…but I still love it with all the pieces.
From October to April, no matter what’s on my TO-DO list for health, broccoli is the answer.
Strengthening my immune system to face the cold? Broccoli beats oranges regarding vitamin C content. Plus its sulfur supports the production of an antioxidant – glutathione – that preserves and restores the integrity of the gut lining, which fights inflammation in the body.
Boosting my iron to prepare for altitude – or simply for that time of the month? Broccoli’s iron is abundant and also easily absorbed due to its combination with vitamin C.
Managing my blood cholesterol? Broccoli contains a pectin fiber that binds with bile acids, resulting in more cholesterol being held in the liver instead of being released into the bloodstream.
Keeping my bones strong? Broccoli’s calcium and vitamin K content build the base.
Combating the effects of oxidative stress and screen time on my eyes? Broccoli’s carotenoids come to help.
The truth is, the love story with broccoli has antique roots for an Italian. A human invention bred by the Etruscans of Tuscany from wild cabbage, it conquered ancient Roma with its taste and some of its benefits: reportedly, it was served raw before sumptuous banquets to help absorb the large amounts of alcohol consumed.
Ever since Italians cultivated and enjoyed this green treasure, they took it along to other European countries and even the United States. Everywhere it met general indifference at best: people stuck up their noses at the sulfur smell it released while cooking and it took until the 1920s for broccoli to rise to the status of a flagship of the vegetable kingdom.
At EAT freedom, we didn’t even try to resist the millennia-old attraction in our roots.
Broccoli’s impressive nutritional profile makes it the ideal ingredient for the outdoor adventurer: from supporting a healthy, strong heart to building potassium stores against cramps to reducing skin inflammation when exposed to ultraviolet radiation. You name it, broccoli does it. That’s why we included it in our “Vegetable Caponata with almonds and little chicken bites”.
And that’s why I am heartbroken.
The production of our beloved broccoli has been discontinued by our trusted supplier and we cannot but take it out of a few recipes until we find an alternative up to the same quality level we were used to. Rest assured, our chef is already scouting and sampling!
Meanwhile, the main broccoli season just started, so enjoy them fresh to load up on immune-friendly nutrients and be winter-ready!
