Cauliflower
Overview
Cauliflower is part of the cruciferous vegetable family. Cruciferous vegetables are loaded with health benefits and should be consumed at least two or three times per week, if not more often.
History
The ancestry of cauliflower can be traced back to wild cabbage, which is often thought to be indigenous to Asia Minor. Many centuries ago, cauliflower looked more like kale or collards than the current version that can be found in the market.
After undergoing many transformations, cauliflower reappeared in the regions surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. Cauliflower has been an important vegetable for centuries to the people who inhabit Italy and Turkey. In the mid-16th century, cauliflower was cultivated in the British Isles and Northern Europe. Currently, significant amounts of cauliflower production is also found in India, France, and the United States.
Nutritional Information
While cauliflower is not thought of as a staple in many diets and cultures, it does have the nutritional value to become part of a healthy diet. For instance, just one cup of cauliflower contains the following percentages of daily nutrient recommendations:
- Vitamin C – 85%
- Vitamin K – 20%
- Folate: 15%
- Choline – 11%
- Vitamin B6 – 10%
- Potassium – 9%
Cauliflower is very low in calories, with 100 grams of fresh cauliflower having just 26 calories. Cauliflower also has a very low fat content and contains no cholesterol.
This vegetable also contains many essential B-complex vitamins such as B5, B1 and B3. These vitamins are necessary for protein, fat and carbohydrates metabolism.
It is also a good source of minerals such as copper, calcium, and iron. Cauliflower also contains nearly 12 grams of fiber in every 12 grams of the vegetable.
Health Benefits
Several studies have been conducted regarding the health benefits of cauliflower in regard to helping to prevent certain types of cancer. Cauliflower seems especially useful in preventing breast cancer, colon cancer, bladder cancer, ovarian cancer and prostate cancer. The reasoning behind cauliflowers anti-cancer properties is that it is tied to three systems in the human body which are connected to cancer development and cancer prevention. These systems include the body’s system for detoxification, its inflammatory and anti-inflammatory system, and its antioxidant system. Imbalances in any of these systems due to chronic illnesses can increase a person’s risk for cancer. An imbalance in all three significantly increases the risk of cancer.
Cauliflower’s detoxification support includes the nutrients necessary for Phase 1 detox activities, as well as the sulfur-containing nutrients needed for Phase 2 detoxification. They phytonutrients found in cauliflower are known to help activate the enzymes involved in detoxification and help to regulate their activity in the body. The glucosinolates found in cauliflower are also present in broccoli, kale, Brussells sprouts and Savoy cabbage.
An adequate detoxification system is required by the body to prevent toxin-related damage that eventually increases the risk of cancer cell growth. Proper nutrients are paramount to maintaining a detoxification system which performs its job of ridding the body of such toxins.
As mentioned above, cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin K, which is a regulator of the body’s inflammatory response system. One of the glucosinolates present in cauliflower can be readily converted into a molecule called ITC, or indole-e-carbinol. This molecule is a powerful anti-inflammatory which operates at the genetic level to prevent the body from engaging in inflammatory responses at very early stages in this process.
While inflammation has not been viewed as a cause of cardiovascular problems, it is known that the role of undesired inflammation causes problems in the circulatory system and in the blood vessels themselves. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, cauliflower is now thought to be of benefit to the cardiovascular system.
The high fiber content of cauliflower (almost 12 grams to every 100 calories) makes this vegetable a superior choice for aiding the digestive system. Nearly half of a person’s daily recommended fiber content can be found in just 24 grams of cauliflower. The sulforaphane derived from one of cauliflower’s glucosinolates also helps to protect the stomach lining in the human body. This is accomplished by sulforaphane preventing bacterial overgrowth of helicobacter pylori in the stomach, and by preventing this bacterium from clinging to the stomach wall.
Current research also points to health benefits of cauliflower in the treatment of patients who are suffering from inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, obesity, insulin resistance, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis and type 2 diabetes.
Cooking Tips
Serving size for cauliflower in order to reap its rich health benefits should be between 1 and 2 cups. As is the case with most vegetables, the method of cooking should be one which allows only a minimum of nutrient loss. Sautèing is a good way to cook cauliflower and is much better (and can be tastier!) than boiling or steaming.
Cauliflower florets should be cut into quarters and allowed to sit for a few minutes before cooking. For added benefits, add 1 tsp. of turmeric when cooking in a skillet.
This vegetable is easy to mix with other vegetables, meat and lentils.
A tasty dish can be made with cauliflower and potatoes and is particularly popular in the south Asian countries of Pakistan, Nepal and India.
The florets can also be put into pasta bakes, soups and casseroles. An easy soup can be made of cooked and pureed cauliflower: just add fennel seeds and a few other choice spices or herbs.
Because the florets hold together so well, cauliflower (along with other vegetables such as carrots and broccoli) is great for dipping raw into sauces.
Cauliflower is a good diet food and is extremely low in calories.
References
- Holford, P. The optimum nutrition bible, Little Brown Group (2004)
- Holford, P & Lawson, S. Optimum Nutrition Made Easy How to achieve optimum health, Piatkus Books (2008)
- Murray, M.T. et al., Encyclopedia of healing foods, London : Piatkus (2005)
- The National Research Council. Recommended Dietary Allowances, 10th ed, National Academy of Sciences (1989)
- Werbach, M. Nutritional Influences on Illness, 2nd ed, Third Line Press (1993)
Posted in Cauliflower
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