Seems like everywhere I look I get different nutritional information for broccoli. I use the downloaded version of FitDay to track my meals. Recently, I have been using:
Broccoli, cooked, fresh, no fat added in cooking
1 Cup
43 Calories
1g Fat
8g Carbs
4g Fiber
5g Protein
Does this sound about right? I steam my broccoli in a steam bag with nothing added.
It seems about right.
1 gram of fat contains 9 calories. 1 gram of carbohydrates contains 4 calories. 1 gram of protein contains 4 calories as well.
So, technically 1 cup would be 61 calories but if you subtract the fiber content, you get 45 calories. The grams of fat, carbs, or protein might be rounded so it probably is really 43 calories even though when you calculate it, you get 45.
I think FitDay uses data from the USDA database, which is probably as good as you’re going to get.
Broccoli is just good stuff, why worry about slightly different nutritional values of a food that is super healthy?
I just tried those zip lock steam bags today for the first time, pretty awesome. Throw in your broccoli, some shrimps, black olives and sun dried tomatos, 3 minutes and you have a great meal. I do wonder about the plastic thing though…
according to this article:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KFY/is_3_22/ai_n6108175/pg_2?tag=artBody;col1
Broccoli contains high amounts of indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and its closely related derivative diindolylmethane, naturally occurring phytochemicals that reduce the strength of estrogens by converting them to weaker varieties in the liver. This diminishes estrogen’s effects on fat gain and water retention, and it may strengthen testosterone’s anabolic effects. Recent research suggests that it also neutralizes the harmful effects of high dihydrotestosterone, ultimately helping to keep “good” testosterone levels up and excess water and fat retention down.
[quote]dianab wrote:
Broccoli is just good stuff, why worry about slightly different nutritional values of a food that is super healthy?
I just tried those zip lock steam bags today for the first time, pretty awesome. Throw in your broccoli, some shrimps, black olives and sun dried tomatos, 3 minutes and you have a great meal. I do wonder about the plastic thing though…[/quote]
Agreed. I don’t typically even count the calories from Broccoli. It’s not really worth noting or worrying about. Just eat it already. 
I love those steamer bags. They work so well and are just too darned convenient. I’m sold on them. I believe one of the authors wrote in an article that there isn’t much of a concern about the plastic from those bags because they are heat tempered or something like that.
EDIT: Here’s the article where Shugart mentioned them.
The broccoli florets I buy come in a ready-to-steam bag but I take them out anyway. It’s easy enough to stick 'em in a big pan with some beef broth and flip a slightly smaller pan on top.
Steamer bags for broccoli? It takes me all of 10 seconds to cut a small head of broc into florets, and I throw them in a bowl and nuke it for 1 minute. The water from washing the head is just enough for steaming. That really so hard you have to buy it with that damn plastic? Not enough junk plastic around?
roast broccoli in a pan with some olive oil and garlic and top with delicious cheese