Broccoli is about as Mediterranean as a vegetable can be. First grown in Italy, it was spread by the Romans throughout Europe; immigrants later brought it to America. Raw or cooked, it's a major player in The Sonoma Diet. You can eat it in virtually unlimited amounts for the rest of your life.
You probably won't need much convincing when it comes to broccoli's benefits. Its reputation as one of the world's healthiest foods is well established. But did you know that broccoli is one of the best sources of calcium and vitamin C? Consider this: There's as much vitamin C in a serving of broccoli (1/2 cup in The Sonoma Diet) as in an orange. But an orange will set you back 60 or 70 calories while that's not a lot, it's considerably more than the 20 or so in a serving of broccoli.
Same goes for calcium. A half-cup serving of broccoli delivers about 40 milligrams and, unlike milk, has no saturated fat. The benefits, however, don't end there. Broccoli is a deluxe detoxifier, clearing away potentially carcinogenic toxins and even inhibiting tumor growth. Broccoli is a true gourmet vegetable as well as a cancer fighter and heart protector.
