Is the broccoli yellowed? Is it safe to eat?

Broccoli, a competitor to cauliflower, is becoming more popular every year. The secret is in the nutritional composition of the vegetable, rich in phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, vitamins A, C, E, PP, group B. The green and purple heads contain vegetable protein and amino acids, essential for children and those on a diet. In order for the vegetable to last as long as possible, you need to know how to store broccoli at home. Anyone can cope with the task, just know the simple rules and listen to the recommendations.

It's time to harvest

Let's first decide on the varietal assortment. Of the 37 varieties in the register of breeding achievements, there is not a single one that breeders would recommend for fresh winter storage - only for home cooking.

According to the growing season, all varieties are divided into:

early ripening varieties ripen in 75-90 days;
mid-ripening and late species mature at 105 days or more.

To extend the consumption period, it is better to sow cabbage of different ripening periods, and also select those varieties that produce lateral heads. For example, the hybrid "Linda" after cutting the main head produces 7 side heads of 50-70 g each, but "Monterello" produces only one main head weighing 700 g.

Method for cooking broccoli that has bloomed

This vegetable can be consumed both raw and after heat treatment. Broccoli can be boiled and baked in the oven. It is added to omelettes, pizzas, puree soups, salads, pies, etc. But it should be remembered that frying the vegetable is not recommended, since harmful carcinogens are released under the influence of high temperature. The ideal cooking option is steamed.

Every summer resident dreams of getting a good harvest of broccoli. By studying the basic rules of selection, as well as growing conditions, you can achieve the desired result.

Do you need to wash cabbage?

Housewives often ask: do they need to wash cabbage? Definitely yes. But not after harvesting the garden or shopping at the store, but before preparing dishes.

Prepare a large bowl, fill with water, add 3-4 tsp. vinegar.
Dip the inflorescences into the solution for 12-15 minutes to remove debris and insects.
Remove the vegetables, rinse, and blot to remove moisture.
Use immediately for cooking.

Broccoli heads should go into the refrigerator half an hour after they were brought from the store or picked from the garden. Do not waste time, otherwise the vegetables will lose their nutritional value and freshness.

How to prevent broccoli from blooming early?

A gardener can influence broccoli yields even when the weather is not favorable. It is important to properly organize watering of plants immediately after transplanting seedlings into open ground. The crop should not be allowed to lack moisture.

When the thermometer rapidly creeps up, breaking the +25 degree mark, broccoli is shaded in the midday hours. In extreme heat, the need for moisture increases, so watering is increased more often. The beds are irrigated in the evening, then the water has time to penetrate to the roots and does not evaporate from the heat.

Attention! As soon as the gardener discovers the beginnings of the heads on the plants, it is recommended to cover them with the lower leaves, collecting them in a bunch.

Short-term storage in the refrigerator

How to store broccoli in the refrigerator:

Spray each head with clean water from a spray bottle.
Then wrap in a clean cotton napkin or towel.
Place in the refrigerator and enjoy the fresh taste and aroma for 3-4 days.

You can find a list of ethylene-emitting vegetables and fruits that are undesirable for broccoli in the article about storing fresh cucumbers.

It will help to preserve broccoli by simply wrapping it in a damp paper towel or packing it in plastic bags (no need to close them). Afterwards, the valuable product is placed in a cool place, where it will remain fresh for 2-3 days.

How to keep cabbage fresh for the next week? Make a green bouquet, place it in a jar of water, and cover with a bag on top. Change the water every day, and make holes in the plastic for air circulation. Keep broccoli in the refrigerator and enjoy freshness for 6-7 days.

It is unacceptable to keep cabbage in a tight plastic bag or an airtight container. In order for it to retain its nutritional value and not become moldy, it needs constant access to fresh air.

Storage in the basement, cellar

Some of the best conditions for storing broccoli are created in cool basements and cellars. If the room is ventilated, the temperature is maintained at 0 °C and the humidity is 90-95%, fresh cabbage will be on your table for 1-2 weeks.

Here's how to properly store broccoli in the basement and cellar:

wrap each of the cut heads in newspaper or paper;
store in baskets, drawers, placing them at some distance from each other;
If the paper becomes damp, change it.

We answer the question: why did the broccoli turn yellow, and is it safe to eat?

Cabbage turns yellow in two cases:

at elevated temperatures its flowering begins;
at low humidity it simply dries out.

Observe the humidity and temperature conditions, and everything will be fine with your supplies. There is no point in eating a yellowed vegetable - it no longer contains any taste or nutrients.

Frozen gifts of the fields

Try storing broccoli frozen for the winter. Experienced housewives claim that when properly frozen, the crop retains its excellent appearance and maximum nutrients.

Let's start with preparation

To freeze broccoli for the winter, you need to prepare it properly. Select strong, healthy green heads with a diameter of 8-15 cm. Cut off the stalk, remove the leaves, and disassemble the cabbage itself into single inflorescences.

