Broccoli, fresh, cooked, no added fat
Common food
Photo: Wikipedia
Cooked broccoli is a vibrant green vegetable with a tender-crisp texture and a mild, earthy, slightly sweet flavor. At just 41 calories per 100g, it's a nutritional powerhouse, delivering a notable 2.67g of protein and 2.5g of fiber per serving. Its simple preparation without added fat highlights its natural, clean taste.
Calorie split: 27% protein · 65% carbs · 8% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love broccoli for its satisfying, hearty texture and ability to absorb flavors from sauces and seasonings. It's a culinary chameleon, equally at home in a simple stir-fry, a creamy gratin, or a fresh salad.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
Some find cooked broccoli can have a sulfurous or bitter taste if overcooked, and it may cause digestive discomfort in those sensitive to FODMAPs. To counteract bitterness, steam or blanch it until just tender-crisp, and pair it with a source of fat (like olive oil or cheese) or acid (like lemon juice) to balance the flavor.
Key benefits
- Excellent source of dietary fiber for digestive health
- Rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin K
- High in protein for a vegetable
- Very low in calories and fat
- Contains sulforaphane, a compound studied for its health properties
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
Broccoli is a man-made cultivar, selectively bred from wild cabbage by Italian farmers over 2,000 years ago.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 89.3 g |
| Energy | 41.0 kcal |
| Protein | 2.7 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.35 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 6.5 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 2.5 g |
| Total Sugars | 1.4 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 48.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.72 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 22.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 70.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 315 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 158 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.44 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.06 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 1.7 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 80.6 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.07 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.11 mg |
| Niacin | 0.63 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.18 mg |
| Folate, total | 57.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 57.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 57.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 19.4 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 8.0 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 92.0 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 735 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.16 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 106 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.04 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.03 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.01 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.02 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.02 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.02 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from Broccoli, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt — USDA does not publish this profile for Broccoli.
| Tryptophan | 0.03 g |
| Threonine | 0.10 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.09 g |
| Leucine | 0.15 g |
| Lysine | 0.15 g |
| Methionine | 0.04 g |
| Cystine | 0.03 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.12 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.06 g |
| Valine | 0.14 g |
| Arginine | 0.20 g |
| Histidine | 0.06 g |
| Alanine | 0.11 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.33 g |
| Glutamic acid | 0.55 g |
| Glycine | 0.10 g |
| Proline | 0.11 g |
| Serine | 0.13 g |
FAQ
Is cooked broccoli as nutritious as raw?
Cooking can reduce some heat-sensitive nutrients like Vitamin C, but it also makes other nutrients like beta-carotene and sulforaphane more bioavailable. Both forms are highly nutritious.
How can I prevent broccoli from turning mushy?
Steam, blanch, or roast it for a short time. For steaming, aim for 3-5 minutes until it's bright green and tender-crisp. For roasting, use high heat (400°F/200°C) and don't overcrowd the pan.
Does broccoli contain a lot of sugar?
No, it contains only about 1.45g of sugar per 100g, which is very low. The 6.51g of carbohydrates are mostly complex carbs and fiber.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 0.41 kcal/g · 26% calories from protein · 2.5 g fiber · 1.4 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 0.50 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.