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Broccoli is a plant in the cabbage family the large flower head is used as a vegetable.

The word broccoli comes from the Italian plural of broccolo, which refers to "the flowering top of a cabbage

Broccoli evolved from a wild cabbage plant on the continent of Europe. Indications point to the vegetable's being known 2,000 years ago. Since the Roman Empire, Broccoli has been considered a uniquely valuable food among Italians. Broccoli was grown at Antwerp whence it was taken to England by the sculptor Peter Scheemakers, according to a biographical note by J. T. Smith. Broccoli was first introduced to the United States by Italian immigrants, but did not become widely known until the 1920s.

Culinary uses

Broccoli is usually boiled or steamed, but may be eaten raw, and has become popular as a raw vegetable in hors d'œuvre trays. Boiling reduces the levels of suspected anti-cancer compounds in broccoli, with losses of 20 – 30% after five minutes, 40 – 50% after ten minutes, and 77% after thirty minutes. However, other preparation methods such as steaming, microwaving, and stir frying had no significant effect on the compounds. Steaming broccoli for 3–4 minutes is recommended to maximize potential anti-cancer compounds, such as sulforaphane.

Nutritional and medicinal

Broccoli is high in vitamin C, as well as dietary fiber; it also contains multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties, such as diindolylmethane and small amounts of selenium. A single serving provides more than 30 mg of Vitamin C and a half-cup provides 52 mg of Vitamin C. The 3,3'-Diindolylmethane found in broccoli is a potent modulator of the innate immune response system with anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer activity. Broccoli also contains the compound glucoraphanin, which can be processed into an anti-cancer compound sulforaphane, though the benefits of broccoli are greatly reduced if the vegetable is boiled. Broccoli is also an excellent source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells. Broccoli has the highest levels of carotenoids in the brassica family. It is particularly rich in lutein, and also provides beta-carotene.A high intake of broccoli has been found to reduce the risk of aggressive prostate cancer. Broccoli consumption has also been shown to be beneficial in the prevention of heart disease.

A compound found in broccoli and broccoli sprouts appears to be more effective than modern antibiotics against the bacteria which causes peptic ulcers. Moreover, tests in mice show that the compound offers tremendous protection against stomach cancer - the second most common form of cancer in the world.

The recent study, led by scientists at Johns Hopkins University, is the latest in a series of studies done in the past 10 years on the cancer-fighting potential of broccoli.

Back in 1992, Johns Hopkins University pharmacology professor Paul Talalay, and his colleagues showed that sulforaphane - a substance produced by the body from a compound in broccoli - could trigger the production of phase II enzymes. Phase II enzymes can detoxify cancer-causing chemicals and are among the most potent anti-cancer compounds known to man.

It should be noted that broccoli sprouts have shown to be every bit as beneficial as full grown brocoli.

A different study showed that consumption of broccoli was strongly associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease death in postmenopausal women.

In yet another study conducted jointly with US and Chinese researchers, it was found that chemicals present in broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, and other cruciferous vegetables may protect against lung cancer. Researchers studied more than 18,000 men. They recorded 259 cases of lung cancer during the study's follow-up period.

.Varieties

There are three commonly grown types of broccoli. The most familiar is a often referred to simply as "broccoli", and sometimes calabrese named after Calabria in Italy. It has large (10 to 20 cm) green heads and thick stalks. It is a cool season annual crop.

Sprouting broccoli has a larger number of heads with many thin stalks. It is planted in May to be harvested during the winter or early the following year in temperate climates. The heirloom variety "calabrese" available in North America is of this type. Romanesco broccoli has a distinctive fractal appearance of its heads, and is yellow-green in color. It is technically in the Botrytis (cauliflower) cultivar group. Purple cauliflower is a type of broccoli sold in southern Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. It has a head shaped like cauliflower, but consisting of tiny flower buds. It sometimes, but not always, has a purple cast to the tips of the flower buds.

Cultivation

Broccoli is a cool-weather crop that does poorly in hot summer weather. Broccoli grows best when exposed to an average daily temperature between 18 and 23 °C (64 and 73 °F).When the cluster of flowers, also referred to as a "head" of broccoli, appear in the center of the plant, the cluster is green. Garden pruners or shears are used to cut the head about an inch from the tip. Broccoli should be cultivated before the flowers on the head bloom bright yellow.