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Wednesday 28 June 2017

Eight Health Benefits of Cauliflower


"Cauliflower is an extremely healthy vegetable that’s a significant source of nutrients. It also contains unique plant compounds that may reduce the risk of several diseases, including heart disease and cancer. Additionally, it’s weight loss friendly and incredibly easy to add to your diet.

Here are 8 science-based health benefits of cauliflower.

1. Contains Many Nutrients

The nutrition profile of cauliflower is quite impressive.
Cauliflower is very low in calories yet high in vitamins. In fact, cauliflower contains some of almost every vitamin and mineral that you need.

Here is an overview of the nutrients found in 1 cup, or 128 grams, of raw cauliflower:
Calories: 25
Fiber: 3 grams
Vitamin C: 77% of the RDI
Vitamin K: 20% of the RDI
Vitamin B6: 11% of the RDI
Folate: 14% of the RDI
Pantothenic acid: 7% of the RDI
Potassium: 9% of the RDI
Manganese: 8% of the RDI
Magnesium: 4% of the RDI
Phosphorus: 4% of the RDI

Summary: Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, containing some of almost every vitamin and mineral that you need.

2. High in Fiber
Cauliflower is quite high in fiber, which is beneficial for overall health. There are 3 grams of fiber in one cup of cauliflower, which is 10% of your daily needs.
Fiber is important because it feeds the healthy bacteria in your gut that help reduce inflammation and promote digestive health.
Consuming enough fiber may help prevent digestive conditions like constipation, diverticulitis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Moreover, studies show that a diet high in fiber-rich vegetables like cauliflower is linked with a lower risk of several illnesses, including heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
Fiber may also play a role in obesity prevention, due to its ability to promote fullness and reduce overall calorie intake.

Summary: Cauliflower contains a high amount of fiber, which is important for digestive health and may reduce the risk of several chronic diseases.

3. Good Source of Antioxidants
Cauliflower is a great source of antioxidants, which protect your cells from harmful free radicals and inflammation. Similar to other cruciferous vegetables, cauliflower is particularly high in glucosinolates and isothiocyanates, two groups of antioxidants that have been shown to slow the growth of cancer cells.

...cauliflower contains high amounts of vitamin C, which acts as an antioxidant. It is well-known for its anti-inflammatory effects that may boost immune health and reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

Summary: Cauliflower provides a significant amount of antioxidants, which are beneficial for reducing inflammation and protecting against several chronic diseases.

4. May Aid in Weight Loss


Cauliflower has several properties that may help with weight loss.
First, it is low in calories with only 25 calories per cup, so you can eat a lot of it without gaining weight. It can also serve as a low-calorie substitute for high-calorie foods, such as rice and flour.
As a good source of fiber, cauliflower slows digestion and promotes feelings of fullness. This may automatically reduce the number of calories you eat throughout the day, an important factor in weight control.
High water content is another weight loss friendly aspect of cauliflower. In fact, 92% of its weight is made up of water. Consuming lots of water-dense, low-calorie foods is associated with weight loss.

Summary: Cauliflower is low in calories but high in fiber and water — all properties that may assist in weight loss.

5. High in Choline
Cauliflower is high in choline, an essential nutrient that many people are deficient in. Choline has several important functions in the body. To begin with, it plays a major role in maintaining the integrity of cell membranes, synthesizing DNA and supporting metabolism. Choline is also involved in brain development and the production of neurotransmitters that are necessary for a healthy nervous system. What’s more, it helps prevent cholesterol from accumulating in the liver.
Those who don’t consume enough choline may have a higher risk of liver and heart disease, in addition to neurological disorders like dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Not many foods contain choline. Cauliflower, along with broccoli, is one of the best plant-based sources of the nutrient.

Summary: Cauliflower is a good source of choline, a nutrient many people are lacking. It is involved in many processes in the body and works to prevent several diseases.

6. Rich in Sulforaphane
According to some studies, sulforaphane may also have the potential to stop cancer growth by destroying cells that are already damaged.
Sulforaphane appears to be most protective against colon and prostate cancer but has also been studied for its effects on many other cancers, such as breast, leukaemia, pancreatic and melanoma.
Research shows that sulforaphane may also help reduce high blood pressure and keep arteries healthy — both major factors in preventing heart disease.
While more research is necessary to determine the extent of sulforaphane’s effects in humans, its potential health benefits are promising.

