Roasted Broccoli Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is roasted broccoli just as healthy? ›

Roasted broccoli is a healthy side dish with major crowd appeal. Broccoli contains a lot of good-for-you fiber, vitamin C, and a surprising amount of protein, too. Who knew? If you've been in a rut with side dishes lately, or you're tired of steamed broccoli, you're going to love this simple side.

You don't have to do anything complicated to access the sulforaphane in cruciferous vegetables. All you have to do is steam the veggies or eat them raw. Roasting them also retains most of the nutrients.

Broccoli contains several compounds which some people perceive as bitter. Proper growing, storage, and cooking can replace that bitter flavor with an earthy, almost sweet taste. Broccoli is best grown when the temperatures are cool and there is less sunlight.

As broccoli is rich in Potassium that causes lowering of blood pressure, an excess consumption can result in hypotension. An excess broccoli consumption can also increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Patient on blood thinners can have increased risk of bleeding due to the presence of Vitamin K in broccoli.

In this regards, it is likely that broccoli cooked by steaming will be better fit for human consumption than other cooking methods. In conclusion, the current study clearly shows that nutrient and health-promoting compounds in broccoli are significantly affected by domestic cooking.

Anticancer effects of sulforaphane

Besides the chemoprevention properties of SFN, over the last decades, its anticancer effects have been widely reported by different in vitro and in vivo studies against different cancer types including breast, ovarian, prostate, colon, lung, and gastric cancer (15, 18–21).

Blanching is a quick dip in boiling water, followed immediately by cooling. You can also preserve both nutrients and the enzyme needed to form protective isothiocyanates if you steam broccoli for three or four minutes (just until crisp-tender) or microwave for less than one minute.

Sulforaphane can be obtained from all cruciferous vegetables like kale, cauliflower or kohlrabi, with broccoli being the best source by far. Broccoli sprouts may be up to 25 times more potent than regular raw broccoli. Heating broccoli may deactivate the enzyme that produces sulforaphane.

The tender, fuzzy “tree” tips of roasted broccoli florets are the most delicious, but they are also quick to burn. Make sure the florets are well-coated with olive oil to keep this from happening. Don't Crowd the Pan. If the florets are too close, they will steam instead of roast.

Similar to boiling lemons or making stovetop potpourri, vinegar steam is a great way to neutralize potent smells. Add half a cup of vinegar to one cup of water and simmer on the stove while you cook (or after) to absorb any smells in the air.

Why do some people hate the taste of broccoli? ›

But another compound in vegetables that later becomes sulforaphane (called a precursor) may taste bitter to some people. People with the “TT” or “Tt” genotype for the TAS2R38 gene may be more sensitive to bitterness in broccoli and dislike eating it.

Everyone inherits two copies of a taste gene called TAS2R38. The particular variants you're born with determine how sensitive or not you are to bitter tastes from certain chemicals such as glucosinolates, commonly found in cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and broccoli.

Some people are allergic to broccoli because it contains proteins that are similar to those in a kind of pollen that they're allergic to. This is called pollen-fruit allergy syndrome (or oral allergy syndrome).

Roasted or broiled — Dry heat cooking methods are a great way to enjoy vegetables without losing too many nutrients. Plus, roasting or broiling make tougher vegetables more palatable and easier to digest. Boiled — When cooking vegetables over a long period of time in water, some nutrients will be lost.

Cooking (Or Not Cooking) Broccoli To Protect Its Nutritional Riches : The Salt Cooking broccoli too long destroys the beneficial enzyme that breaks down chemicals into cancer fighters. The best way to eat it is raw or steamed for just two to three minutes, a nutrition expert says.

Cooking vegetables quickly allows less time for vitamins and other nutrients to escape. Roasting can be a quick way to cook vegetables that allows for minimal vitamin loss. However, roasting or baking veggies at longer times and higher temperatures can cause a significant reduction in their vitamin concentration.

As a general rule, it's best to keep cooking time, temperature and the amount of liquid to a minimum. That's why steaming is one of the best ways to cook most vegetables. It turns out that's especially true for broccoli, long touted as one of our top anti-cancer foods.