More on Broccoli: from Prevention Magazine

Broccoli is chockfull of Vitamin C, an immune-boosting, and cancer-preventative nutrient.
And, there are 30 milligrams of Vitamin C in every 1/2 cup of Broccoli!

Best ways to get the most out Broccoli?

Nuke it! According to a new study published in the Journal of Food Science, when you microwave broccoli, rather than steaming or boiling the veggie, it retains 90% of the Vitamin C as opposed to only 34% when boiling and 22% when steaming.

What happens when you boil and steam (any veggie) is that the nutrients leach out into the water, which people usually just throw out. You could retain that water and use it as stock for soups, but who ever does that? When you microwave veggies, it cooks them by "heating up their natural water content."
Prevention Magazine recommends stirring the veggies half way through the cooking process to make sure the food is cooked evenly.

Broccoli banishes Prostate cancer, according to National Institute of Cancer

Looks like there's something to be said for the "eat your veggies" mantra parents have, for generations, forced down their children's, often unwilling, throats.

The BBC reports that, in the Journal of the National Institute of Cancer, researchers have claimed that eating cruciferous and dark green, leafy veggies (like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach), on a regular basis, can actually reduce the risk of prostate cancer! Apparently, those vegetables have anti-cancerous properties.

A study of 1,300 men found they [cauliflower and broccoli] were better than any other vegetable at protecting against aggressive tumours.

Although eating a balanced diet with lots of fruits and veggies can help maintain good health and reduce the risk of cancer, the study found that it was the increased consumption of cauliflower and broccoli, in particular, that decreased the risk of aggressive prostate cancer. They also contend that spinach can be helpful, but not to the extent that cauliflower and broccoli is.

A weekly serving of cauliflower was associated with 52% decreased risk of aggressive disease and similar amounts of broccoli cut the risk by 45%.

Most experts claim that eating a healthy, balanced diet with at least 5 portions of fruits and vegetables (including broccoli and cauliflower), per day, can be very helpful in preventing many different forms of cancers.

So go ahead, stock up on that broccoli, steam it, grill it, chop it up raw and serve with a dip, your prostate and other body parts will thank you for it.