Well, it’s available all year long, but when does it peak? When is it best to purchase a head of this nutritionally power-packed veg?

Its peak season is October through April. This is good news, since of all the good veggies there are for you, broccoli is one of the best. It is high in vitamins, calcium and fiber and low in fat and calories. But that’s not all – broccoli, along with cabbage, cauliflower, turnips, and Brussels sprouts, is known to be full of carcinogens. These are natural substances which serve to help protect the body against certain kinds of cancers and heart disease.

Buying this vegetable (or any vegetable, for that matter) during its peak season will give you a better product and you’ll get the optimal amount of those vitamins, nutrients and cancer-whomping components that you may be looking for in your vegetable – not to mention it will probably lower the cost. To find the best head of broccoli, look for tight and compact bud clusters that are dark green, and which sometimes have a bit of purple. You want the stem to be a lighter shade of green, and don’t purchase anything that’s yellowed or looks dry.