TECH

This broccoli latte is Australia’s strange superfood solution

Australia’s national science agency CSIRO teamed up with Hort Innovation to create a new kind of latte: one made with broccoli. The beverage is said to offer more health benefits than your average cup of joe, packing around one serving of broccoli per two tablespoons of the powdered beverage. Sound unappealing with your morning coffee? Researchers say it could be used in other food and drink items, too.
Healthy food is on the rise, but some remain skeptical about flavor. Coffee aficionados are arguably among the most discerning — and picky — beverage consumers, making a broccoli latte a questionable way to introduce a new health-centric beverage. Given how frequently coffee is consumed in some nations, though, it’s worth the effort.
According to CSIRO, a cafe located in Melbourne has started serving the broccoli latte brew, and so far the reviews are said to be mixed. The goal behind the powder is a noble one, though, aiming to increase the number of servings of “superfoods” in the average person’s diet. As you’d guess, the broccoli latte powder is made from broccoli.
The powder contains 100-percent broccoli made using whole broccoli; it is said to have the vegetable’s natural color and flavor, plus the nutrients you’d get from the actual food. The powder offers other benefits, too, such as fiber and some protein. Not so eager to try it mixed into a cup of coffee?
Researchers point out that the powder can be used in other recipes, including breads, soups, and vegetable drinks. Whether the powder will ever prove popular is anyone’s guess, but it’s safe to bet the market is accepting of new health food products.



Brittany Roston