The healthiest (and only) way to cook Broccoli | Maple and Marigold (2024)

FAQs

What is the most nutritious way to cook broccoli? ›

Blanching is a quick dip in boiling water, followed immediately by cooling. You can also preserve both nutrients and the enzyme needed to form protective isothiocyanates if you steam broccoli for three or four minutes (just until crisp-tender) or microwave for less than one minute.

While eating them raw is the best way to consume broccoli, cauliflower, or broccoflower your next best option could be to steam them. Without contact with boiling water, steaming is a gentler way to cook.

Healthiest Way to Cook Broccoli

Lightly sauteed with garlic and a splash of water. It's that simple. Cooking broccoli in this way retains most of its colour, nutritional value along with that crunch that results in a delicious side dish that even my youngest and pickiest eater enjoys.

In conclusion, the current study clearly shows that nutrient and health-promoting compounds in broccoli are significantly affected by domestic cooking. All cooking treatments, except steaming, caused great losses of chlorophyll and vitamin C. Only boiling and stir-frying/boiling caused the loss of total carotenoids.

Steaming broccoli is quick and easy, and it's considered one of the healthiest ways to prepare the vegetable. Instead of submerging the florets and stem into boiling water or roasting them in the oven, the broccoli is placed in a steamer basket over simmering water and covered with a lid.

The leaves and stems of broccoli are very nutritious, but the florets have an even higher concentration of nutrients and phytochemicals. Raw broccoli has more vitamin C than cooked, but cooked broccoli makes the carotenoids more available to the body. So enjoy broccoli cooked or raw¬ just be sure to eat it often.

A nutritious choice both raw and cooked

Both cooked and raw broccoli offer beneficial nutritional profiles that are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and important vitamins and minerals ( 1 , 13 ). To reap the greatest health benefits, it's best to eat a variety of raw and cooked broccoli.

The best way to cook broccoli so that it retains the most nutrients and causes the least amount of gas is to steam it. Place the broccoli in a steamer basket set over boiling water for about 5-7 minutes.

Roasted broccoli is a healthy side dish with major crowd appeal. Broccoli contains a lot of good-for-you fiber, vitamin C, and a surprising amount of protein, too. Who knew? If you've been in a rut with side dishes lately, or you're tired of steamed broccoli, you're going to love this simple side.

Steaming broccoli is a fast and healthy way to cook this nutritious vegetable. It preserves broccoli's vibrant green color and fresh flavor without the addition of oil. While boiled broccoli is often soggy, steamed broccoli is characteristically crisp-tender.

What seasoning is good for broccoli? ›

It's definitely hard to find a spice or herb that doesn't work with broccoli or broccolini. Any combination of garlic, salt, pepper and any classic herbs, (basil, rosemary, sage, parsley, tarragon, thyme, etc.,) is a surefire way to treat these veggies right.

Introducing broccoli into your daily dietary routine can yield various health benefits. Its fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants contribute to improved digestion, bone health, and a reduced risk of chronic diseases.

Is it better to steam or microwave broccoli? Microwaving is a safe way to cook broccoli and requires less time than steaming. Microwaving is also thought to preserve the nutrients in vegetables most effectively.

That's why steaming is one of the best ways to maximize nutrients. It turns out that's especially true for broccoli. When in doubt, microwave. That's because microwaving uses little to no water, and can heat the vegetable quickly, thus preserving nutrients such as vitamin C that break down when heated.

Boiling will remove up to 90% of broccoli's nutrients, so prepare it a similar way, such as blanching. First, get a bowl of ice water ready next to the stove. Boil water in a pot, add salt, and cook broccoli florets for 1-1½ minutes until they're just tender. Quickly cool them in the ice water.

Though there are infinite ways to prepare fresh broccoli, the most basic (and best) methods are to blanch, steam in the microwave, steam on the stovetop, sauté, and roast broccoli.

Steaming. Steaming is one of the best cooking methods for preserving nutrients, including water-soluble vitamins, which are sensitive to heat and water ( 4 , 5, 6, 17 ). Researchers have found that steaming broccoli, spinach, and lettuce reduces their vitamin C content by only 9–15% (5).

"Eat small portions [of broccoli]," says Dr. Houghton. "Don't gorge on broccoli at any one sitting." He also recommends thoroughly chewing food before swallowing to help break it down as much as possible before digestion. "You can also cook broccoli to make it easier for your body to break down," says Dr.

Broccoli stems, though not as colorful nor flavorful as their more desired florets, are just as nutritious. Actually, gram for gram, the stems contain slightly more calcium, iron and Vitamin C. No seriously. The dark green florets only provide more Vitamin A.

Roasted or broiled — Dry heat cooking methods are a great way to enjoy vegetables without losing too many nutrients. Plus, roasting or broiling make tougher vegetables more palatable and easier to digest. Boiled — When cooking vegetables over a long period of time in water, some nutrients will be lost.