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BROCCOLI (AND OTHER BRASSICAS)

With its long British growing season and high nutrient content, broccoli has become an essential in almost every shop, and, for a vegetable that comes with the flower attached, it stores well too. Then to add to its merits, there is the beauty of green broccoli’s more sophisticated cousin, purple sprouting broccoli – a vegetable that when eaten freshly picked has as much quality as asparagus. Best of all, broccoli’s sweetness and lack of sulphur flavour mean that children do not wrinkle their noses at it as they traditionally do with unfairly maligned cabbage and Brussels sprouts. So is broccoli all good news for shoppers? Not quite—chief among concerns are the use of pesticides on the crop and a suggestion that this oh-so-healthy vegetable is not quite as good for you as it used to be…

Is broccoli in season all year round?

It may always be on shop shelves but the British season for green broccoli ends with the first frosts of October or November. Most of our broccoli is grown outdoors in Lincolnshire, with the first crops harvested in May. November sees the first harvest of cold-loving purple sprouting broccoli, which should be available until early April, so in theory, if you switch from one to the other you can eat British-grown broccoli all year round.

If it’s not British, who else grows it?

Out-of-season green broccoli is imported from Spain, France and Italy. The broccoli is packed in ice boxes, which keep it ‘fresh’ but the nutrient value is reduced. Broccoli from southern Spain clocks up a weighty 900 food miles. The Spanish also make heavier use of agricultural chemicals. In 2000 the government reported that 14 per cent of sampled imported broccoli contained pesticide residues and half of these were over the maximum recommended level. One sample of British broccoli, however, contained residues of a pesticide banned in the UK. Broccoli was tested again in 2005 but so far results have been published only for broccoli grown in southern European countries. In this instance, residues of the pesticide, chlorothalonil, were found on one sample. Chlorothalonil is permitted in the UK but pesticide watchdogs, the Pesticide Action Network (PAN UK), have listed this agricultural chemical as a ‘bad actor’ – a pesticide that is a probable carcinogen. The reduction in residues found on all the samples is generally to be welcomed, though broccoli’s popularity should see it tested more frequently than every five years.

Why is broccoli described as a ‘superfood’?

It contains high levels of sulforaphane, a cancer-fighting antioxidant. These nutrients were found occurring naturally in a Sicilian wild relative of the plant, which was then crossbred with commercial species, giving modern broccoli an increased nutritional value with 100 times the level of sulforaphane. Broccoli also contains high levels of calcium, although according to scientists its calcium levels have dropped by 75 per cent since 1940. In his book We Want Real Food (Constable, 2006) Graham Harvey explains that not just broccoli but all vegetables have lost vitamins and minerals. Explanations for this include the over use of fertilisers on crops and, conversely, the breeding of modern hybrids that crop early, resist disease and have a long shelf life. You cannot, therefore, go too wrong if you eat lots more broccoli.

How can I be sure of choosing pesticide-free broccoli?

Of the samples tested for residues in 2005, seven were organic and none of these contained a single residue, making organic the best choice. Organic farms are permitted to use six agricultural chemicals, while conventional farmers have hundreds at their disposal.

Should I buy loose or wrapped broccoli?

The wide expanse of the flower head on broccoli means it oxidises quickly, giving unwrapped broccoli a short shelf life of three days. Wrapped and refrigerated, it will keep for five days or more. If you prefer to buy vegetables without packaging, you must buy fresher broccoli more frequently (or buy it unwrapped and wrap it in cling film before storing).

Is a hole in the stalk a bad sign?

Not in nutritional terms. British broccoli often has holes – a sign of erratic growth caused by our climate. Holey broccoli deteriorates quicker than broccoli with a solid stalk, but it is still worth buying rather than imported for its freshness, low food-mile scale and high nutrient value.

Does GM broccoli exist?

