The History of Broccoli – Origins, Benefits to Why It Smells to Bad | Who Smarted?

A podcast that brings a fresh perspective to the distant past. Join host Jen McMenamy and Jenny Williamson as they delve into fascinating topics like the use of war elephants in ancient battles, the enigmatic role of mythology and shaping ancient cultures and the mysteries surrounding ancient natural disasters. And recent episodes like Berserker on The Battlefield and Catholic Werewolves showcase the podcast’s Clever Neck for blending educational content with fantastical stories. Now, I must warn you, ancient history fan girl is geared towards adults, and as such contain subject matter that may not be suitable for younger smarty pants. So please listen at your own discretion, but if you’re looking for a lively and enlightening exploration of the ancient world, tune into ancient history fan girl wherever you listen to podcasts. Hey there, smarty fans. Have you ever wondered about the lives of Kings, Queens, Royals, and other famous or infamous characters from history?

Speaker 1 (01:03):

Well, if so have I got the podcast for you? History Tee Time brings history to life with captivating and informative stories that are perfect for adults and older Smarty Pants host Lindsay Holiday narrates her super detailed research on a variety of fascinating topics in an easy to follow style. From the hidden stories of Henry VII’s, secret Children to the dramatic lives of the Romanoff Sisters history, tea time uncovers it all, plus it delves into modern royal practices like coronations and succession rules, placing them in a historical context with over 70 awesome episodes averaging 30 to 40 minutes. They’re the perfect length for a commute or relaxing break. Tune into history tee time on iTunes, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform for a delightful journey through the past. You’re listening to Who’s Smarted, A big shout out to Chrissy and her daughters, Ava and Chloe, for their amazing posters for the Thomas Edison episode. Join them and our growing community of smartyants@facebook.com. Who’s smarted and who knows? You might get your own shout out too.

Speaker 2 (02:15):

Emperor Generic is you asked to see me, your realness?

Speaker 3 (02:18):

Ah, yes. Tics. You are my most trusted aide in all of Rome.

Speaker 2 (02:24):

Yes. Si. I was born to serve.

Speaker 3 (02:26):

Don’t Interrupt.

Speaker 2 (02:26):

Yes, my Lord. Shutting Aus.

Speaker 3 (02:28):

It is my divine right to ask for things and it is your job to fetch them for me.

Speaker 2 (02:36):

Yes. That is why you named me Go fetus.

Speaker 3 (02:39):

There You go. Talking again.

Speaker 2 (02:40):

Sorry. My baccus.

Speaker 3 (02:42):

Remember that time I asked for a little toy that I could throw away only to have it magically return back to my hand.

Speaker 2 (02:50):

Ah, yes. Your yo-Yo, I got that from the Greeks.

Speaker 3 (02:53):

Yes. My yo-Yo watch. I call this releasing the Kraken.

Speaker 2 (03:01):

Wow. You’ve gotten quite good at yo-yoing

Speaker 3 (03:03):

Indeed. And remember the time I requested a cute, furry creature whose nose is always wet.

Speaker 2 (03:09):

I do. I found the perfect bologna’s puppy in bologna. Oh,

Speaker 3 (03:13):

Thank you. Thank you for my levy, dove, fluffy, oral, and I never Daddy loves you. We’ll now go fetch. I have a new desire. What you must fetch for me immediately. It cannot wait another instant.

Speaker 2 (03:27):

Yes. Your highness name it and I shall fetch it. I

Speaker 3 (03:30):

Want a food, but not just any food. I want to feel like a giant eating the wild fetch me a food that resembles a little tree.

Speaker 2 (03:40):

Sir,

Speaker 3 (03:40):

You heard me? I want a food that looks like a little tree. In fact, I want a lot of them. I want my plate to look like a tiny forest, preferably something healthy. I’m trying to lose weight. I can barely fit into my tunic.

Speaker 2 (03:52):

Perhaps a vegetable.

Speaker 3 (03:54):

Yes. Find me such a vegetable

Speaker 2 (03:56):

Right away, sir.

Speaker 4 (04:00):

Yeah. Whoa.

Speaker 2 (04:08):

Who goes there?

Speaker 1 (04:09):

Me? I’m your trusty narrator.

Speaker 2 (04:11):

Yes. Well, I’m the emperor’s most trusted A on a royal quest. And you are blocking the road.

Speaker 1 (04:15):

You don’t say, tell me, what do you seek in your quest?

