Is it possible to eat broccoli raw? The best recipes and cooking features

Broccoli is an imported product, which appeared relatively recently on the tables of our compatriots. Few people know that this vegetable is a storehouse of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that preserve human health and youth. Having seen on the supermarket shelf bizarre inflorescences of rich green color, many will consider how to prepare the product? In what form is it better to eat and can broccoli be eaten raw? The answers to these and other questions are in this article.

Broccoli. What kind of vegetable?

Annual plant, a representative of the cabbage family. Subspecies - cauliflower. To use stems and inflorescences of a plant are suitable. The color of the latter can be green or purple. The species that has become most widespread in our region, the calabrese, is represented by green heads, resembling an umbrella with a lot of inflorescences closely fitting one to the other. Less well known is the asparagus variety, where small buds are tied on numerous thin stems.

And what's under the umbrella? Vitamins and nutrients

Broccoli is the leader among the existing cabbage species in protein content. There are a lot of fiber and fat. In the composition - calcium, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, zinc, selenium, sodium, magnesium, iron and copper. Boasts a vegetable and a high content of vitamins A, B, C, PP, K, E, U.

For example, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is twice as large as in mandarins or oranges. To get his daily dose, responsible for strong immunity, it is enough to consume 100 grams of broccoli.

According to the content of provitamin A - beta-carotene, known as a vitamin of beauty, longevity and good vision - cabbage surpasses carrots and pumpkins.

Regular use of the product in food triggers the processes of active recovery of cells and tissues of the body, which is especially important in the recovery periods - after diseases, operations, serious injuries.

Coarse fiber in its composition normalizes the work of the digestive tract, helps digestion, cope with constipation, indigestion, etc. Stimulation of the processes of outflow of bile facilitates the work of the liver.

How to cook broccoli in order to preserve the beneficial substances in maximum concentration?

In the minds of consumers, the view that fresh vegetables in an unprocessed form is better absorbed by the body is firmly established. When cooking, stewing or frying, the vast majority of useful ingredients simply evaporate. Nevertheless, experts have not yet reached agreement on the question of whether it is possible to eat raw broccoli. Some are sure that the heat treatment "steals" from the vegetable more than half of the vitamins, others are not inferior, arguing that with the correct cooking or blanching the amount of useful substances in the product will only increase.

In Europe and America, there are many recipes for dishes with raw broccoli, especially salad made from raw cabbage. For those who follow the figure and count calories, the best recommendation is blanching.

In the absence of an unambiguous answer to decide whether it is possible to eat broccoli raw, each person should independently, depending on their own taste preferences.

Cabbage in the fight against cancer

Those who have not yet decided what should be before eating broccoli - raw or boiled - it is necessary to get acquainted with the achievements of scientists from the Netherlands.

The tissues of cruciferous vegetables, which include cabbage, contain a large number of glucosinocytes. The latter are transformed in the body into isothiocytes - powerful anticarcinogenic components. Which, in turn, are the precursors of sulforaphene.

A team of experts has proved that eating cooked broccoli, unlike fresh, lowers the absorption of this active anti-cancer substance.

A group of 8 men took part in the study. Every day the first four should eat 200 grams of the plant in raw form, the second - in cooked. At the same time, the level of sulforaphene participants was systematically measured.

According to the results of the scientific experiment, it was found that eating raw cabbage promotes the accelerated absorption and accumulation of sulforaphane in comparison with that which was subjected to heat treatment. The concentration of active substance in the organisms of raw food on average was 38%, while lovers of boiled food were satisfied with only 4%.

The answer to the question, whether it is possible to eat raw cabbage broccoli, is obvious. Do this not only possible, but also necessary.

Is there any benefit in the frozen product?

A sharp low-temperature effect on the vegetable preserves vitamins and trace elements in full. Bought in a supermarket or frozen on their own, it will bring no less benefit than being ripped off a few hours ago from a bed. This property of broccoli is especially important for the inhabitants of the northern regions, where cabbage does not grow at all.

