broccoli

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

Broccoli (from the Italian plural of broccolo, referring to "the flowering top of a cabbage")^[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, flower heads, usually green in color, arranged in a tree-like fashion on branches sprouting from a thick, edible, sturdy 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.

History

Broccoli evolved from a wild cabbage plant on the continent of Europe. Indications point to the vegetable being known of 2,000 years ago.^[4] Since the Roman Empire, broccoli has been considered a uniquely valuable food among Italians.^[5] Broccoli was first introduced to the United States by these immigrants, but had not become widely known until the 1920s.^[4] The first mention of the vegetable in the US was in 1806, when it was given the name green broccoli.^[5]

Uses

Culinary

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 not been shown to reduce the presence of these compounds.^[6]

Nutritional and medicinal

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 small amounts of 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 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.^[6] A high intake of broccoli has been found to reduce the risk of aggressive prostate cancer.^[11] Broccoli consumption has also shown that it is beneficial in the prevention of heart disease.^[12]

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.

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. ^[13]

Production

Cauliflower and broccoli output in 2005

In North America, production is primarily in California. The seasonal average f.o.b. shipping-point 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	8,585,000	F
India	5,014,500
United States	1,240,710
Spain	450,100
Italy	433,252
France	370,000	F
Mexico	305,000	F
Poland	277,200
Pakistan	209,000	F
United Kingdom	186,400
World	19,107,751	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 Division

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 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 23 degrees Celsius).^[14]

Gallery

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Broccoli

Food portal

Extreme close-up of broccoli florets.	Broccoli flowers.	Two broccoli heads.	Romanesco broccoli, showing fractal forms
Steamed broccoli	Sicilian Purple Broccoli	Broccoli in flower	A basket of broccoli displayed in a Singapore supermarket

References

External links

• PROTAbase on Brassica oleracea (cauliflower and broccoli)
• Broccoli, Nutritional Values and Best Consuming Ways
• List of North American broccoli cultivars, USDA/ARS Vegetable Laboratory