Speaker 2 (04:19):

If you must know I seek a vegetable that looks like a little tree. I don’t suppose you know where I could find such a delicacy.

Speaker 1 (04:25):

A little tree. Huh? What vegetable looks like a little tree. Hmm. Any ideas what it could be? What was that? Did you say Broccoli.

Speaker 2 (04:35):

Broccoli. What f Pray tell is broccoli.

Speaker 1 (04:39):

It’s an edible green plant in the cabbage family with a large flowering head that looks like leaves on a tree and a stalk that looks like a tree trunk. It is a broccoli that you seek. Try the Etruscans.

Speaker 2 (04:50):

Thank your kind, sir. You are a job and a lifesaver. The emperor can be kind of a jerk when he doesn’t get what he wants. I won’t forget.

Speaker 3 (05:02):

You Go fetus. You’ve returned. Have you brought me my tiny vegetable trees?

Speaker 2 (05:08):

I have, sir. Yes. Behold the broccoli.

Speaker 3 (05:13):

Splendid. Splendid. What does that mean? Broccoli.

Speaker 2 (05:17):

It means middle arms,

Speaker 3 (05:19):

Little arms. Fascinating. Go on. Go on.

Speaker 2 (05:24):

The Etruscan invented broccoli around the eighth century BC near Tuscany. It comes from the wild mustard plant, Rasika Akia, which grows all around the Mediterranean.

Speaker 3 (05:34):

Ooh. But is it healthy?

Speaker 2 (05:36):

Is it why? It’s a superfood low in calories, but rich with a wealth of nutrients and antioxidants. It is among the healthiest foods a human can put in their body.

Speaker 3 (05:46):

Splendid. Go fetus. I have, but one more question. Did you discover all of this on your own?

Speaker 2 (05:54):

Why? Of course. My Lord.

Speaker 3 (05:55):

So nobody helped you.

Speaker 2 (05:56):

I did it all by myself for I am smart.

Speaker 3 (06:00):

Interesting. Listen,

Speaker 2 (06:04):

What is that? Are? Are you eating a broccoli?

Speaker 4 (06:08):

Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>.

Speaker 2 (06:09):

But how?

Speaker 1 (06:11):

What’s up, kid? I remembered I had a spare broccoli in my pocket, so I figured I’d drop it off.

Speaker 3 (06:16):

Go fetus. I trusted you and you lied to me. I didn’t mean to. Please trust me. Yes. Well, tomorrow you can win back, your honor. Fighting the gladiators. In the coliseum. Guards. Guards. Take him away.

Speaker 4 (06:29):

No,

Speaker 1 (06:34):

He seemed like a trustee aide. But hey, I’ve been fooled before.

Speaker 3 (06:38):

What about you? Can I trust you to tell me the truth about broccoli?

Speaker 1 (06:43):

Absolutely. I can tell you why broccoli is so healthy some ways to make it taste better. And

Speaker 3 (06:50):

Ooh, excuse me, I, oh boy. Oh, it’s not me. It’s the broccoli. Oh, what’s going on back there?

Speaker 1 (07:01):

I can tell you why broccoli gives you gas.

Speaker 3 (07:04):

Oh that smell. Oh, I’m gonna pass Atticus.

Speaker 1 (07:06):

It’s time for another whiff of science on

Speaker 3 (07:10):

Oh, smart. And Who Smarted? Who’s smart? Is it you? Is it me? Is it science or history? Listen up everyone. We make smart lots of fun on Who Smarted?

Speaker 4 (07:29):

Head.

Speaker 1 (07:31):

Okay, some of you SmartyAnts are probably saying, Hey, there was no emperor geneticist who ruled ancient Rome, to which we say, you got us. We invented him. But the ancient Etruscans did invent broccoli. And it is true. Ancient Romans loved their tiny veggie trees. In fact, one of the oldest cookbooks dating back 2000 years includes several recipes for broccoli, but no Caesar salad.

Speaker 1 (08:01):

But it doesn’t take a degree in history to know broccoli stinks. Don’t believe me. Thank you. Think about that smell of broccoli boiling on the stove. Take a whiff. Ew. It smells like that’s right. Broccoli not only smells like farts, but it also helps you make ’em too. But why? Broccoli is what’s known as a cruciferous vegetable. That means it’s rich in sulfur. And when you cook cruciferous vegetables and water, all that sulfur, lets loose. Ugh. Excuse you, broccoli. It turns out roasting broccoli in the oven or just eating it raw will solve the stench and preserves all the natural punch this veggie has to offer. But what about the smells coming out of you when you eat broccoli? Do I really need to play another fart sound effect to help you understand? Fine. Oh man. P you. Are you sure? That was just a sound effect anyway, to find out how and why broccoli gasses up your body in more ways than one Stick around.