Is it possible to eat thawed broccoli raw? With shock freezing, 8-9% of useful substances are lost. If after the defrosting the vegetable is subjected to heat treatment, the losses will be twice, or even three times as much. Experts strongly recommend unfrozen broccoli to eat raw.

How to freeze cabbage?

In order not to wonder whether it is possible to eat broccoli raw, it is necessary to properly treat it with cold.

Goat should be disassembled into small inflorescences, thoroughly cleaned of debris and dust. Dip in boiling water for 5-10 seconds and immediately dip into ice water (freeze ice cubes for a cocktail in the chamber and add water). Debate, decompose into packages. Processed in this way, the product can be stored in the freezer for not more than a year.

Can I eat raw broccoli, which is stored in the refrigerator? The vegetable retains its useful qualities for 5 days after removal from the bed. It is suitable for use under the condition of keeping at a temperature of 5-10 degrees Celsius not more than 5-7 days.

Fresh broccoli cream soup with shrimps

The chefs of the world level, whose qualification is confirmed by Michelin stars, as an answer to the question whether broccoli can be raw, offer several recipes with a fresh product in the main role that pretend to become loved in each family.

Main Ingredients:

1. Broccoli - 1 head.
2. Shrimp boiled chipped - 10-12 pieces.
3. Onion - 2-3 pieces.
4. Broth (meat, vegetable or fish) - 1,5-2 liters.
5. Cream - 300 grams.
6. Garlic - 3 cloves.
7. Butter (melted) - 5 tablespoons.
8. Lemon juice, pepper, salt, nutmeg - to taste.
9. Parsley - for decoration.

Preparation of a gentle cream soup

Broccoli thoroughly rinse, divide the inflorescence, cut into slices 1-2 cm. Peel the onions and garlic, chop. In a frying pan with a high board or a pan with a thick bottom, melt the butter, fry the onions and garlic until tender golden. Pour the broth, after 10 minutes, pour the cream. Add the broccoli to the mixture, beat with a blender until smooth.

Season the dish with salt, pepper, lemon juice and nutmeg.

Under a stream of cold water, rinse the shrimp, dry with a paper towel, fry with a minimal addition of olive oil.

Pour into plates, put 2 shrimps, sprinkle with parsley leaves.

Fresh salad

Not less popular vegetable salad from raw broccoli. The presented recipe - a storehouse of vitamins, is recommended for consumption at least three times a week in the summer.

Main Ingredients:

1. Broccoli-1 bunch.
2. Onion red sweet - 1-2 pieces.
3. Tomato is 200 grams.
4. Pepper is sweet - 100-150 grams.
5. Egg of chicken - 2-3 pieces.

For sauce:

1. Apple vinegar - 2 teaspoons.
2. Olive oil - 2 tablespoons.
3. Sesame oil -1 teaspoon.
4. Soy sauce - 2 tablespoons.
5. Brown sugar -1 teaspoon.

Decor:

1. Onions green - 3-4 feathers.
2. Parsley - 30-40 grams.
3. Garlic - 2 cloves.
4. Sesame - to taste.

Broccoli to disassemble on inflorescence in the size of 2-3 centimeters. Rinse thoroughly, put on a paper towel. Pepper, tomato and onion to rinse, cut into large cubes. Eggs boil hard, chop into 6 pieces. Vegetables and eggs in a deep container.

To prepare the sauce, mix all the liquid ingredients, pour in an enamel container, put on fire for 30-45 seconds. The mixture should be slightly warm to dissolve the brown sugar. Add it should be removed from the fire dishes, mix thoroughly. Cool the sauce, pour the vegetables.

Green onions finely chopped, parsley leaves separated from stems, chop. Garlic squeezed through the press. Add to the dish, stir. Sprinkle abundantly with sesame seeds.

Vegetable green is easy to prepare, easily absorbed by the body and contains a minimum of calories. The product should take one of the leading places in the diet of modern man, becoming an excellent addition to meat and fish dishes.

Broccoli - a storehouse of vitamins and minerals, which the body needs especially in winter.