Unlike former President George H. W. Bush, whose dislike for broccoli was so strong that he banned it from Air Force One during his presidency, many Americans actually really like broccoli. Whether you're in the love or hate camp, there's no
Unlike former President George H. W. Bush, whose dislike for broccoli was so strong that he banned it from Air Force One during his presidency, many Americans actually really like broccoli. Whether you're in the love or hate camp, there's no denial that broccoli is good for you, especially if you're trying to manage your weight. Broccoli is low in calories and high in fiber, each of which helps with weight management. While broccoli is not a traditional breakfast food and may seem like an odd choice, there are actually many delicious and easy ways to include this tasty green vegetable in your morning meal.
Calorie and Weight Connection
To lose and keep the pounds off, you need to be aware of how many calories you're eating. If you eat more calories than you burn, then you'll end up gaining weight. In order to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. One pound equals about 3,500 calories. So in order to lose a pound, you need to burn about 3,500 calories, either through exercise, eating fewer calories, or a combination of both.
Fiber and Weight Connection
Besides watching your calories, you should also be eating a high-fiber diet. Fiber, which is found mainly in whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables, isn't absorbed or digested by your body but rather passes through your stomach and small intestine relatively intact. Because your body cannot break down fiber, eating foods with fiber slows down digestion. This, in turn, helps you feel full longer. Since you feel full longer, you're likely to eat less and take in more calories.
Calories and Fiber in Broccoli
Broccoli is a good thing to eat if you're trying to lose or maintain weight loss because broccoli is low in calories but still high in fiber. A cup of raw broccoli has only about 31 calories while providing 2.4 grams of fiber. In comparison, a cup of cooked, medium-grain white rice has about 242 calories and only 0.6 grams of fiber.
Broccoli for Breakfast
Since broccoli is low in calories yet high in fiber, including broccoli in your breakfast can help with weight management. There are several ways to make broccoli a part of your morning meal:
- Broccoli with eggs: If you love to eat omelets in the morning, use chopped broccoli as the filling. Adding broccoli to your omelets will not only give you some fiber for a low amount of calories, it can also lower the total amount of calories of your omelet if you replace some of the eggs, which are high in calories, with broccoli. You can also make quiches and frittatas with broccoli or just scramble eggs with broccoli.
- Broccoli bread and muffins: If baked pastries are your thing, consider using broccoli as you would carrots. Simply chop broccoli florets and add them to your bread and muffin mixes. You can even use the broccoli stem if you peel the tough outer layer and grate and chop it as you would a carrot.
- Broccoli pancakes: Broccoli can even be included in pancakes. After chopping and peeling the broccoli, steam it until soft. You can then chop or grate the broccoli into smaller pieces, add it to your pancake mix and cook as usual.
- Roasted, sauteed or steamed: Broccoli doesn't need to be added to anything to be tasty. Try roasting, sauteing or steaming broccoli to go with your morning cup of coffee or tea. To keep your broccoli dish low-calorie, make sure not to overdo it with the oil or dressing.
- Mayo Clinic: Dietary Fiber
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Broccoli, Raw
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Rice, White, Medi