Broccoli

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Broccoli
Broccoli, Calabrese cultivar
Species
Brassica oleracea
Cultivar Group
Italica Group
Origin
From Italy, (2,000 years ago)[1][2]

Broccoli (from the Italian piccoli bracci, meaning "little arms")^[3] is a plant of the cabbage family Brassicaceae (formerly Cruciferae).

It is classified as a cultivar group of the species Brassica oleracea. Broccoli possesses abundant arboreal, luscious, fleshy, flower heads, usually green in color, arranged in a tree-like fashion on branches sprouting from a thick, edible, sturdy, meaty stalk. The mass of flower heads is surrounded by lavish leaves. Broccoli most closely resembles cauliflower, which is a different cultivar group of the same species, but broccoli is green while cauliflower can appear in purple and yellow in addition to the traditional white variety. In the United States, the term refers exclusively to the form with a single large head. This form is sometimes called "Calabrese" in the United Kingdom, where sprouting (non-heading) types and those with underdeveloped flower buds are also sold as broccoli.

Contents 1 Varieties 2 Cultivation, nutritional value, and preparation 3 Production 4 Gallery 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Varieties

There are three commonly grown types of broccoli. The most familiar is sometimes called calabrese in Great Britain and simply "broccoli" in North America. It has large (10 to 20 cm) green heads and thick stalks and is named after Calabria in Italy. 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 colour. 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.

[edit] Cultivation, nutritional value, and preparation

Broccoli, raw (edible parts), 100g Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 30 kcal   140 kJ
Carbohydrates     6.64 g - Sugars  1.7 g - Dietary fiber  2.6 g   Fat 0.37 g Protein 2.82 g Water 89.30g Vitamin A equiv.  31 μg  3% - beta-carotene  361 μg  3% Thiamine (Vit. B1)  0.071 mg   5% Riboflavin (Vit. B2)  0.117 mg   8% Niacin (Vit. B3)  0.639 mg   4% Pantothenic acid (B5)  0.573 mg  11% Vitamin B6  0.175 mg 13% Folate (Vit. B9)  63 μg  16% Vitamin C  89.2 mg 149% Calcium  47 mg 5% Iron  0.73 mg 6% Magnesium  21 mg 6%  Phosphorus  66 mg 9% Potassium  316 mg   7% Zinc  0.41 mg 4%
Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient database

Broccoli is a cool-weather crop that does poorly in hot summer weather. Broccoli grows best when exposed to an average daily temperature between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 23 degrees Celsius).^[4] The majority (99%) of the United States broccoli crop is grown in California and Arizona.^[5] Other cultivar groups of Brassica oleracea include cabbage (Capitata Group), cauliflower (Botrytis Group), kale and collard greens (Acephala Group), kohlrabi (Gongylodes Group), and Brussels sprouts (Gemmifera Group). Chinese broccoli (Alboglabra Group) is also a cultivar group of Brassica oleracea. ^[6]

Broccoli is high in vitamins C, K, and A, as well as dietary fiber; it also contains multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties, such as diindolylmethane and selenium.^[7] A single serving provides more than 30 mg of Vitamin C and a half-cup provides 52 mg of Vitamin C.^[8] The 3,3'-Diindolylmethane only found in broccoli is a potent modulator of the innate immune response system with anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer activity.^{[9] [10]} Broccoli also contains the compound glucoraphanin, which can be processed into an anticancer compound sulforaphane, though the benefits of broccoli are greatly reduced if the vegetable is boiled more than ten minutes.^[11] A high intake of broccoli has been found to reduce the risk of aggressive prostate cancer.^[12] Broccoli leaf is also edible and contains far more betacarotene than the florets.

Broccoli is usually boiled or steamed, but may be eaten raw and has become popular as a raw vegetable in hors-d'oeuvre trays. Although boiling has been shown to reduce the levels of suspected anticancer compounds in broccoli, other preparation methods such as steaming, microwaving, and stir-frying have been shown not to reduce the presence of these compounds.^[11]

[edit] Production

FAO reports that in 2008, China and India were the top producers of cauliflower and broccoli.^{[citation needed]} About half of all cauliflower is raised in China and one fourth in India. In Europe, production has been in Spain since about 1990.^{[citation needed]} In North America, production is primarily in California.^[5] The seasonal average f.o.b. shipping-poit price for cauliflower in 2004 was $33.00 per 100 pounds ($0.73/kg) according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

Top Ten cauliflowers and broccoli Producers — 11 June 2008
Country	Production (Tonnes)	Footnote
People's Republic of China	8585000	F
India	5014500
United States	1240710
Spain	450100
Italy	433252
France	370000	F
Mexico	305000	F
Poland	277200
Pakistan	209000	F
United Kingdom	186400
World	19107751	A
No symbol = official figure, P = official figure, F = FAO estimate, * = Unofficial/Semi-official/mirror data, C = Calculated figure A = Aggregate(may include official, semi-official or estimates); Source: Food And Agricultural Organization of United Nations: Economic And Social Department: The Statistical Devision

[edit] Gallery

Extreme close-up of broccoli florets.	Broccoli flowers.	Two broccoli heads.	Romanesco broccoli, showing fractal forms
Steamed broccoli	Sicilian Purple Broccoli	Broccoli in flower

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Broccoli

• WHFoods.com: Broccoli
• PROTAbase on Brassica oleracea (cauliflower and broccoli)
• List of North-American broccoli cultivars, USDA/ARS Vegetable Laboratory