Broccoli can be juiced just like spinach, carrots, kale, celery, and other nutrient-packed vegetables. However, raw broccoli is not easy to digest and can cause gas and bloating for some people.
While bloating feels different for everyone, it generally involves an irritated digestive track, burping, belching, enlarged abdomen, and abdominal pain. Bloating, gas, and stomach upset may not have lasting health effects, but they sure are uncomfortable.
Broccoli contains a complex sugar substance called raffinose, which is notorious for causing gas. Intestinal bacteria in the small intestines have a hard time digesting raffinose, especially when consumed raw. When bacteria in the large intestine digest raffinose, they create gas, which can cause excessive bloating and upset stomach.
However, broccoli juice doesn’t have the same impact on everyone and it may not trigger a bloated tummy for you. The combination of gases produced depends on the types of bacteria in your colon and everyone has a distinctive group of bacteria in their digestive tract.
What to Do if Juicing Broccoli Makes You Bloated
If you have a hard time digesting this juice, you can try other types of green vegetable juices such as spinach, kale, swiss chard, and celery.
Spinach, kale, and celery make great substitutes as they are also high in the same anti-oxidants, Vitamins, and Minerals as broccoli. Vegetables similar to broccoli you should avoid for the same digestion problems are cabbage and cauliflower.
Some people have also found that mixing broccoli juice with ginger provided a significant reduction in bloating symptoms. A study conducted in 2013 showed that ginger reduces excessive gas, reduces bloating and provides many other gastrointestinal benefits. Ginger shots will also have the same effects. I have a detailed
article on how to make ginger shots in a blender that I recommend you to read.
Why You Should Juice Broccoli If You Can Stomach It
The appeal for broccoli juice does not lie in its taste, but in its numerous health benefits. Broccoli juice is a detox diva that is utterly loaded with bioactive compounds, Vitamins, and minerals.
Due to its unique nutritional and healing properties, the vegetable has earned a good reputation over the years as a cancer-fighting superfood. Multiple studies prove that broccoli reduces the risk of cancer and tumors and even slow their progression.
The self-treating home remedy is also good for improving cognitive function. Broccoli has high contents of Vitamin K, which has been found to improve cognitive abilities and Choline which improves memory.
Other benefits of broccoli include; enhancing liver health, improving heart health, reducing cholesterol, and curing allergies.
Broccoli’s many health benefits are best obtained through juicing as it allows for the nutrients to be absorbed directly into the bloodstream. Moreover, heating and cooking can reduce the important nutritional elements in the vegetable.
5 Broccoli Juice Recipes
Pure broccoli has a very strong taste and it’s best to mix it with other fruits and vegetables to make it more palatable. The following are my top 5 broccoli juice recipes. I was so surprised with how tasty they were that I almost forget they had broccoli in them.
Preparation tips; before you begin your juicing process, wash all your produce well, chop them and remove the skin where appropriate. Feed the ingredients into your juice alternating fruits and vegetables.
1. Broccoli- Blueberry Goodness
Ingredients
- 2 heads of broccoli
- 1 cup of blueberries
- 2 carrots
- 1 tomato
- 1 apple (cored)
The veggie Blueberry is an anti-bodies powerhouse that promotes good vision, relieves stress, and keeps your skin healthy.
2. Sunshine
Ingredients
- 1 head of broccoli
- ¼ pineapple
- A small handful of parsley
- 1 appeal
- 1 orange
This broccoli-pineapple combo is full of vitamin C which will not only lift your taste buds but also significantly improves your immune system. It also has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents.
3. The Classic Green Detox
Ingredients
- 1 head of broccoli
- 1 large cucumber
- Handful of spinach
- 1 cup mint leaves
- 1 juiced lemon
- ¼ pineapple as a sweetener
The ingredients in this drink are full of liver and kidney detoxifying enzymes that eliminate toxins in your body. The classic green detox lowers your blood sugar levels, reduces your cholesterol levels, helps you lose weight and improves your skin.
4. Delicious Broccoli- apple and lime juice
Ingredients
- 1 head of broccoli
- 2 Apples
- 1 lime- juiced
- 1-inch ginger root
This juice is packed with inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties that alleviate arthritic pain, improve heart health, reduce muscle pain/soreness and help prevent cancer.
5. Sweet, Simple and Spicy
Ingredients
- 2 broccoli florets
- 1 cored apple
- 1-inch piece of ginger root
- 1 cup mint leaves
The simple broccoli juice significantly helps in flushing toxins out of the body and is ideal for beginners.
The amount of broccoli juice you should have depends mainly on your goals but it’s advisable to have just 1-2 glasses (12-16 Oz) of broccoli juice per day, even for people with stronger digestive systems. Make sure to mix broccoli with other types of vegetables and fruits to meet your daily intake of fruits and vegetables.
Due to its bloating side effects, it’s essential not to overdo broccoli. Make sure to start slow until your stomach can tolerate a larger amount of this juice.
Can You juice Broccoli stems?
The stems of the broccoli vegetable can be juiced and are just as healthy as the florets. Instead of throwing your stems while cooking broccoli, save them for juicing. They have the same nutritional profile as florets and are edible.
Use the stems to make yourself a glass of creamy and tasty broccoli juice as follows;
Ingredients
- 1 broccoli stem
- 1/4 cup of coconut milk
- Handful of spinach
- Ground flaxseed- 2 Tsp
- 1 lemon- juiced
- 1/2 a cup of water to help the ingredients go through smoothly
This creamy drink is full of Omega-3 fatty acids, anti-oxidants and Vitamin E that does wonders for your skin.
Conclusion
People who often experience an upset stomach and bloating like symptoms will have a hard time handling broccoli juice and should try juicing other types of vegetables such as kale, spinach, and celery.
If you can stomach broccoli juice, it will provide your body with a full range of nutrients and medicinal benefits including cancer prevention. Feel free to get back to us. We’d love to hear about your broccoli juicing attempts.
Happy juicing!!
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