When we go to the supermarket there are always some fruits and vegetables that we usually pass by. Badly done. We are leaving aside an extraordinary source of nutrients and elements that protect us from cardiovascular diseases and even, according to one study, from certain cancers.
An analysis of 250 published studies prepared by Harvard University corroborates that the more fiber we eat, the better. Starting at 8 grams of dietary fiber per day already provides us with a benefit, which reaches its maximum when we eat between 25 and 29 grams.
There are two types of fiber: soluble fiber and non-soluble fiber. The first is the one that dissolves in water and forms a gel that helps reduce cholesterol levels and the risk of cardiovascular disease, regulating blood sugar levels.
Non-soluble fiber is what passes through the intestines almost intact and adds volume to our stools. It is the form of fiber that prevents constipation and regulates intestinal movements, eliminating waste from our body in a timely and controlled manner.
Among the foods that have the most soluble fiber is broccoli, which is not exactly the first choice at lunch time, and even less so among children. But broccoli is the vegetable that concentrates the most soluble fiber, vitamins and minerals in relation to its weight. In its case, soluble fiber protects us from fatty deposits in the arteries and, by extension, from calcifications and subsequent heart attacks or strokes.
A study published in 2020 in the British Journal of Nutrition revealed that people who regularly eat more cruciferous vegetables (broccoli and Brussels sprouts especially) had 46% less calcification in the aorta.
But it doesn’t stop there: broccoli contains a substance called sulforaphane, which has been shown to reduce the risk of several cancers, including prostate cancer.
The way you cook it definitely influences its nutritional and cardioprotective properties, so we remind you that the best way to prepare it is steamed. If you are not convinced, think that it can be served in many ways, seasoned, with bechamel, etc.
