Vegetables are filled with a myriad of nutrients and packed with vitamins. Vitamins are essential for the human body, for they support the build-up of immunity.
Therefore, it is important to include vegetables in your daily meal, either as a side dish or the main dish.
Most leafy vegetables are characterized by their green color, which enables them to produce for the plant.
Broccoli is one of the most nutritious vegetables as it is jam-packed with nutrients and vitamins.
It has beneficial nutrients that make it a top choice for dieters all over the world. To get the best benefit out of broccoli, it is best to consume it when fresh and crunchy. So it is essential to know if your broccoli is in good shape or if it has gone bad.
Nobody wants to eat bad food, especially when it comes to vegetables, and I know that this applies to you as well.
To avoid the uncomfortable situation of eating bad food, this article will highlight ways and measures of how you can detect broccoli that has gone bad and is unsuitable for consumption. Here are a few things to look out for.
1. Colour
Fresh broccoli is distinct in color, and it has a dark green top and a lighter shade of green on its stem.
If you notice that your broccoli has started turning yellow, then it has started to get spoilt.
You can also employ the look test method by looking at the leaves below the head of the broccoli.
These leaves, as regular leafy vegetables, wither and wilt when they are not fresh. If you spot shoveled leaves below the head, know that the broccoli is starting to go bad. These leaves also hold another clue to gauge the broccoli’s freshness.
If the leaves look grey or whitish, it implies that mold has started to grow on the broccoli and is in a terrible state.
It would be advisable not to consume the broccoli when you notice these signs.
Also, if you see brown spots on the head of the broccoli, it simply means that it is mold-infested and it should be thrown away as soon as possible. This is to prevent food poisoning that may occur if the mold-grown broccoli is consumed.
2. Texture
This checking method requires you to use your sense of touch to gauge the freshness of your broccoli. Fresh broccoli has a hard stem when touched.
The stem needs to be firm and not squishy. If you feel the broccoli’s stem and find that it is squishy, it means that the broccoli has started to go bad.
If mold starts to grow on the stem, it may also have a slimy texture; if the stem has a slimy texture, the broccoli is too far gone and should not be consumed because it is unsafe.
3. Smell
This is a reliable way to tell if broccoli has gone bad or is still fresh. Fresh broccoli has a slight scent; on the other hand, broccoli that has gone bad has a bitter odor. Smelling is a reliable test because the nose is very sensitive to bitter and tangy odor.
Fresh broccoli should not have a strong scent, and it should be mild and fresh; once you pick up a bitter odor than usual, simply get rid of it.
FAQs
How long does broccoli last?
The duration or lifespan of your broccoli will depend on your method of storage.
If you store your broccoli on the counter, it has a lifespan of one to two days, and it is essential to store it at room temperature, away from direct sunlight, and on a dry surface.
This will prevent your broccoli from turning yellow and going bad before you use it.
Storing broccoli is the best place for it when it is fresh. If stored correctly in the fridge, broccoli can stay fresh for about four to five days.
You cannot store it anyhow in the fridge, so it is vital to package it properly before throwing it into the fridge. In the fridge, you should not keep it open in the produce section.
For your fresh broccoli to retain its distinct green color, you can loosely cover them with a damp towelette or paper towel.
This means of storage enables the broccoli to retain some moisture and therefore not fizzle out and turn into a yellowish hue.
Also, make sure there isn’t too much moisture around the broccoli. This implies that there is no need to wash the broccoli before putting it in the fridge.
Washing the broccoli will cause mold to grow on it and speed up the rotting process, which we try to avoid by storing it in the fridge. But remember to wash the broccoli properly before consuming it.
For cooked broccoli, it is essential to either make use of aluminum foil or plastic wrap to cover the broccoli before storing.
Make sure what you wrap it in is as air-tight as possible. However, broccoli stored in the freezer can stay edible for one year.
To be possible, you first have to cut washed broccoli into florets and cut off their stalks. You then steam them for about four minutes before chilling them in ice water.
The best thing to do is pat them dry, put them in sealed bags or air-tight containers, and store them in the freezer.
Frozen broccoli that has been prepared and stored this way can be added directly into a dish while cooking.
Do not be tempted to thaw broccoli and use it raw because the freezing process destroys its cell structure, making it mushy once it is thawed.
The disadvantages of broccoli?
Broccoli’s benefits outweigh its disadvantages. Broccoli is jam-packed with nutrients and vitamins, which are beneficial to have a healthy body. However, there are minor health effects that can occur when you consume bad broccoli.
The most that can happen to you is having a stomach ache, diarrhea, or vomiting until the bad broccoli is out of your system.
Why does my broccoli smell like rotten eggs?
One of the ways of detecting bad broccoli is through your sense of smell. If your broccoli smells like rotten eggs, it is an indication that your broccoli is bad and no longer suitable for consumption. The best thing will be to throw it away to avoid food poisoning.
Finally
It would be very difficult to consume bad broccoli without noticing some signs. The signs noted above are clear and easy to detect, and they will help you discover when your broccoli is bad.
It would be advisable for you not to ignore these signs; ignoring them could lead to the consumption of unhealthy food, which can cause food poisoning, which is uncomfortable.
If you begin to notice symptoms of stomach ache, vomiting, and diarrhea, it would be essential to see a doctor immediately.
