What are the Nutrients in Broccoli?

Broccoli is a very healthy vegetable that provides many nutrients for promoting health.  Broccoli contains Vitamin C, Vitamin A, folic acid, calcium and fiber.  All of these nutrients are important for a healthy body. 

Let's go through each of these and see why broccoli is such a healthy vegetable.

Vitamin C:  The recommended daily intake (RDA) for vitamin C is 75 mg. A half cup broccoli contains about 52 mg of Vitamin C.  It is important in collagen production and maintaining proper immune function.  Vitamin C is seems to play a role in cancer prevention, the treatment of cataracts and healing the common cold.

Vitamin A: Vitamin A is important for the skin. Vitamin A also helps with the vision, improving sight in low-light.

Folic Acid:  Folic acid is important for DNA synthesis and cell division.  This is especially important during pregnancy when cells are consistently growing to create baby organs.

Calcium:  Broccoli does not contain as much calcium as a glass of milk, but every little bit helps, right.  Calcium is important to maintain healthy bones and teeth.  It is also important in muscle function.

Fiber: Fiber is important for the function of digestion and aids in preventing constipation.  It also helps to lower blood sugar.

In addition to all of these vitamins, broccoli is included in the cabbage family. These cruciferous vegetables are linked to lower cancer rates.

Broccoli also has sulpforaphane which helps to reduce the presence of the bacteria Helicobacter Pylori, which is a cause of gastric cancer.

Broccoli also contains indoles which improve liver function and acts as an anti-cancer agent.