Yes, but it is not yet permitted for sale. Scientists are developing a super-broccoli with 80 times more cancer-fighting ability (not to be confused with the one crossbred with a Sicilian wild plant, above). The plant is expected to be ready in three years’ time and will raise tricky questions about where the line should be drawn between food and preventative medicine.

What is calabrese?

Calabrese is an Italian brassica similar to broccoli but with a pale green, pointed, looser-packed flower head. It is grown in the UK but, since it is a more tender plant, you are unlikely to find those not grown under glass before their season in August and September.

Do the other brassicas share similar issues with broccoli?

Yes. Cauliflowers and cabbages can be grown in the UK all year round, so it is always best to ask for British if you want the freshest produce. Cauliflower is a precarious crop for farmers, who are unable to sell it during hot weather, when the sun turns the white flower yellow. At this time, acre upon acre of crop can be grubbed and wasted because apparently neither supermarkets nor their customers want a yellowed cauliflower, even though the taste and nutrient quality are the same as for pure white ones. So don’t turn your noise up at hot-weather cauliflowers: eaten raw, thinly sliced, with a dressing, they are a revelation. Cabbages and cauliflowers have similar pesticide issues to broccoli, so you may prefer to choose organic. Brussels sprouts have recently undergone quite a change in flavour. New breeds taste much less sulphurous than those in my Seventies’ childhood and they – and sprout tops—now join purple sprouting broccoli as a seasonal winter vegetable to look forward to.

What’s in the supermarkets?

All chains, large and small, should sell UK-grown green broccoli and purple sprouting in season. If there is no indication on the price tag, look at the side of the packing cases (if it is not in those green plastic ones) for evidence of country of origin. If no UK-grown broccoli is available during the season, don’t be afraid to ask a manager or customer services; your demands will be noted. Organic broccoli is available in some supermarkets.

Where to buy British broccoli in season

Fresh, locally sourced broccoli can usually be bought at farmers’ markets and farm shops. To find the ones nearest to you, check www.farmersmarkets.net (tel: 0845 458 8420), or www.lfm.org.uk (tel: 020 7833 0338) for London. For details of farm shops, look at www.farma.org.uk or www.bigbarn.co.uk.

Box schemes can deliver both green and purple sprouting broccoli to your door. They are listed in the directory on the Soil Association website (www.soilassociation.org) or your nearest local scheme can be found on the local food network (www.localfoodworks.org).

The following retailers specialise in organic vegetables:

Abel & Cole, 8-15 MGI Estate, Milkwood Road, London SE24 OJFTel: 0845 262 6262www.abel-cole.co.uk

Home delivery nationwide.

Farmaround Organic, Office BI43, New Covent Garden Market,Nine Elms Lane, London SW8 5PATel: 020 7627 8066 (home delivery in London)Tel: 01748 821 I 16 (home delivery in the north of England)www.farmaround.co.uk

Fresh Food Company, The Orchard, 50 Wormholt Road,London W12 OLSTel: 020 8749 8778www.freshfood.co.uk

Home delivery nationwide.

Growing Communities, The Old Fire Station, 61 Leswin Road,London N16 7NYTel: 020 7502 7588www.growingcommunities.org

Collection only, reducing the price for London customers. There are three collection points, including this one; call to find the nearest.

Organic Connections, Riverdale, Town Street, Upwell, Wisbech,Cambridgeshire PEI4 9AFTel: 01945 773374www.organic-connections.co.uk

Home delivery nationwide.

Riverford Organic Vegetables Ltd, Wash Barn, Buckfastleigh,Devon TQ11 OLDTel: 0845 600 2311www.riverford.co.uk

Home delivery in London, Midlands and the Southwest.

Solstice Home, Unit 851-2, New Covent Garden Market,London SW8 5EETel: 020 7498 7700www.solstice.co.uk

Home delivery nationwide.

Sunnyfields Organic, Jacobs Gutter Lane, Totton,Southampton SO40 9FXTel: 02380 861266www.sunnyfields.co.uk

Home delivery in Hampshire, Dorset, Surrey and Central London.