Broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables available, providing a variety of important vitamins and minerals. Certain cooking methods, however, might reduce its nutritional value. While cooking broccoli, try not to destroy all the beneficial compounds by heating it past its optimal temperature. Cooking broccoli reduces the amount of vitamin C it contains. However, most of this loss can be recovered if you supplement your diet with more vitamin C-rich foods such as oranges or strawberries. Avoid boiling broccoli since that will cause the glucosinolates present in it to break down further than melting away under the heat of the water. Instead, use the steam function of a microwave or cook it in a saucepan of lightly salted water over low heat for 8 minutes per 1-inch stem. Steaming preserves much of the nutrition in the vegetable while eliminating some harmful compounds. However, if you prefer your food cooked well beyond steaming, then there's no need to worry about overcooking broccoli. Simply rinse it under cold water to remove any traces of bitterness before eating it. No, eating raw broccoli is not recommended. The glucosinolates present in it are degraded by the enzyme myrosinase which is activated when it comes into contact with oxygen.