Which Is Healthier: Broccoli Or Chicken? Find Out Now!

In this article, we are going to take broccoli and chicken as the two representatives for vegan food and meat so that you can take a closer look at them and figure out their differences.
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No matter if you are a meat-lover or a vegetarian, you are ensured to find interesting facts about these staple ingredients.
What is broccoli?
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Broccoli is a green plant that is part of the cabbage family and related to cauliflower.
It should be harvested when you notice the first sign of yellow on the florets.
When being sold on the market, broccoli often has a dark green color.
It is an extremely healthy food that everyone should be including in their diet.
It is rich in vitamin C, iron, and calcium.
One cup of broccoli can provide you with over 100% of the daily requirement for vitamin C, and it is also an abundance of other vitamins and minerals.
Broccoli also contains glucosinolates which offer protection against cancer-causing compounds such as nitrosamines (can form when meat is cooked).
It helps lower cholesterol levels, prevent diabetes, and boost immune system function.
Despite plenty of health benefits, many people still don’t like broccoli because of its taste.
This plant has a hint of bitterness, herbaceous, and earthy or grassy flavor.
It can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in numerous ways, including steaming, roasting, or grilling with other ingredients and spices like garlic, olive oil, and cheese.
What is chicken?
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Chicken is a type of poultry meat that comes from domestic fowl.
It has white to light yellow flesh and can be cooked in various ways, such as deep-frying, grilling, baking, roasting, broiling, boiling, or braising.
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Each breed of chicken produces meat with a slight difference in its flavor and texture.
However, in general, chicken has a mildly sweet taste and tender texture.
Chicken meat can be divided into two types: white meat chicken comes from chicken breast and dark meat chicken from chicken legs and wings.
These types of chicken meat vary in prices, tastes, textures, and cooking methods, however, the differences are not significant.
Chicken has long been known as a healthier alternative for red meat like red and pork because it is lower in saturated fat and cholesterol while still providing us with a rich source of protein and other essential nutrients like phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, folate, selenium, and niacin.
What are the differences between broccoli vs chicken?
Broccoli and chicken are obviously two different types of food with many distinctive features.
The comparison table below will point out their typical differences:
Comparison | Broccoli | Chicken |
Type | Plant | Poultry meat |
Color | Deep green | Light yellow skin with pale pink flesh that turns white when cooked |
Taste | Earthy, herbaceous, grassy, sweet, and a little bitter | Mildly sweet, meaty |
Texture | Crunchy when eating raw Tender when cooked | Tender and juicy, skin can be crispy if being cooked over high heat (frying, baking, or roasting) |
Nutritional content | Rich in vitamin C, A, E, K, B-vitamins, folic acid, calcium, iron, fiber | Rich in protein, phosphorus, B-vitamin, amino acids, selenium, folate, but higher in fat, |
Common use | Can be eaten raw in salads Steamed or grilled | Deep-fried, grilled, roasted, baked, boiled, broiled, braised |
Price | More expensive per pound | Cheaper per pound |
What are the similarities between chicken vs broccoli?
It seems that broccoli and chicken are very separated from each other due to plenty of differences.
However, in fact, you can also find several similarities between them:
1. Broccoli and chicken are two staples in many cuisines
You can find broccoli and chicken in many cuisines in the world.
From Asia to the West or American cuisine, there are broccoli and chicken available in their garden or in any market, grocery store, or supermarket.
2. Broccoli and chicken are rich in nutrients
Another similarity between broccoli and chicken is that they are both packed with many essential nutrients.
Although one is plant and the other is meat, they are rich sources of vitamins and minerals which benefit our health in many ways.
3. Broccoli and chicken can be cooked and served in numerous ways
The last thing in common between broccoli and chicken is their versatility.
Both can be cooked in different ways.
For example, you can eat broccoli raw, steam, or grill it with some spices.
Regarding chicken, you can fry, grill, bake, or stew it in many recipes.
They can be served with any side dish you like, such as rice, pasta, fries, or toast.
Which one is better?
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If this question is asked to a group of friends, the responses would vary.
Some people might say that chicken is their favorite while others may prefer broccoli because they are vegetarians.
The truth is, both ingredients have their own benefits and flavors so it really depends on what kind of diet you want to follow for your health.
It’s up to us how we use these ingredients wisely, and it will be best to combine broccoli and chicken in one meal to make it not only delicious but also nutritious.