Is Broccoli Better Than Cauliflower? The Real Truth About Cancer Risk, Heart Health and More

Vitamins

Broccoli and cauliflower both contain vitamins A, C, and K; however, broccoli offers greater nutrient content in all three vitamins. Vitamins A and C are both essential for immune support.

A cup of broccoli contains 2,280.7 IU (international units) of vitamin A, which provides 46.6% of your recommended daily intake. It also contains 123.4 mg (milligrams) of vitamin C, or an incredible 205.7% of your recommended daily intake! Cauliflower only contains 54.9 mg of vitamin C and 21.08 IU of vitamin A.

What about vitamin K? Broccoli also outperforms cauliflower in this category. Broccoli contains 155.2 mcg (micrograms) of vitamin K compared to 11.2 mcg in cauliflower. The green cruciferous veggie also contains greater amounts of vitamin E and the B vitamins folate (B9), pyridoxine (B6), pantothenic acid (B5), niacin (B3), and riboflavin (B2).

Protein

Protein is crucial for every cell in your body. The macronutrient is considered essential for building and strengthening muscles, bones, skin, cartilage, and blood. Protein is also necessary for strong immunity and healthy brain function.

It is crucial to remember that not all protein sources are the same. For example, your daily protein bar may be loaded with protein, but it is also filled with sugar and food additives. Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli help contribute to your daily protein intake, but broccoli packs bigger muscle in the protein category as well. A cup of cooked broccoli (156 grams) contains 4.7 g of protein, while cauliflower contains 2.3 g of protein per cup (124 g).

Calories