Broccoli for Weight Loss – Here’s How It Can Help

Maintaining an optimal weight for good health is essential, and many of us have likely attempted to do so! An active lifestyle and a nutritious diet are significant components of weight loss, and adding certain foods to your diet can aid in achieving your goal more quickly.

For example, broccoli is an excellent vegetable that can help you reduce your weight.

Belonging to the cruciferous vegetable family, broccoli has many nutritional benefits and can even aid in weight loss. Other members of this family include bok choy, cabbage, and cauliflower.

Broccoli contains a lot of antioxidants which help to strengthen the immune system. Additionally, it can help to protect against several ailments and support intestinal health, making it an essential part of a healthy lifestyle.

Nutritional Properties of Broccoli

Broccoli is a highly nutritious vegetable, low in carbs and has many essential vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and phytonutrients.

As per USDA, the primary nutrients per 100 gm of raw broccoli are:

Nutrient	Amount
Energy	34kcal
Carbohydrate	6.64 g
Protein	2.82 g
Total Fat	0.37 g
Dietary Fibre	2.6 g

It is rich in antioxidants that can protect against free radicals and contains plenty of dietary fibre, protein, and vitamins A, C, and E, all of which are essential components of a healthy diet.

Broccoli – What Research Says

Research shows that compounds in broccoli, such as ethanol and chloroform, have been found to have anti-obesity effects, which can help individuals lose weight. Therefore, consuming broccoli regularly may be a helpful tool in achieving a healthy weight.

How Does Broccoli Help in Weight Loss? 

Broccoli’s nutritional value meets all the requirements for weight reduction.

• A bowl of cooked broccoli contains between 50 and 65 calories per serving and about 39 calories per 100 grams which nominates it into low-calorie foods. To successfully reduce weight, you must burn more calories than you consume.
• Broccoli is an excellent source of dietary fibre, containing 3.3 grams per 100 grams. Fibre absorbs water, increasing the volume of food in the stomach, which helps to keep you feeling fuller for longer. It then reduces your appetite, giving you a feeling of satiety thereby preventing mid-meal snacking. 
• Broccoli is rich in vitamin C, which can help burn fat, boost immunity, and promote healthier skin and hair.
• Broccoli contains vitamin K, which is beneficial for glucose and fat metabolism. It is especially helpful in burning belly fat.
• Broccoli contains carotenoids, a natural plant compound that can help stimulate fat burning and thereby aid in weight reduction.
• With 90% water content, broccoli is an excellent food for promoting healthy metabolism and staying hydrated. A healthy metabolism is vital for burning calories efficiently.
• It also has the benefit of having negligible fat in it.

The Healthify Note

Broccoli is an excellent option for weight loss owing to the benefits of low-calorie, low-fat high fibre. Despite the numerous benefits of broccoli, there are some potential drawbacks to be aware of. Large quantities of the vegetable can interfere with the functioning of the thyroid gland, leading to changes in hormone levels and the associated symptoms, such as weight gain, hair loss, fatigue, and mood swings. Furthermore, it can lead to digestive issues like constipation, gastrointestinal discomfort, and bloating, as well as issues with bowel movements.

Healthy Broccoli Recipes for Weight Loss

You can enjoy the nutritional benefits of broccoli by eating it both cooked and raw. Stems and florets are both edible, and one can prepare them in various ways, such as boiling, microwaving, stir-frying, and steaming.

However, cooking methods can affect the nutritional makeup of the vegetable, decreasing the levels of vitamin C, soluble protein, and sugar. 

A study suggests that steaming may be the best cooking method to preserve the most nutritional value. Below are a few easy recipes to tickle your tastebuds and maintain good health.

Broccoli Salad

• Total Time: 10 mins
• Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• Broccoli: 3 cups
• Chopped onion: 1
• Grated garlic: 3 cloves
• Salt to taste
• Red chilli flakes: 1 tsp
• Vinegar or lemon juice: 1 tsp
• Olive oil: 1 tbsp

Method:

•  Chop broccoli florets into bite-size pieces. 
• You can also steam the broccoli.
• Drain and set aside.
• In a bowl, combine the onion, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, oil, and vinegar. Mix well.
• Add in cooked broccoli and toss well.
• Serve the salad.

2. Veg Broccoli Soup for Weight Loss

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• Broccoli Florets: ¼ cup
• Broccoli stalks: ⅛ cup
• Low-fat butter: ⅓ tsp
• A small cup of chopped onions
• Low-fat milk, 99.7% fat-free: ⅛ cup
• Whole wheat flour: ⅛ tsp
• Salt to taste 

Method:

• Cut off the stems and save only the florets.
• In a deep nonstick saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onions, and saute over medium heat for 2 minutes.
• Add the broccoli florets, stir thoroughly, and saute for 2 minutes over medium flame.
• Add the whole wheat flour, stir well, and cook for 1 minute over medium flame while constantly stirring to prevent the flour from burning.
• Add two cups of water.
• Cook over a medium flame for 6 to 8 minutes or until they are tender. 
• Once cooled,  add the broccoli to a blender and grind until smooth.
• Transfer the combined ingredients to the same deep nonstick saucepan. 
• Stir in the milk, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. 
• Cook it for 4 to 5 minutes over a medium temperature.
• Serve the hot vegetable broccoli soup.

3. Basic Cooked Broccoli with Roti

• Total Time: 25 mins
• Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 300 g Broccoli  
• 1 Onion finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Ginger grated
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder 
• Salt
• 2 teaspoon Oil
• ½ teaspoon Mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds

Method:

• Parboil the broccoli. 
• Heat a pan with oil and splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
• Add ginger, onion and fry for a minute or until the onion turns translucent. 
• Then, add the chilli powder and salt and just give it a stir and add the broccoli florets and mix well.
• Cook on low flame covered for 3-5 minutes. Serve hot with roti.

Other Health Benefits of Broccoli

Here are a few advantages that broccoli offers. You may utilise it by including it in your diet. To begin your healthy journey right away, get in touch with one of our coaches at Healthify.

Boosts Heart Health

Cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, enhance blood flow and strengthen your heart. According to research, eating broccoli often helps to relax your blood vessels, which helps in lowering your blood pressure.

Improves Eyesight

Broccoli’s lutein and zeaxanthin contribute to improved eyesight. As a result, you can avoid retinal degeneration brought on by ageing.

Prevents Cancer

Since broccoli contains a lot of antioxidants, it helps prevent cell damage and hence may prevent cancer. Consequently, it aids in stopping the development of cancerous cells.

Decreases Inflammation

The antioxidant properties of sulforaphane, a compound found in broccoli, aid in decreasing inflammation in the body.

Decreases Cholesterol

Broccoli is a rich source of soluble fibre. So it helps remove cholesterol from the body. It is because the fibre in broccoli aids in the digestion of bile acids by binding with them. So it makes eliminating cholesterol from our bodies simple.

The Healthify Note

Broccoli has a high insoluble fibre content and requires more time to digest. The best time to consume broccoli is around breakfast or lunch so that your body has time to absorb it. You should eat it often as it is a green vegetable with various nutritious benefits. One can eat broccoli 2-3 times a week to lose weight. You can aim at consuming 400 grams of broccoli in a week.

The Conclusion

Adding broccoli to your diet is an excellent way to support your health goals. This superfood contains essential nutrients, minerals, vitamins, fibre, and antioxidants that have many positive health benefits. 

Low in calories, broccoli is one of the few vegetables with immense medicinal potential. While more photochemical analysis is still needed to understand it better, it is clear that this nutritious vegetable can help you reach your health objectives. Remember, though, that no one food can guarantee good health. A balanced diet is a key to success.