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Romanesco: Unique Looking Multi Beneficial Vegetable
Broccoli Romanesco is a garden vegetable in the Brassica family, which
includes cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, mustard, kale, and
numerous other edible plants. This unusual looking vegetable can be found in
some grocery stores, and can also be grown in the garden if you live in a
temperate zone. Since the plants can get quite large, prepare to set aside a
large area in the garden for growing Broccoli Romanesco. It can be eaten raw or
lightly cooked, and has a nutty, slightly spicy flavor which some consumers find
quite enjoyable.
In appearance, Broccoli Romanesco is truly bizarre. The vegetable illustrates a
fractal pattern, growing a spiral head composed of conical florets which also
prove to be spirals upon close examination. The vegetable has a greenish tinge,
and giant waxy leaves which can almost entirely conceal the edible heads of the
plant. Mathematicians sometimes use the plant to illustrate fractals, since it
is stunning to look at in addition to being edible after class.
The vegetable originates in Italy, where it was first identified in the 16th
century. There is some dispute over the name of the plant, since it does not
really look all that much like broccoli, and it has a very different taste. It
can be divided like cauliflower or broccoli, since it has a cluster of
individual stalks around a central stem. It is especially important to be
careful when cooking Broccoli Romanesco, because it can acquire a very strange
texture if is cooked too long. Most cooks prefer to lightly steam or saute it to
avoid this problem.
The planting season for Broccoli Romanesco is March through June, and people
living in frosty regions should wait until the last frost has passed before
planting. When growing Broccoli Romanesco in the garden, prepare a patch of
partially shaded alkaline soil, and plant seeds or seedlings at least 18 inches
(46 centimeters) apart, to give the plants plenty of room to grow. You can
lightly fertilize the soil to promote growth, and the seedlings should be
mulched to retain moisture in warmer climates. Water moderately, and harvest the
heads of Broccoli Romanesco when they have fully matured, which typically takes
around four months.
If you are picking out Broccoli Romanesco in the store, look for firm heads
without any sign of limpness or floppiness. Check for slimy areas and spots of
discoloration, which indicate that the vegetable may be old, and avoid shriveled
or dry-looking specimens. Keep Broccoli Romanesco in the fridge for up to seven
days, and try eating it raw with spicy dips or lightly steaming it with other
vegetables for a refreshing meal.
Romanesco superficially resembles a cauliflower, but it is light green in color,
and its form is strikingly fractal in nature. The inflorescence (the bud) is
self-similar in character, with the branched meristems making up a logarithmic
spiral. In this sense the bud's form approximates a natural fractal; each bud is
composed of a series of smaller buds, all arranged in yet another logarithmic
spiral. This self-similar pattern continues at several smaller levels. The
pattern is only an approximate fractal since the pattern eventually terminates
when the feature size becomes sufficiently small. The number of spirals on the
head of Romanesco broccoli is a Fibonacci number. As a vegetable Romanesco is
rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, dietary fiber and carotenoids. The causes of its
differences in appearance from the normal cauliflower and broccoli have been
modeled as an extension of the preinfloresence stage of bud growth, but the
genetic basis of this is not known.
Health Benefits of Broccoli Romanesco
Romanesco is an edible flower and very healthy too. Different countries call
it different names like: Romanesco Broccoli, Roman Cauliflower, Broccoflower,
and Romanesco Cauliflower. The nutrients that you can find in a Romanesco are:
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Vitamin A
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Vitamin B1, Thiamin
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Vitamin B2, Riboflavin
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Vitamin B3, Niacin
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Vitamin B5, Pantothenic Acid
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Vitamin B6, Pyridoxine
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Vitamin B9, Folate
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Vitamin C
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Vitamin K
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Dietary Fiber
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Manganese
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Magnesium
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Protein
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Phosphorus
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Potassium
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Tryptophan
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Omega 3 Fatty Acids
The Health Benefits that that can be derived from Romanesco Cauliflower or
Broccoli are:
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Improves Eyesight
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Supports Vision
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Helps fight viral infections
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Protects from free radicals
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Lowers Risk of many cancers
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Improves healing
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Helps protect from colds
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Helps protect from flu
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Helps protect from infections
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Improves Lung health
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Supports red cell health
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Improves Bone health
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Improves Brain function
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Reduces Depression
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Reduces Constipations
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Improves Cholesterol Levels
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Improves Blood Sugar Levels
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Improves Blood Pressure Levels
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Supports Muscles
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Supports Nerves
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Supports Heart Health
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Dated 31 March 2014
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