Broccoli
Nathaniel Altman
Despite former President George H.W. Bush’s famous quote: “I do not like broccoli. And I haven't liked it since I was a little kid,” broccoli is currently the sixth most popular vegetable in the United States. The word broccoli, first coined in the 17th century, comes from the Italian plural of the word broccolo, meaning “the flowering crest of a cabbage.”
Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. Italica) traces its origins in primitive cultivated varieties first grown in the Roman Empire. It has been cultivated in Italy since ancient Roman times. The variety the most Americans are familiar with is green Calabrese broccoli, named after the Italian region of Calabria. There are also purple and white varieties of broccoli, which sometimes appear on supermarket shelves.
Like cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and kale, cultivated broccoli descended from a type of wild cabbage (Brassica oleracea) through many years of selective breeding. The vegetable was first introduced into England about 1720. Unlike cauliflower, which was first grown in the United States in the 17th century, broccoli was first introduced to the United States by Italian immigrants during the 19th century and was grown primarily in family gardens. Commercial broccoli cultivation began in California in 1924. However, it did not become an economically successful crop in the United States until after World War II, when new and better hybrid varieties were developed by agronomists in both the United States and Japan.
Broccoli is one of the most versatile of vegetables, and can be served as a cooked (preferably steamed, broiled, baked or microwaved) side dish or in salads, casseroles, stews, stir-fried dishes, sauces and soups. All of the plant can be eaten, although most Americans discard the stalk and leaves. Discerning chefs grind or blend the stalk to use later as a nutritious and tasty soup base.
Broccoli is a highly nutritious vegetable, and provides calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, B vitamins and vitamins E and K. Like cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts and cabbage, broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable that naturally produces bitter, sulfur-containing chemical compounds that the plant makes to protect itself from insect predators. These phytochemicals have been fund to help regulate blood sugar, slow osteoarthritis and have been linked to reducing the risk of developing cancer.
A recent article in The Pharma Innovation Journal detailed the many beneficial phytochemicals found in broccoli and how they contribute to good health. This included a long list of biological activities, including antioxidant, anticancer, anti-obesity, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, cardio-protective and hepato [liver]- protective:
The medicinal potential of broccoli has been discussed in relation to its use in the treatment of cancer, diabetes, and other major diseases. Brassinin, isothiocyanates, indole-3-carbinol and other phytochemicals similar to those found in broccoli have been shown to be very useful in the treatment of cancer. Glucosinolates, glucoraphin, and sulforaphane are a few more compounds that cause broccoli to produce more antioxidants activity.1 The article also highlighted laboratory findings that explored the medicinal value of broccoli sprouts due to the phytochemical sulforaphane, which has the potential to treat neurological conditions like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
Another paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Cancer (Basel) focused on the anti-cancer benefits of not only broccoli, but cruciferous vegetables in general.
A multitude of studies has shown that ingestion of cruciferous vegetables (plants belonging to the Cruciferae family) may lower overall cancer risk, especially for breast, colorectal, bladder, lung, and prostate cancer. This is especially true with vegetables in the Brassica genus, including broccoli (Brassica oleracea), Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and bok choy.2
Some 90 percent of commercial broccoli grown in the United States is from California, with the rest grown primarily in Arizona, Texas and Oregon. China is the world’s largest producer of broccoli, followed by India Spain, Italy, the United States and Mexico.
Notes:
1 A. Kamboj, S. Sharma, V.P. Singh et. al., ‘Phytochemical and therapeutic potential of broccoli (Brassica oleracea): A review.” The Pharma Innovation Journal, 2023; 12 (6), 633.
2 A.E. Kaiser, M. Baniasadi, D. Giansiracusa et. al., “Sulforaphane: A Broccoli Bioactive Phytocompound with Cancer Preventive Potential.” Cancer (Basel). September 25, 2021;13 (19): 4796.
Stephanie Booth, “Health Benefits of Broccoli,” WebMD, July 17, 2023. https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/health-benefits-broccoli
“Broccoli,” Wikipedia. Accessed November 5, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broccoli
“Broccoli Production,” Penn State Extension, June 20, 2005. https://extension.psu.edu/broccoli-production
David Smith, “Flower Development: Origin of the cauliflower,” Current Biology, Vol 5, No. 4, April 1995., 361-63.
Gemma Tarlach, “The Deep Roots of the Vegetable that ‘Took Over the World,’” Atlas Obscura, June 11, 2021. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/brassica-rapa-vegetable-domestication