Broccoli has been a staple in bodybuilding diets for a long time. Some of the reasons are obvious: it’s a fibrous, vitamin-packed, lowcarb vegetable, making it ideal for fat loss.
But I also kept reading about it being good for testosterone levels. As you c
an imagine, this is another perk for those of us wanting to build muscle and lose fat.
I was a little surprised when someone (a nurse) mentioned that broccoli is a good source of estrogen–not exactly what I expected to hear. I figured this had something to do with hormone balance, so I did a little bit of research. Here’s what I found out:
Broccoli is loaded with phytochemicals known as indoles (an indole called diindolylmethane is the one I see brought up most often). This chemical basically helps decrease the “bad” estrogen by helping the body convert it to a “safer” form (remember–both men and women have both estrogen and testosterone). This has some very desirable benefits, such as more free testosterone (for men) and protection against breast cancer (for women).
Cooking broccoli is quite simple: put some in a microwave-safe container, add a little water, and cook it for a couple of minutes. The water will steam it and soften it up a bit.
Think about adding this food as a regular part of your diet–there are too many health benefits to ignore.
