Broccoli Vs. Beef? You’re Better Off Making Dinner With A Broccoli
Do you know what’s great? Broccoli.
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Do you know what else is great? Beef.
But if we’re being honest, broccoli and beef are very different foods, despite their similarities.
They taste different, they cook up differently, and they each have pros and cons when it comes to nutrition.
So the question is: Which one is better?
Here’s everything you need to know about broccoli vs beef:
What’s special about broccoli?
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Broccoli is a vegetable, but it’s also a cruciferous vegetable.
This means that it’s related to other cruciferous vegetables like kale and Brussels sprouts.
Broccoli is not only packed with nutrients, but it’s delicious too!
It tastes great raw or cooked, and can be eaten either raw in salads or added to stir-fries and baked dishes for an extra boost of flavor.
Broccoli has been shown to be an excellent source of vitamins K (a nutrient that helps keep bones healthy), A (for good vision), C (to protect against infections) and folate (which helps prevent birth defects).
Broccoli also contains fiber which promotes digestive health by helping us feel full after eating so we don’t eat too much!
What’s special about beef?
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Beef is one of the best sources of protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12.
It’s also great for getting your daily dose of B6.
- Protein: Beef has all nine essential amino acids that your body needs to get its daily dose of protein.
- Amino acids are necessary for growth and repair in your body, as well as building muscle mass.
- Without protein in your diet you’ll feel weak and tired because you can’t build muscles without it!
- Iron: Iron helps transport oxygen throughout the body so that red blood cells can carry nutrients through our cells to keep us healthy and functioning properly—this means more energy for you!
- It’s important to eat iron-rich foods like beef because iron deficiency is common among females (especially those who menstruate), vegetarians/vegans or people who don’t eat enough red meat like beef (iron from plant sources isn’t absorbed well by our bodies).
- Another thing about iron: it helps keep blood pressure down by improving circulation throughout our bodies–which we’ve already established makes us feel more energetic!
What are the similarities between broccoli and beef?
Both broccoli and beef are high in protein.
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A cup of cooked broccoli contains 3 grams of protein, while a 6-ounce serving of beef contains 27 grams of protein.
Broccoli and beef have similar amounts of vitamins and minerals.
One cup of steamed broccoli contains over 100% daily value (DV) for vitamin C, as well as over 80% DV for vitamin K1 and folate plus 50% DV for thiamin, pantothenic acid, calcium, iron, manganese and potassium (Source: USDA).
A 3-ounce serving of lean ground beef contains 30% DV iron; 20% DV calcium; 20% DV zinc; 20% DV phosphorus; 10% DV magnesium; 10% B6 (pyridoxine); 10% vitamin B12 plus 100 IU A or D—all per 100g/3ozs…the list goes on!
The two also contain similar amounts fiber…about 5 grams per cup cooked broccoli versus 1 gram for each 3 ounces ground beef patty—and about the same amount antioxidants called glucosinolates which may reduce cancer risk by helping to detoxify carcinogens from your diet.
What are the differences between broccoli and beef?
Broccoli is a vegetable, whereas beef is a meat.
The main difference between these two food groups is the nutritional content.
Broccoli has more vitamins and minerals than beef does, but it has fewer calories.
Beef has more protein and fat compared to broccoli, but it also contains more cholesterol and saturated fats.
While both have some carbs like sugar or starch, broccoli also has a lot of fiber which helps to keep you full longer while also improving digestive health by slowing down digestion time so that nutrients can be absorbed properly into your body instead just passing through quickly without being absorbed properly which can lead to nutrient deficiencies (which may increase risk factors for certain diseases).
Broccoli vs beef: Which one is better?
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If you’re looking for a great source of calcium, broccoli is your best bet.
A cup of cooked broccoli contains more than half of the daily recommended intake (RDI) for this essential nutrient.
Broccoli also provides small amounts of potassium and phosphorus, which are vital to your health.
But beef has nutritional benefits too.
It’s a good source of protein, iron and zinc—nutrients that help fight infections and boost metabolism.
There are other reasons why you may want to say no thanks to beef: It takes more resources—including land, water and fossil fuels—to farm cattle than it does to grow vegetables like beans or sweet potatoes; it causes more greenhouse gases than any other food group; raising cattle puts pressure on wild areas by causing erosion as well as clearing forests for grazing; methane gas from cow manure contributes substantially to air pollution; cattle produce dangerous pathogens such as E-coli 0157:H7 (which can cause stomach ache) and Salmonella Typhi (which causes typhoid fever).
Conclusion
The bottom line: these two foods are both really good choices for you.
They’re packed with nutrients, and if you need a little protein in your diet, then beef it is!
But if you’re trying to eat more vegetables at dinner time, then broccoli is the perfect choice.
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