Know2eat

Broccoli rabe

Brassica rapa subsp. rapa

What broccoli rabe has been studied for

1 association assessed — none with dependable human evidence behind them yet. Strongest first.

  • 1 Insufficient
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About broccoli rabe

A bitter leafy brassica sold as bunches of stems, leaves and small unopened flower buds. Despite the name it is closer to the turnip than to broccoli, which is why the bitterness is so much more pronounced.

Also known as Rapini, Cima di rapa, Broccoli raab, Friarielli

Heart Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Insufficient

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Cardiovascular risk markers

Heart Health
Insufficient evidence

Rapini is grouped with other cruciferous vegetables in cohort studies of cardiovascular risk, but it has never been studied on its own. There is no dependable human research on this vegetable and any cardiovascular outcome.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

No source is attached to this association yet, so it is rated insufficient by default. It is listed because people commonly ask about it — not because there is evidence for it.

Ask about Broccoli rabe

Ask about Broccoli rabe

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories22 kcal1%
Protein3.17 g6%
Total fat0.49 g1%
Carbohydrate2.85 g1%
Fibre2.7 g10%
Total sugars0.38 g—
Water92.5 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.083 g0%
Monounsaturated fat0.044 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.218 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.029 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A131 µg15%
Vitamin C20.2 mg22%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E1.62 mg11%
Vitamin K224 µg187%
Thiamin (B1)0.162 mg14%
Riboflavin (B2)0.129 mg10%
Niacin (B3)1.22 mg8%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.322 mg6%
Vitamin B60.171 mg10%
Folate83 µg21%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline18.3 mg3%
Minerals
Calcium108 mg8%
Iron2.14 mg12%
Magnesium22 mg5%
Phosphorus73 mg6%
Potassium196 mg4%
Sodium33 mg1%
Zinc0.77 mg7%
Copper0.042 mg5%
Manganese0.395 mg17%
Selenium1 µg2%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene1573 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin1121 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash0.93 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Broccoli raab, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 170381).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • boiledReduces glucosinolates

    Blanching before sautéing is the standard Italian treatment and removes a large share of the water-soluble glucosinolates along with the bitterness they cause.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Interaction

    Vitamin K and warfarin

    The leaves carry substantial vitamin K1. Anyone taking warfarin should keep intake steady rather than eating large amounts sporadically.

  • Worth knowing

    Goitrogens at high intake

    Rapini is among the more glucosinolate-dense brassicas, and the thiocyanates released compete with iodine at the thyroid. The concern applies to very large sustained intakes, especially where iodine status is poor.

  • Too much

    Bitterness and stomach upset

    The compounds responsible for the bitterness are irritant in quantity, and the traditional blanching step exists partly to reduce them. Some people report stomach discomfort from unblanched rapini.