Is Broccoli Man Made? (Or is it Natural)

Is broccoli man made, or is it natural? Well, a good number of vegetables, fruits, and nuts are not natural. And these vegetables are mainly obtained from a process called selective breeding.

However, this cannot be mistaken for forced modification. Broccoli is one of the vegetables that is a human invention. So if you have asked, is it possible for fruits and vegetables to be man-made? You now have the answer.

But if these vegetables are man-made, how are they safe to eat? Does it mean that they are one of the most famous experiments by scientists?

Not precisely, but sit back and learn how broccoli came to be and all there is to know about selective breeding.

Fun Facts About Broccoli

Also referred to as broccoli Rabe, broccoli is one of the cruciferous vegetables from the same family as the cabbage. It is related to kale, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. All these vegetables, including broccoli, are oozing with many health benefits. Broccoli offers many nutrients, including fiber, vitamin K, vitamin C, iron, and potassium.

Due to its versatility, broccoli is now one of the most popular vegetables in many regions for culinary purposes. Broccoli is fresh, and you can even find them frozen in many grocery stores. There are a good number of dishes that you can make with broccoli.

Scientifically referred to as brassica oleracea, broccoli is a popular vegetable grown for its edible leaves. Broccoli is a biennial plant. However, many farmers grow it as an annual plant. It is mainly planted in the spring because it is a cool-season crop.

When broccoli is left in a favorable condition, it will reward your effort by growing 60-90cm tall. Suffice it to say that it is a fast-growing crop, but this is a guarantee if you leave them in good condition.

Although broccoli does well in slightly acidic soils, it can grow in various soils. So it is relatively easy to grow even if it is your first time growing this wonderful vegetable. Furthermore, although it is a biennial plant, most farmers grow it annually.

Broccoli is a sought-after vegetable that many people enjoy because of its nutritional profile and its benefits for health. But how can a great vegetable not be naturally made?

See Also: Different Growing Stages of Broccoli

Is Broccoli Man Made?

First, broccoli is not made in a lab by any lab scientists or through a series of experiments. Yes, broccoli came to be after some series of processes, yet it is not made by GMO (genetic modification). Broccoli is made through a series of a process referred to as selective breeding.

What is Selective Breeding?

Selective breeding is the process that involves the picking of a parent plant with some characteristics to foster the production of offspring with more good features.

Although this practice is more achieved in plants, it is also conducted in animals. So over thousands of years, this act has been in practice for a long time.

So, the aim of selective breeding is to replicate characteristics found in a parent plant onto another plant, so it is more acceptable and desirable to the person responsible for breeding the plant.

This process is seen as laborious because it requires a lot of time, techniques, and waiting before anyone can achieve a great result.

So, it turns out that broccoli is man-made because it is bred from wild cabbages. And broccoli is mainly cultivated to have a specific taste that suits people’s desires and satisfaction.

Can You Grow Broccoli? 

Perhaps you are worried since broccoli is man-made and undergo selective breeding, which requires enormous responsibility and effort. Can you grow broccoli?

The short answer is yes. You can grow broccoli whether it is your first time or not. You only need a simple guide to help you know how to grow broccoli.

Is Broccoli Shallenging to Grow? 

Broccoli is easy to grow and would easily reward your efforts by yielding quickly. It would take about two to three months to see a remarkable change after planting broccoli.

However, if you intend to go through selective breeding, then be ready to have a thick skin as it comes with filtering and selecting the best plants to breed.

Is Broccoli Safe to Eat? 

Of course, broccoli is safe for consumption. After all, it is filled with so many nutrients and benefits.

This wonderful vegetable is one of the healthiest vegetables you would find in any grocery store or garden, little wonder many people refer to it as a superfood. So fret not anytime you have some broccoli served right before you.

The truth is that you are about to grace your taste bud with a carefully grown plant to enhance the taste. Now let’s look at other well-known plants that came into existence due to selective breeding.

Plants that came into existence as a result of selective breeding (the third one might be a shocker)

• Okra
• Wheat
• Banana
• Sunflower
• Soybeans
• Corn

So you now see that broccoli is only one amongst other vegetables or crops made by selective breeding.

Conclusion

It’s almost difficult to believe that some plants are man-made, but our guide has proven that some are man-made. Broccoli is a great vegetable that is a human invention.

So if you visited this guide asking if broccoli is man-made? Well, now you know that before broccoli comes to be, it goes through the process we refer to selective breeding.

And although this might seem like a laborious process, many gardeners can produce good broccoli with great taste through the process.