Broccoli Is the UK’s Favourite Vegetable

A recent survey has named broccoli Britain’s favourite vegetable according to Diabetes UK.

Seriously bad public relations put this member of the brassica family in a very bad light.  It was held to a standard which was healthy but not very palatable and was regarded by many as healthy but horrible and children were frequently portrayed in the media by reporting that it was considered “gross” by children.

Partly in thanks to the media, more recently the values of the nutrition found in broccoli have been widely spread.  Now, it is known as a “superfood,” it has tons of fans everywhere.

Known as “Italian Asparagus,” broccoli was brought into England for the first time in the mid-1700s.  It originated in the Mediterranean when it was derived from a related vegetable by an ancient civilisation in Italy known as the Etruscans.  In Italian, the word “broccolo” translates to the “flowering crest of a cabbage.”

A good source of folate and vitamin C, broccoli also has vitamins K and A, fibre, beta carotene, and calcium.  It is believed to fight cancer via the use of its sulforaphane and indole 3 carbinol.

In the online survey of 2,000 consumers across the United Kingdom (UK), 12% said broccoli is their favourite vegetable.  Twelve percent might not sound like much, but it was the largest portion of the vote behind sweet corn and tomatoes, tying at 10% backing.

The least favourite of nearly all Britain in the vegetable department is kale, at less than 1%.

As for fruit, the same survey unveiled the fact that strawberries were the highest favoured fruit, chosen by 14% of the respondents, leading the banana, pineapple, and mango.

The head of the survey commissioners for Diabetes UK, Dan Howarth, said as part of its “Food You Love” campaign during Diabetes Week, “Eating fruit and veg is a great way of getting vital vitamins and fibre and a much healthier snack option than reaching for crisps, cereal bars or even smoothies. They are also low in calories and super filling.”

Regionally, and surprisingly, Brussel sprouts came in as the most loved vegetable in the North West, while in the fruit area, it was pineapple.  But in Eastern England, the winner was the pea with 14% of the respondents saying “yes.”  Mangoes were the most popular fruit in London.

As would be expected, The “Food You Love” campaign tries to urge people to dine on foods they enjoy as long as they are presented healthily.