Broccoli Coffee Is The Food Trend You Didn't Ask For, But Here's Why It's Worth Trying

Growing up, did your parents remind you (relentlessly) to eat your vegetables? How about drinking them? Sure, you could grab a V8, or swap your fave mochaccino for a Bloody Mary at brunch (alcoholic veggie drinks are still veggie drinks, girl), but what if I told you there now exists a compromise where both you and the parental units can have their way? Enter: broccoli coffee. Don’t give me that look — I know what you must be thinking: What is broccoli coffee, and why on earth would anyone take going green that far? Trust me, I get it. I won’t even drink a green juice, let alone take my morning joe with extra broc, but this new foodie trend isn’t so pseudo, and if I’m giving you the go-ahead, it’s probably legit.

For the record, I’m not a nutritionist, or a dietitian. I have no certification whatsoever to say, definitively, that you should, or should not, be eating or drinking something. That’s between you and your doctor. I am, however, a foodie fad connoisseur, and when a new, so-called "health food," ingredient, or unique combo starts trending, my ears perk up like a dog that smells bacon.

Generally speaking, I’ll try everything once, unless, of course, what’s being buzzed about is just BS, or not really all that “healthy,” like raw water, for example, or worse, raw milk. When I got wind of broccoli coffee, though, my initial response was part confusion, part disgust. But as I read into the concept a little more, my tone changed: Broccoli coffee, my friends, might just be a stroke of genius.

Broccoli coffee is the food industry's latest stab at sneaking extra greens into your diet, and TBH, it might just work.

If you’re having visions of floating heads of broccoli, or backwashed-looking chunks interrupting each sip of your Starbucks order, relax — no one’s trying to make your morning coffee chunky. I think we can all agree, if you’re going to have fresh produce in the morning, it belongs in an omelette, blended in a smoothie, or juiced, and that’s exactly why broccoli coffee is so brilliant. Broccoli coffee isn’t made with fresh florets; it’s made with broccoli powder. Now are you seeing the light?

According to Mashable, broccoli coffee was developed by Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and Hort Innovation, and taste tests took place at the Commonfolk cafe in Melbourne. Baristas whipped up rounds of broccolattes (can’t make this stuff up) to get a feel for whether or not veggie-spiked, caffeinated sips were the thing of the future. The reviews were mixed, as you can imagine, but while it may be an acquired taste, if you can manage to not completely loathe mixing the powder into your morning fix, it could be a decent way to down a significant portion of the recommended daily veggie intake.

Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2017 statistics, only one in every 10 American adults meet their daily recommended fruit (one and a half to two cups) and vegetable (two to three cups) servings, and it turns out, Aussies are having the same issue. According to John Lloyd, chief executive of Hort Innovation, the average Australian “is still not eating the recommended daily intake of vegetables a day,” and that’s where supplements like broccoli powder can be useful.

So even if broccoli coffee doesn’t sound super yummy to you, it might be worth adding broccoli powder to some of your other favorite recipes.

It's noted in the CSIRO’s report that broccoli powder is made from 100 percent whole broccoli and has been pre-treated and dried to ensure the all the natural colors, flavors, and nutrients are accounted for in powder form. Lead researcher, Mary Ann Augustin of CSIRO, even confirmed the powder is high in protein, fiber, and two tablespoons will yield one full serving of broccoli. That's a lot of veggie-packed benefits for just two spoonfuls. Plus, according to ScienceAlert, bonus points have to be given for the fact that each packet of broccoli powder is produced from veggies that are considered too "ugly" to sell, and that would otherwise be tossed in the trash. So yay for eating your veggies and making the world a better place, too!

But in all seriousness, if you're really not looking to spice up your favorite morning beverage, I can't say I blame you. I just started adding collagen powder to my tea, and that was a huge step for me. Granted, collagen powder doesn't really have a taste, but you get the gist. Broccoli powder clearly has some sort of flavor going on, as you can see from CSIRO's video above. So if you'd rather keep broccoli separate from coffee, the good news is you can eat your favorite foods, and still reap the benefits of this newly developed supplement.

Personally, I feel like broccoli is just one of those vegetables there's no middle ground on. People either love broccoli, or they loathe it. I love broccoli and eat it almost every other day at home, but if getting in your greens is a trip on the struggle bus for ya, no sweat. Consider broccoli powder just another A-plus additive for fruit smoothies. Combined with berries and milk, you'll hardly taste the greens, but will still benefit from all its nutrients like vitamins B6, C, E, K, folate, and manganese.

For those who aren't huge smoothie fans who maybe prefer warmer to cooler meals, you can totally mix a few spoonfuls into your favorite soup. And, if you're feeling extra experimental, the powder has been approved for baking use, according to The Guardian. I don't know about you, but I could definitely get down with broccoli-enhanced muffin tops or cakes.

It really all comes down to whatever your taste buds prefer, but I highly advise you take advantage of this authentically all-veg supplement because, let's be real, who couldn't benefit from a little extra greenery in life? Bon appétit!