Speaker 5 (08:59):

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Speaker 6 (09:01):

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Speaker 5 (09:03):

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Speaker 1 (09:10):

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Speaker 5 (09:12):

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Speaker 6 (09:12):

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Speaker 5 (09:14):

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Speaker 6 (09:17):

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Speaker 5 (09:24):

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Speaker 7 (09:30):

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Speaker 8 (09:35):

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Speaker 7 (09:53):

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Speaker 1 (10:01):

Okay, I think we were talking about, yes. Well, it seems our friend broccoli has a lot of fiber, and the fiber is not completely digested in your small intestine. When the good bacteria in the large intestine gets to work digesting it, gas is created as a result. Eating large amounts of veggies like broccoli, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts will definitely help you pass the gas to win the war against farts. Try eating slowly, drinking lots of fluids, and avoid tight fitting clothes. One thing you don’t want to avoid is eating more broccoli, because farting aside, broccoli is one of the healthiest foods around. Quick quiz. Which of these has the most Vitamin? C. A oranges. B, orange juice. C, orange, soda, D, broccoli, orange. You glad you said broccoli because you are right. And if you said orange soda, you just added some to your, in addition to vitamin C, broccoli is also chockfull of vitamin A, K, and B, as well as healthy fiber and minerals. It’s even said to help prevent cancer. So with all the health benefits, why does it seem the world loves to hate broccoli?

Speaker 9 (11:24):

This day in history, March 22nd, 1990, president George HW Bush is about to make a special announcement from the White House.

Speaker 10 (11:34):

I do not like broccoli <laugh>, and I haven’t liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I’m president of the United States, and I’m not gonna eat any more broccoli. <laugh>.

Speaker 1 (11:45):

Yikes. That was a rough day for broccoli. Why the most powerful man in the world decided to savage Broccoli is anyone’s guess. Maybe it had to do with this other famous clip.

Speaker 10 (11:57):

Read my lips.

Speaker 1 (12:01):

Anyway, the President wasn’t alone in his disdain for broccoli. Here’s a joke. What’s the difference between boogers and broccoli?

Speaker 1 (12:15):

Give up. Kids don’t eat broccoli. Now, some of you might like broccoli, but I’m sure plenty of you are thinking broccoli is yucky. You don’t want it. You won’t eat it. Just stop talking about it. But let’s see if we can change your mind, because besides being super healthy, broccoli is one of the most versatile foods around. It can be steamed, boiled, roasted, or eaten raw. You can smother it in cheese sauce, pureed and soup, roast it with Parmesan cheese or lemon, glaze it with brown sugar, dip it into hummus. Chop it up into pasta or mac and cheese. You can make broccoli cheddar muffins. Have it in a loaded baked potato, or even as a topping on pizza. Pizza. Come on, I, I know some of that had to sound pretty good. So stay healthy. Eat your broccoli and be sure to thank the ancient Romans.

Speaker 2 (13:04):

Emperor generic is You summoned me. Your royalness. Yes,

Speaker 3 (13:08):

I see you’ve survived the gladiators.

Speaker 2 (13:11):

I did, my Lord. And the lions and the tigers and an elephant. Wow.

Speaker 3 (13:17):

Splendid. Well, I have another quest for you. Very exciting. I saw in a book a white horse like Creature with a long Longhorn protruding from its nose. I want you to bring me two of them. Yes. Wait, wait. I’m not, I’m not done. Uh, where are you going? Ugh.

Speaker 2 (13:36):

Back to the dungeon.

Speaker 3 (13:38):

Go Fetus. Come back. Go. Fetus. Go. Go fetch some somebody. Fetus. Go Fetus.

Speaker 1 (13:49):

Join the who smarted community@facebook.com slash who smarted and sign up for our free activity guide at whosmarted.com . This episode Broccoli was written by Rebecca Ratliff Cameron, and voiced by Jason Williams, Adam Tex Davis, and yours truly. Jerry Colbert, technical direction and sound design by Josh Hanh, who Smarted was recorded and mixed at the Relic Room Studio theme song by Brian Suarez. Lyrics written and performed by Adam Tex Davis, who Smarted was created and produced by Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Culbert. This has been an atomic entertainment production.