The word "broccoli" is an Italian plural of the word "brocco," which means "little nail" or "sprout" and refers to the flowering crest of a cabbage. Glucosinolates and their hydrolysis products, particularly isothiocyanates and other sulfur-containing chemicals, are responsible for the alleged bitterness of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli. According to preliminary studies, the feeling of bitterness in broccoli may be partly caused by genetic inheritance via the TAS2R38 gene.

• The abundance of plant components and antioxidants in broccoli contributes to its health advantages. These consist of Sulforaphane. Sulforaphane, one of the most prevalent and thoroughly researched plant components in broccoli, may offer protection from a number of cancers.

• Indole-3-carbinol. This substance, a special nutrient included in cruciferous vegetables, may aid in the battle against cancer.

• Carotenoids. Lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene are all present in broccoli and may all help to improve eye health.

• Kaempferol. This substance, an antioxidant with numerous health advantages, may guard against heart disease, cancer, inflammation, and allergies.

• Quercetin. Numerous advantages of this antioxidant include decreasing excessive blood pressure in individuals.

• Broccoli is a good source of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, iron, and potassium, among other nutrients. It also boasts higher levels of protein than most other veggies.

• Being a resilient, cool-weather vegetable, broccoli is best refrigerated. In reality, it is frequently frozen until it reaches the store shelves. It dislikes dry refrigerator air, a tight wrapper, and an abundance of wetness. As a result, you must properly prepare and store it.

• The majority of fruits and vegetables, particularly bananas, emit ethylene gas while they sit. The ethylene will be contained if you put your broccoli in a bag with a tight seal, hastening the breakdown of the produce. However, if you leave your broccoli uncovered, the dry refrigerator air will cause it to soon wilt. So keep it loosely wrapped in an open plastic bag to allow it to "breathe." Dry out your bunch as much as you can before storage if it is wet from the supermarket mist. To help drain out the extra moisture before bagging the head, you may even wrap the entire thing in a layer of paper towels. Put the broccoli in the drawer of your refrigerator, away from fruits and vegetables like apples that release a lot of ethylene gas. If the crisper is full, place it on a shelf near the rear of the refrigerator.

• Your broccoli can keep for up to a week in the fridge and possibly even a few days longer if it is properly wrapped. But you can also freeze broccoli to enjoy anytime you please if you overbought it or simply can't utilize it all before the expiration date.

• You can eat broccoli, either cooked or raw; both are nutritious but have different nutrient profiles. Different cooking techniques, including boiling, microwaving, stir-frying, and steaming, change the nutritional makeup of the vegetable, mainly by lowering the amount of vitamin C, soluble protein, and sugar. The least harmful method is steaming, it seems.

• However, broccoli is a fantastic source of vitamin C, whether it is cooked or uncooked. 84% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) is provided by just half a cup (78 grams) of cooked broccoli, which is more than one-half orange can supply.

Broccoli was first brought to America by Italian immigrants in the 1800s. It wasn't well known, though, until the 1920s.

The Italian term broccoli, which means "the flowering top of a cabbage," is where the word "broccoli" originates.

• California produces 90% of the crop in the United States.

• In terms of broccoli output, the United States comes in third place globally. India is rated second, followed by China.

• The vegetable belongs to the Brassicaceae family, which also contains kale, cauliflower, and cabbage.

• Broccoli comes in two varieties: sprouting and heading. The most typical type of broccoli in India is headed.

• Because the crop is a cool-season vegetable, it thrives in the spring or fall.

• The harvest period for the vegetable is normally from mid-October to December.

• Direct seeding is the main technique used to plant the crop.

• After planting, it may take between 70 and 140 days to reach maturity.

• The vegetable should be stored for no longer than 21 to 28 days.

Broccoli is low in digestible carbs but provides a decent amount of fiber, which promotes gut health and may reduce your risk of various diseases.

Raw broccoli contains almost 90% water, 7% carbs, 3% protein, and almost no fat.

Broccoli is very low in calories, providing only 31 calories per cup (91 grams).

The nutrition facts for 1 cup (91 grams) of raw broccoli are (3Trusted Source):

Calories: 31

Water: 89%

Protein: 2.5 grams

Carbs: 6 grams

Sugar: 1.5 grams

Fiber: 2.4 grams

Fat: 0.4 grams