When I fork one raw broccoli from my salad box and with the crunchy sound and the dry taste, I start to think of why the broccoli is not cooked for few seconds before putting in the salad box. The cooked broccoli is softer and more delicious.
Broccoli – image from Wikimedia Commons
Broccoli, containing many nutrients such as fibre, protein, vitamins, etc, is a healthy vegetable. It is also low calories that good to people losing weight. Most of the time, people make the salad using raw broccoli rather than cooked, which one should we choose?
Some might think that eating raw broccoli makes us healthier. Fiona Kenny, R.D. indicated that cooking broccoli makes sulforaphane (helpful for human health) difficult to be absorbed in our body. In addition, He found out that those people having raw cruciferous vegetables in diets makes them have lower rates of cancer. Liu also suggested that cooking can destroy vitamin C containing in vegetables, due to its instability. Thus, to avoid low absorption of sulforaphane and destroying of vitamin C, they suggested eating raw broccoli.
Sulforaphane – image from Wikimedia Commons
However, in contrast, another research indicated that cooked broccoli can lower the risk of disease and cancer. The conclusion was proved by the value of bile acid whose binding in human body relative to cancer. The higher the binding, the lower the risk of cancer. This research showed that compared to the binding values of uncooked and cooked broccoli, steamed cooked of vegetable improve the binding capability. Therefore, cooked broccoli can decrease the risk of getting cancer.
primary bile acid – image from Wikipedia
If you ask me which one I will choose, I will choose the cooked broccoli. When the water is boiling, broccoli is put in just a few seconds and taken out, finding tasty. Also, that boiling water might kill the bacteria on my broccoli. But, it is up to you, all have the good side.
