Broccoli
Introduction
Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable (a member of the Brassica family) that can be eaten raw or cooked, commonly served steamed, roasted, stir‑fried or simply crisp in salads; cooking softens its texture and can increase the availability of some nutrients while reducing others. Its standout feature is the dense, tree‑like florets and deep green colour, which comes from chlorophyll and is sometimes tinged with purple from anthocyanin pigments in certain varieties.
Broccoli is low in calories and rich in macronutrients and micronutrients, it is an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K, folate and potassium, with useful amounts of vitamin A (as beta‑carotene), B vitamins, calcium, iron and phytochemicals such as glycosylates and sulforaphane that are linked to antioxidant and potential health‑protective effects.
Nutrition Snapshot per 100g
Kcal nn kcal
Protein nn g | nn %
Fat nn g | nn %
Carbohydrates nn g | nn %
Percentages reflect this food’s Balance*
Fibre nn g
Total Sugars nn g
Saturated Fat nn g
Salt nn mg
Nutritional values are per 100g and sourced from UK CoFID data.
Carbohydrates value includes Fibre (AOAC method).
Carbohydrates value includes Total Sugars including naturally occurring sugars such as glucose, fructose, lactose or sucrose.
Balance*
The Balance value expresses how protein, carbohydrate and fat contribute to a food’s total energy.
Using CoFID data per 100g, each macronutrient is converted into energy using the standard Atwater convention (protein × 4 kcal, carbohydrate × 4 kcal, fat × 9 kcal). The energy from each macronutrient is then calculated as a percentage of the total macro energy.
This provides a simple way to see whether a food is predominantly carbohydrate-based, protein-based or fat-based.
It does not determine whether a food is “good” or “bad”, but helps visualise its macronutrient profile within a broader eating pattern.
When assessing a full meal or daily intake, portion sizes should be taken into account.
Why this matters
Understanding the structure of individual foods can help you make more confident decisions when adjusting to a health diagnosis or long-term condition.
If you are organising meals, tracking intake or reflecting on patterns, you may find the Aardelia digital journals helpful.