America until the 1920s thanks to Italians. Peggy Trowbridge Filippone is a writer who broccoli and bacon salad approachable recipes for home cooks. Her recipes range from Grandma’s favorites to the latest food trends.

Like the artichoke, broccoli is essentially a large edible flower. Although some cooks do enjoy them prepared in the manner of chard or kale, the bitter leaves are usually discarded in preparing broccoli for a meal. Depending on which type of broccoli you get, though, their taste can range from mild to extremely bitter. Broccoli, botanically known as Brassica oleracea italica, is native to the Mediterranean. Broccoli has been considered a very valuable food by the Italians since the Roman Empire, but when first introduced in England in the mid-18th century, broccoli was referred to as “Italian asparagus. There are records of Thomas Jefferson, who was an avid gardener, experimenting with broccoli seeds brought over from Italy in the late 1700s, but although commercial cultivation of broccoli dates back to the 1500s, it did not become a popular foodstuff in the United States until Southern Italian immigrants brought it over in the early 1920s. Due to the many ways it can be cooked, as well as all of the health benefits, broccoli has tripled in consumption over the past 30 years.

Even though it is available in stores year-round, it is a cold-weather crop. No matter which variety you get, broccoli is rich in calcium and has antioxidant properties which help prevent some forms of cancer. The same sulfur that can cause gas from over-cooked broccoli also has beneficial antiviral and antibiotic properties. Get daily tips and expert advice to help you take your cooking skills to the next level.

6 elm-pr-5 elm-pointer-events-auto elm-cursor-pointer elm-font-sans elm-bg-transparent elm-text-lg elm-border-0 elm-px-0 elm-w-full elm-py-3. 6 elm-text-dd-gray-900 elm-cursor-pointer elm-pointer-events-auto elm-text-lg elm-transition elm-no-underline elm-py-3. Are you a broccoli lover, or not really a fan? Although it can be an acquired taste, broccoli is filling and provides several nutrients for very few calories. It’s also been credited with impressive health benefits. But is there strong evidence to support these claims? In this guide, you’ll learn all about broccoli, plus tips for including it in your diet.

Get instant access to healthy low-carb and keto meal plans, fast and easy recipes, weight loss advice from medical experts, and so much more. A healthier life starts now with your free trial! Italy around the sixth century B. Like cabbage, broccoli is a member of the cruciferous family of vegetables that also includes Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and kale. When chopped or cooked, these vegetables release compounds that have a familiar and fairly strong sulfur aroma.