Broccoli Coffee Is Real Now Because You Didn't Eat Your Vegetables
If you thought there would be no consequences to not eating your vegetables, you thought wrong.
A broccoli coffee drink now exists, and it was created in part because many of us have been missing out a key food group.
The new beverage—a broccoli latte, cleverly nicknamed the broccolatte—hails from Australia, but the reasons it was created apply in the United States, too. Scientists at the at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), backed by Hort Innovation, were looking for a way to deal with nutrition and obesity problems in their home country as well as to reduce food waste. Knowing that, the logic behind the drink seems more sound; they certainly couldn't have been going just for flavor.
(via CSIRO)
To create the broccoli latte, CSIRO didn't just shove broccoli into a cup.
The scientists instead developed a broccoli powder that uses "a combination of selected pre-treatment and drying processes to retain the natural colour, flavour and nutrient composition of fresh broccoli," according to the research organization's website. Apparently, broccoli is an "ideal candidate" because of all its protein, fiber and "health-promoting bioactive phytochemicals."
Just two tablespoons of the broccoli powder equals one serving of vegetables.
At this point, you're totally justified in wondering why they thought a latte was the best way to introduce their powder. That's a fair question. It turns out the broccoli latte is more of a way to catch people's attention than a contender for Australia's new national beverage. The organization also recommends the powder for smoothies, soups, dips and even baking. (If you want a broccoli latte, though, you do you.)
CSIRO's powder is still in the works, and it is set to go through additional product development and consumer trials. As it does, we may see other unexpected broccoli combinations created to get us our daily dose of veggies.
Broccoli cupcakes, anyone?
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