Before freezing, do not forget to get rid of any insects that may remain between the flowers. For this:

Fill a basin or bowl with water, add 40-45 g of salt per 1 liter of water.
Lower the inflorescences, leave for 20-25 minutes, then remove and rinse thoroughly.
Drain in a colander to drain excess moisture.

Read also: How to remove salt from lard after salting

Freezing without blanching

You can freeze broccoli for the winter without blanching:

First, rinse and place on a napkin to dry.
Then pack into bags and freeze.

Some housewives complain that after defrosting, cabbage changes color and becomes soft. Yes, it will not be as elastic as before, but the color will remain. To prevent the inflorescences from becoming soft, it is recommended to freeze them using a different recipe.

First we blanch

To freeze broccoli for the winter and maintain its elasticity, you must first blanch it.

Prepare 2 pans. Place one on the fire, adding 1 tsp. citric acid per 1 liter of water, fill the second with cold water and ice.
Place broccoli in boiling water in portions and blanch for 1-2 minutes. Then immediately cool them in ice water to stop the heating processes.
Place the inflorescences on a napkin or towel and allow excess liquid to drain. To ensure that the frozen product retains its nutritional value, it must be completely cooled.
Pack the semi-finished product in plastic bags and place in the freezer. Freezing will keep it fresh for the next 8-10 months.

There are varieties that, with or without blanching, after defrosting, are only suitable for pureed soup. If you don’t know how your particular cabbage will behave, put a small piece in the freezer for 24 hours. During this time, nothing will happen to the entire batch, and after defrosting the “sample”, you will know what it is good for.

And finally, a video from which you will learn how to cook broccoli to preserve all the vitamins:

Now you know everything about proper freezing and other storage options for broccoli. And with the onset of winter cold, you can easily prepare a lot of delicious dishes, giving your body the vitamins that cabbage contains.

Green broccoli with unopened flowers is healthy and rich in vitamins and minerals. Broccoli can turn yellow in two cases:

the flowers on it blossomed and turned yellow
During storage, the green (unblown) flowers withered and acquired a yellowish tint.

The result in both cases is the same - loss of taste and almost all nutritional qualities.

And now the answer to the question posed: is it possible to eat such cabbage? Yes, of course you can. But why? There is practically nothing useful left in it.

Broccoli, like any greens, should be eaten fresh, preferably just picked. Wilted greens can, perhaps, slightly revive the taste of the dish, but that’s all.

Broccoli is a plant product, so if it turns yellow and this is because it has wilted a little, then there is nothing to worry about, since there is no such bacterial nightmare as with protein foods that begin to deteriorate.

Read also: Properties of cranberries on the human body

In our city, the leading supermarket chain sells this broccoli at a discount. Moreover, people take it and eat it, and I ate it and everything is fine. And sometimes they even sell one that starts to turn black on top.

The main thing is to smell it so that it doesn’t start to rot. Well, this happens if you keep it in a bag for a long time and there is still moisture there, then if it rots badly, then throw it away.

At the same time, you need to remember that in order for it to retain its vitamins, it needs to be breaded in water for a couple of minutes at most and then eaten, since when completely boiled, it loses its vitamins.

Broccoli is one of the most popular vegetables, due to its beneficial properties and, perhaps, taste. You also need to know that broccoli is a low-calorie dish, so it is most often included in the diet of fans of healthy and proper nutrition.

But in order to get the most benefit from a product, you need to know how to select, store and prepare it.

Is it possible to eat yellowed broccoli?

The broccoli has turned yellow, can you eat it or not?

If you notice yellow discoloration on your broccoli, do not rush to throw it away. This indicates improper storage, but this does not mean that it cannot be eaten. Yellowed broccoli can be eaten, it just contains less nutrients than a fresh “beautiful” vegetable.

Low-calorie foods also include: spinach, cauliflower, pumpkin, cucumber, celery, peppers, tomatoes and mushrooms. But this is not the entire list of products that will help you feel lighter and help you stay in good physical shape.

Signs of flowering

When growing cabbage, it is necessary to constantly monitor the appearance of the head of cabbage, by the condition of which you can determine the time of harvest. When ripe, the head of cabbage has a dense shape with green buds.

As soon as the heads of cabbage change their color, the plant must be picked immediately. The cabbage heads should not be allowed to loosen, as they will subsequently begin to bloom. It is recommended to harvest cabbage before the inflorescences open, when it contains a large amount of minerals and vitamins.

To avoid flowering of broccoli, special attention should be paid to the weight of the head. You should not wait for the fruit to become large, but cut the plant when its weight is slightly less than the recommended weight on the package. Then the vegetable will not have time to outgrow and certainly will not bloom. On a personal plot it is necessary to plant varieties that are resistant to flowering, for example, Marathon F1, Calabrese.

Important! If a vegetable in your garden begins to turn yellow, this is a signal that your plant does not have enough nitrogen nutrition.

Before flowering begins, slight spots of a yellowish tint appear on the head of the cabbage. If your plant blooms with yellow flowers, then this is the first sign that the cabbage is overripe and it is too late to cut it. Farmers use the overripe harvest only for technical purposes, for example, as feed for livestock.