Broccoli looks like a bunch of tiny green trees, and the part we eat is actually made up of hundreds of tiny flower buds all bunched together! If you did not pick broccoli and just let it keep growing, those little buds would open up into pretty yellow flowers. Broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables in the world because it is packed with vitamins that help your body fight off germs and keep your bones strong. It is related to cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts, and they are all part of a plant family that scientists sometimes call the “super veggies.” Broccoli got its name from an Italian word that means “little arms” or “little branches.”
Some kids like to call broccoli pieces “trees” and pretend they are giants munching on a tiny forest! Broccoli tastes great when it is steamed, roasted with a little olive oil, or eaten raw with ranch dressing or hummus for dipping. Did you know that broccoli grows best in cool weather and does not like it when it gets too hot outside? A single broccoli plant grows one big head of broccoli in the center, and after you cut that off, smaller side pieces keep growing so you can harvest even more! The United States grows a lot of broccoli, and most of it comes from the sunny state of California.
