101 Best Superfood Series

You may have heard the term "Super food" being tossed around in some health blogs. But what exactly is a Super food? Super foods are whole foods that are not processed, so they retain more of their balanced combination of nutrients that nature gave them. These nutrients include a mix of the essentials- fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and other familiar nutrients that our bodies require to function properly and maintain good health. Super foods also include various natural plant substances called phytonutrients that play an important role in reducing health ailments such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer. The best way to capture all of these benefits is to eat a variety of whole foods. This series will help you choose which super foods you should be including in your diet. Lets get to it...

Today's Super food is broccoli. Broccoli is loaded with nutrients. Some vitamins include Vitamin C and A (beta carotene), folic acid, calcium and fiber. This is especially beneficial for those who do not consume dairy, but are looking for a way to get their daily calcium. Calcium could help reduce blood pressure and prevent colon cancer. Broccoli is part of the cabbage family so it will give you many of the benefits of other cruciferous vegetables.

Look for broccoli that has a bright green appearance. Avoid if the color is starting to turn yellow. Store in a plastic bag in your refrigerator and wash before use. You can be pretty flexible with prepping broccoli. You could steam it, broil it with some oil, salt, and pepper, saute with garlic and onion, puree into a soup, or even eat it raw with carrots and celery. Broccoli should stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to one week. You can also add to the freezer to increase shelf life.

Well there you have it for now. Go out and enjoy some broccoli for its great health benefits. Stay safe and I will see you again soon. Thanks for reading.