Written & Medically reviewed by
Dr.Sanjana.V.B. Bhms. Dbrm.Cdn

Broccoli almond soup

  Broccoli almond soup is an immensely nutritious soup which can help enhance your immunity, skin glow and heart health. Moreover the nutrient rich ingredients of this soup help in healthy ageing, fighting against free radicals which cause skin & organ changes leading to premature ageing and various diseases.

Serving: 2 persons

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

·       Broccoli florets-1 unit [ 10 florets]

·       Almonds-10

·       Garlic-1

·       Shallots-2

·       Extra virgin olive oil -1 ½ table spoon.

·       Vegetable stock-1 cup

·       Milk -1 ½ cup

·       Salt- to taste

·       Almonds and pistachio sliced-2 teaspoons

·       Black pepper powder- 1 teaspoon [optional]

Preparation

·       Soak almonds in hot water for 5 minutes, drain water and peel off the skin, keep them set aside in a bowl. Cut the broccoli into florets.

·       Add extra virgin olive oil into a hot pan with chopped garlic and shallots. Saute for 2 minutes until the shallots turn pink.Set aside a few of the cooked broccoli florets for garnishing.

·        Add the remaining broccoli florets , and peeled almonds into the pan and stir well.

·       Add vegetable stock with a pinch of salt into the pan and close the lid.  Cook them for about 5-10 min and switch off the stove when broccoli florets are cooked to a soft consistency. Let it cool.

·       The cooled mixture is now blended in a blender or mixer to make a puree.

·       Strain out the puree into a sauce pan, add milk, and stir well in medium flame. Let it cook in simmer flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Switch off the stove. Pour the soup into a soup bowl

·       Garnish with sliced almonds , sautéed broccoli florets and pistachio.

·       You may season with black pepper powder [optional]

Health benefits

      Broccoli is a good source of vitamin C, providing over 81mg, or about 135% of your daily needs. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and immunity boosting nutrient which may protect you from infections and diseases resulting from oxidative stress.  Vitamin C  helps in skin repair and prevention of skin wrinkles and sagging by boosting collagen formation.

  It is also an excellent source of vitamin K, important in bone health and wound healing and helps in normal blood clotting mechanism of the body.

  Minerals in broccoli include manganese, potassium, and phosphorus which are essential for health of bones and cardiovascular system.

 It's also a great source of vitamin A, manganese, potassium, folic acid and other B vitamins. All these nutrients aid in keeping your heart, nerves and eyes in good healthy functional condition fighting against degenerative changes .Folates are essential for the health of fetus in pregnant women.

 Raw broccoli contains almost 90% water, 7% carbs, 3% protein, and almost no fat. Broccoli is very low in calories, providing only 31 calories per cup (91 grams).

Broccoli is a low glycemic index food. That is, it has only a minimal effect on blood sugar levels of your body. The glycemic index estimates how a food affects your blood sugar levels. The glycemic index (GI) for broccoli is 10 which low and hence people with diabetes or high blood sugar levels may consume broccoli.

    Broccoli has only a trace amount of fat and is cholesterol-free. However, it contains a small amount of omega-3 fatty acids in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Omega 3 fatty acids in moderate amounts are good for heart health.Broccoli can reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, including prostate, lung, and breast cancer. Indole-3-carbinol  and sulforaphane (an isothiocyanate) compounds of broccoli have been most frequently examined for their anticancer effects. They help protect cells from DNA damage, inactivate carcinogens.

   Broccoli has been shown to protect certain cells from oxidative stress, reducing the incidence of chronic health problems such as heart disease. Scientists believe these effects are due to vitamin C, phenolic compounds, carotenoids, vitamin E, and isothiocyanates.

   Almonds are good source of protein, fat and small amounts of iron, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins A, B, and E. Vitamin E in almonds range from 1.2 to 6 mg. Vitamin E is a great antioxidant and has important role in immune system and circulatory system functions in the body. It has amazing effects on your skin and hair. Vitamin E can prevent clots and consequent stroke and heart attack.

 Almonds have a high content of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) that are considered very much helpful in weight loss or obesity management. MUFA helps in reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the body and protects heart and blood vessels.

A few studies show that regular almond consumption helps in controlling blood lipid and cholesterol levels.

 A study shows that  in healthy people long-term supplementation (20 weeks) with 56 g almonds daily resulted in improvements to the lipid profile (reductions in Total Cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and TG serum levels) and decreased fat mass and waist-to-hip ratio [8].

TG [triglycerides] lowering and HDL [good cholesterol] increasing effects of almond intake might be due to high levels of mono and poly unsaturated fatty acids [MUFA and PUFA].

Almonds also act as a vital source of various nutrients including proteins, fibre, minerals magnesium and manganese. Magnesium  is a mineral very much essential for bones and heart health.

Almonds consumption can reduce blood sugar level also. Blood sugar lowering effect of almonds might be due to the slowing of gastric emptying (owing to the fat and protein contained in the nuts), but also to the presence of polyphenols, mainly flavonoids

Shallots are high in antioxidants and may improve blood sugar levels, circulation, seasonal allergies, & heart and bone health. Garlic helps boost the body's immune system, reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Pistachios contain good amounts of unsaturated fatty acids and potassium and have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory traits. Pistachios reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease. They can help keep your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol in optimum levels as they are rich in fibers.

References

1.     https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/cruciferous-vegetables-fact-sheet

2.     https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-14520-8

3.     https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21906651/

4.     https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29080462/

5.     https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/almonds/#:~:text=One%20ounce%20provides%20about%20165,carbohydrate%2C%20and%203%20grams%20fiber.

6.     https://www.almonds.com/sites/default/files/2021-12/State%20of%20the%20Science%202021.pdf

7.     https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7146189/

8.      https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29315019/

9.     https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21489570/

10.            https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21489570/

11.           https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16898862/

12.           https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/benefits-pistachios