Broccoli | OtterKnow Kids Encyclopedia

What Is Broccoli?

Broccoli is a green vegetable with a thick stalk and a cluster of tightly packed flower buds at the top. Its scientific name is Brassica oleracea, and it belongs to the same species as cabbage, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi. All of these very different-looking vegetables were created over centuries by farmers who selectively bred the same wild plant for different traits. When you eat broccoli, you are actually eating thousands of tiny flower buds before they have had a chance to open.

Where It Comes From

Broccoli was first developed in Italy more than 2,000 years ago from wild cabbage plants that grew along the Mediterranean coast. Italian farmers carefully bred plants that produced larger and tastier flower heads over many generations. The name “broccoli” comes from the Italian word broccolo, which means “the flowering crest of a cabbage.” Italian immigrants brought broccoli to the United States in the early 1900s, but it did not become widely popular in America until the 1920s.

How It Grows

Broccoli grows best in cool weather and can be planted in early spring or late summer. The plant produces a large central head of green flower buds on a thick stalk, and if you cut the main head, smaller side shoots will continue to grow. If you do not harvest broccoli in time, the buds will open into small yellow flowers, and the vegetable becomes tough and bitter. Broccoli plants can grow about two feet tall and need rich soil with plenty of water to produce their best heads.

Why It Is Good for You

Broccoli is one of the most nutritious vegetables you can eat, packed with vitamins C and K, fiber, and many minerals. Scientists have discovered that broccoli contains a special compound called sulforaphane, which researchers are studying for its possible health benefits. Eating broccoli also gives you folate, which helps your body make new cells, and potassium, which keeps your heart beating steadily. Lightly steaming broccoli is one of the best ways to cook it because this method keeps most of the nutrients locked inside.

Fun Facts About Broccoli

President George H.W. Bush was famously known for hating broccoli, and he even banned it from the White House kitchen and Air Force One. California grows about 90 percent of the broccoli produced in the United States. If you look at a broccoli head under a magnifying glass, you can see that it is made up of hundreds of tiny green buds, each one a flower waiting to bloom. China is the world’s largest producer of broccoli and grows more than eight million tons every year.