While Tenderstem broccoli (aka broccolini) is seemingly a cook’s dream, what about a nutritionist’s?
Well, we couldn’t find peer-reviewed studies digging deep into broccolini’s nutritional profile, but according to Tenderstem, it’s unsurprisingly similar to broccoli, with good amounts of vitamin A (367ug per 100g) and vitamin C (45mg) for smooth skin and an immunity boost, respectively.
It’s also reasonably high in potassium (358mg) for well-functioning nerves and muscles. Where it outshines the original is its fibre (3.7g) and protein (3.8g) content, which is around a third higher, likely because more of the edible portion is stem tissue.
It’s not just broccolini that’s shining a nourishing spotlight on broccoli. Those of you who are keen endurance athletes may be aware of Nomio. This is a performance shot developed using broccoli-sprout extract rich in isothiocyanates and based on research out of the respected Karolinska Institute and Swedish School of Sport Science.
In fact, according to Nomio, each shot features an isothiocyanates dose that’s the equivalent of chowing through 3kg of raw broccoli.
The idea is that isothiocyanates reduce lactate build-up by a claimed 12% during intense exercise, like fell running or mountain biking. As a build-up of lactic acid can impair your efforts – too much and you’ll feel the ‘burn’ – it’s a persuasive sell.
If you’re interested, you should take it three hours before unleashing your effort to maximise the claimed effect. If it works its magic, your perception of fatigue should be slightly less than normal as you look through beads of sweat.
How popular is broccolini?
It’s certainly growing in popularity. In fact, during your next lunchbreak, tap into YouGov’s vegetable hit parade where the most popular vegetables in the UK are listed, from the much-loved potato at one to the shunned yam at 52 and last place.
(You can check out the popularity of everything and anything at YouGov, from Briton’s weekly mood – at time of writing, 49% polled were happy, 41% stressed – to the most popular person of all time, which is currently Sir David Attenborough. Matt Baker is down in an outrageous 797th.)
At 27th is broccolini, aka the trademarked Tenderstem broccoli, which is on the rise according to the Rural Affairs Committee. It’s certainly punching above its historical weight. While ancient remains of yam were found from 49,000 years ago, broccolini is only 32 years old.
As the Guardian commented, “The patented frankenvegetable was born in a greenhouse at the Japanese seed company Sakata Inc in 1993,” a result of eight years of cross-breeding.
Britons now consume around 750 tonnes of the vegetable each month, more than common staples like asparagus, while Sakata say the amount of broccolini consumed worldwide each year grows by 20%.
The new vegetable has forged a growing fanbase including top chef Yotam Ottolenghi, who commented on its virtues, “Don’t get me wrong, broccoli is great,” he said. “But broccolini fits in more seamlessly as a salad, a side or a stir-fry to go with rice or noodles.”
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