Broccoli can help you lose weight at the beginning of autumn because of its low calorie content
After the food excesses committed during the summer and with the arrival of autumn, the broccoli becomes an ideal food to help lose weight and recover the figure, thanks to its low calorie content and its contribution in fiber, beneficial to reduce the Appetite and contribute to satiety.
Despite being a product that can be enjoyed 365 days a year, both fresh and frozen, broccoli begins its strongest season in the fall and can help eliminate those kilos of more purchased during the summer holidays.
This is due to its high nutritional value: besides being low in calories and high in fiber, which helps improve intestinal transit, it contains vitamins A and C, minerals K and Se and beneficial phytochemicals such as isothiocyanates (sulforaphane) and indoles ( type-3-carbinol), that “act to detoxify the organism” and that “reduce the chronic inflammation associated with the obese state”, according to Diego A. Moreno, researcher at the Phytochemical Laboratory of the Food Science and Technology Department of CEBAS- CSIC, which collaborates actively with the Association + Broccoli, which promotes the consumption of this vegetable.
In addition, broccoli has “ability to inhibit the activity of an enzyme called lipase, which helps decrease the absorption of fats present in the diet”, as assessed by Javier Marhuenda, academic number of the Spanish Academy of Human Nutrition and Dietetics .
A food recommended for those who practice sports
Other foods that can also help eliminate weight within a diet marked by a specialist are vegetables rich in carotenoids such as pumpkin and carrot and healthy omega-3 fatty acids such as flax seeds or blue fish, which help “Reduce cholesterol, regulate blood pressure and keep the heart healthy,” adds Moreno.
On the other hand, Marhuenda emphasizes the importance of reducing fried or high-fat foods and increasing the consumption of vegetables in general, both raw and cooked. Above all, if we intend to practice sports to accompany healthy eating in the loss of kilos, since many, like broccoli, are rich in protein, which help the metabolism in reducing appetite, “changing some hormones related to body weight. , favoring that the calories ingested burn more, etc., “according to the nutrition expert.
Other autumn products such as pumpkin and pomegranate, which provides natural antioxidant polyphenols, are highly recommended in the practice of physical exercise, as well as the artichoke, recommended for athletes from the national association that promotes it, Artichoke of Spain, for its content in fiber, and egg, fish, meat or dairy products, which provide high biological value protein.
“The loss of electrolytes with sweat during sports makes it essential to reincorporate minerals in our diet, such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and broccoli iron, which help us recover from intense activity and reduce risk. of injury “, highlights Marhuenda.
The awareness work of + Broccoli
The non-profit association + Broccoli aims to increase the consumption of broccoli and raise awareness about its beneficial effects on health. It brings together farmers, marketers, researchers, nutritionists, restaurateurs and all those related entities and people interested in spreading the benefits of this cruciferous cataloged as ‘super vegetable’ by the CEBAS-CSIC.