many calories just chewing and digesting it!

Here's a simple recipe to start you off:

Broccoli with Orange Sauce

• 1 pound fresh or frozen broccoli spears (these are the broccoli "tops")
• 4 and one-half teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• One-half teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
• One-fourth cup water
• One-fourth cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1 medium navel orange, thinly sliced

1. Place broccoli and a small amount of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and bouillon. Stir in water, orange juice and peel until blended. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes until thickened.
3. Drain broccoli and place in a serving bowl. Garnish with orange slices and drizzle with sauce. Eat with steamed rice or noodles. Makes 6 servings (One serving's only 54 calories!)

Still turned off? Consider broccoli sprouts. They're actually even better for you than regular broccoli. The sprouts are simply baby broccoli plants that offer 20 to 50 times the cancer protection of broccoli (they also contain sulaforaphane, but far more of it). By eating a little more than an ounce of sprouts a week, you'll get all of broccoli's health benefits.

Broccoli sprouts are available in most major supermarkets, but if you prefer, can be grown right from your windowsill from broccoli seeds, sold in garden or health food stores.

Broccoli Sprouts

1. Put 2 pounds of broccoli seeds in a mason jar; cover with water.

2. Spread pantyhose (cheesecloth or something similar) in one layer over the mouth of the jar and tape to secure; screw on lid. Lay the jar on its side near a window overnight.

3. The next day, drain water from jar. Continue to rinse seeds twice a day with fresh water. Drain. On day three, sprouts!