The #1 Way to Cook Broccoli for Maximum Health Benefits

If you’re looking for ways to make your diet more nutritious, it’s never a bad idea to add some. broccoli.

“This nutrient-rich vegetable is a rich source of essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron,” Stephani Johnson, RDN, DCNassistant professor in the department of clinical and preventive nutrition services at the Rutgers School of Health Professions, told Verywell.

“Broccoli is also high in fiber, which supports digestive health, and it’s packed with powerful antioxidants like sulforaphane, lutein and zeaxanthin,” she added.

But cooking your broccoli a certain way may give you more of one of these antioxidants, called sulforaphane, maximizing the vegetable’s health benefits, research suggests.

The document, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistryraises the question of whether there are “right” and “wrong” ways to cook broccoli.

But while some preparation styles have added benefits, broccoliin any form, is good for you. “No matter how it is prepared, broccoli remains a low-calorie, high-fiber food, making it a valuable addition to a healthy diet,” Johnson said.

Why broccoli is so good for you

Sulforaphane is a natural compound found in cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and kale, and it has been linked to multiple health benefits, Johnson said.

“One of its key functions is to stimulate the production of antioxidant enzymes in the body, which neutralize free radicals and protect cells from oxidative damage,” she explained.

Antioxidants, such as sulforaphane, play a role in cancer prevention by promoting the elimination of cancerous substances from the body, inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, and reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, she said. added.

Sulforaphane also supports liver detoxification and helps keep your cardiovascular system healthy by improving your blood pressure, Johnson added.

The Best Way to Cook Broccoli for Health Benefits

Given the many benefits of this compound, it’s good to know how to cook broccoli to get the most sulforaphane. “It is well known that prolonged cooking can degrade broccoli nutrients, including sulforaphane,” Johnson explained.

For what? The study found that cooking inhibits another enzyme called myrosinase, which is essential for the production of sulforaphane. Thus, longer and harsher cooking methods result in greater reductions in sulforaphane levels.

Instead, the study found that lightly sautéed broccoli actually helped decrease myrosinase activity during the cooking process, which results in higher levels of sulforaphane on your plate.

Additionally, researchers found that cutting broccoli into florets about 90 minutes before lightly sautéing it was associated with the highest levels of sulforaphane.

“This is likely because chopping activates myrosinase, facilitating the conversion of glucoraphanin to sulforaphane before the enzyme is deactivated by heat,” Johnson said.

The study is limited in that the authors did not examine how other forms of preparation, such as microwaving or steaming, affect sulforaphane levels in broccoli.

“Despite this limitation, the results suggest that preparation techniques, such as pre-cutting and light cooking, play an important role in maximizing the health benefits of broccoli,” Johnson said.

Should this change the way you eat broccoli?

Although the study might encourage you to change your vegetable From time to time, you shouldn’t stop eating broccoli the way you like it, even if it doesn’t provide the highest possible amount of sulforaphane, experts say.

If raw broccoli sounds good to you, that’s a really good reason to eat it, Johnson said. “Ultimately, eating broccoli in any form is better than not eating it at all, but raw or lightly cooked preparations are generally the best options for maximizing its health-promoting properties.”

In general, it is a good idea not to cook foods rich in antioxidants for too long, Julia Zumpano, RDdietitian at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Human Nutrition, told Verywell. “As with most antioxidants, you want to minimize heating time,” she said. “The longer you cook broccoli, the more antioxidants you will lose.”

Regardless of the study, Zumpano said that when it comes to broccoli, “it’s best to eat it however you can best digest it.”