Broccoli: nutrition and how to use it

Fun facts

• The part of broccoli we eat is actually a cluster of unopened flower buds. Leave it too long and those buds bloom into tiny yellow flowers.
• 100g of broccoli has only about 34 kcal but a whopping 89.2mg of vitamin C. That is more than six times the amount in tomato.
• Broccoli has 2.8g of protein per 100g, fairly high for a vegetable, along with 2.6g of fiber and 316mg of potassium.
• In Vietnam, broccoli is usually boiled, steamed, stir-fried with garlic or with beef. In the kOBE recipe library, broccoli appears in 9 dishes.

Choosing and storing

Choose heads with small, tight, deep green buds, firm stalks and no yellow spots. Yellowing buds mean the broccoli is old or has been stored too long. Keep it in an open bag in the crisper drawer and use within about three to five days. Wash it only right before cooking so the florets do not get soggy.

Cooking it well

Do not toss the stalk: peel the tough outer layer, slice it, and it is just as sweet and crunchy as the florets. Steaming or a quick stir-fry keeps vitamin C better than boiling for a long time in lots of water, and keeps the color bright green too. Frozen broccoli is a handy option as well, see frozen vs fresh vegetables.

Frequently asked questions