Popular cooking methods may destroy key health benefits of broccoli, experts warn

Not all methods of cooking broccoli are created equal, and some simple tips can ensure you get the most nutrients out of it.Whether it's steamed, roasted or added to a stir-fry, broccoli is a healthy option packed with vitamins such as A, C and K, minerals such as calcium, potassium and iron, fiber and even a potentially cancer-fighting compound, the Washington Post recently reported.But certain ways of cooking broccoli can ensure you get the most out of the cruciferous vegetable and preserve those compounds.YOU'RE PROBABLY COOKING RICE WRONG, AND CHEFS REVEAL THE SIMPLE MISTAKE TO AVOIDBoiling broccoli can cause water-soluble nutrients and compounds to leach into the cooking water, while prolonged or high-heat cooking, including roasting, can reduce antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cancer-fighting properties.Cruciferous vegetables provide fiber, vitamins and plant compounds being studied for potential health benefits.(iStock)"Boiling causes the most loss in nutrients," Sol Figueroa, a Florida-based registered dietitian nutritionist with Mochi Health, told Fox News Digital.

"Vitamin C and glucoraphanin dissolve in water, so a lot of them end up in the cooking water that gets poured down the drain."NATURAL COMPOUND IN BLUEBERRIES AND GRAPES MAY UNLOCK FAT-BURNING PROCESS IN MUSCLE CELLSGlucoraphanin is a natural compound found in cruciferous vegetables and, when it is digested, it can be converted into sulforaphane, a compound studied for potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and possible benefits for liver, metabolic and gut health, as well as cancer prevention.Figueroa offered several tips to help get the most out of your broccoli.One way to preserve some of the nutrients is to use as little water as possible when boiling, she said.Chopping broccoli and letting it rest before cooking may give sulforaphane, a plant compound studied for potential health benefits, time to form.

(iStock)Another is to sprinkle mustard powder on cooked broccoli.Mustard...