Summary: Cauliflower is rich is sulforaphane, a plant compound with many beneficial effects, such as reduced risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

7. Low-Carb Alternative to Grains and Legumes
Cauliflower is incredibly versatile and can be used to replace grains and legumes in your diet. Not only is this a fantastic way to increase your veggie intake, but it is also especially helpful for those who follow low carb diets. This is because cauliflower is significantly lower in carbs than grains and legumes.

For example, a cup of cauliflower contains 5 grams of carbs. At the same time, a cup of rice contains 45 grams of carbs — nine times the amount of cauliflower.

Here are some examples of recipes that can be made with cauliflower instead of grains and legumes:
Cauliflower rice: Replace white or brown rice with cauliflower that has been grated and then cooked.
Cauliflower pizza crust: By pulsing cauliflower in a food processor and then making it into a dough, you can make a delicious pizza.
Cauliflower hummus: Chickpeas can be replaced with cauliflower in hummus recipes.
Cauliflower mash: Instead of making mashed potatoes, try a low-carb cauliflower mash.
Cauliflower tortillas: Combine pulsed cauliflower with eggs to make low-carb tortillas that can be used for wraps, taco shells or burritos.
Cauliflower mac and cheese: Cooked cauliflower can be combined with milk, cheese and spices to make mac and cheese.


Summary: Cauliflower can replace grains and legumes in many recipes, which is a great way to eat more veggies or follow a low-carb diet.

8. Easy to Add to Your Diet
Not only is cauliflower versatile, but it is also very easy to add to your diet. To begin with, you can consume it raw, which requires very little preparation. You can enjoy raw cauliflower florets as a snack dipped in hummus or another healthy vegetable dip.
Cauliflower can also be cooked in a variety of ways, such as steaming, roasting or sautéing. It makes an excellent side dish or can be combined with dishes like soups, salads, stir-fries and casseroles.

Summary: There are many ways to add cauliflower to your diet. It can be consumed cooked or raw and makes a fantastic addition to just about any dish.

The Bottom Line
Cauliflower provides some powerful health benefits.
It is a great source of nutrients, including a few that many people need more of. Plus, cauliflower contains unique antioxidants that may reduce inflammation and protect against several diseases, such as cancer and heart disease.
What’s more, cauliflower is easy to add your diet. It’s tasty, easy to prepare and can replace high-carb foods in several recipes."

The above words have been taken from Authority Nutrition site.
To see the full article with all information / research links use this link here

Parmesan Crusted Cauliflower - see more here

We bring a variety of articles, studies etc. plus recent news/views and recipe ideas to this blog, we hope something for everyone to read and enjoy.

Please note, not all may be suitable for you.

If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan

34 comments:

Catarina said...

It is good to be reminded how healthy cauliflower is. I usually don't buy it... but will start from now on.

Thanks

riitta k said...

I use quite a lot of cauliflower and broccoli and shall definitely try those parmesan crusted cauliflowers!

Christine said...

I was thinking the prices might go up as cauliflower is getting so popular with the low carb diets, thanks for all this info!

Valerie-Jael said...

Cauliflower is a wonderful veggie, I like it baked with cheese, hmm, could make that for my dinner today. Hugs, Valerie

only slightly confused said...

I like cauliflower....Do you have any remedy for how badly it stinks up the house when you cook it? My mother in law used tdo put a whole walnut in the cooking water and swore by it but it doesn't do much for me.

Mike@Bit About Britain said...

That's all very well, Jan - and jolly impressive etc. But I can't stand the stuff... :-)

Sue (this n that) said...

Hi Jan, I didn't quite realise all the nutritional benefits of cauliflower until reading your post. We enjoy grating it as a rice substitute for a bit of a change sometimes. Thanks for your post. Cheers!

Carol Blackburn said...

Gosh, I only ever eat it raw with ranch dip because the smell of it steamed is just horrendous. I will definitely have to experiment with this one. Hubby would love it. He's not full Keto but eats anything I cook so on his days off he eats what I eat and on days he works (4 per week) he eats what he wants. Better than not eating healthier at all. I've noticed him making better choices on his own too. Yipee! Thanks for this recipe. Enjoy your day.

Miss Val's Creations said...

I just started really getting into cauliflower a couple of years ago after seeing so many creative uses for it on the internet. It is so versatile and healthy! Our favorite way to have it is simple roasting it. We have not tried it a parmesan crust yet. That looks and sounds delicious!

Jo said...

I love cauliflower but my lot aren't keen so we don't have it very often. I like the sound of adding parmesan to the mix though, that might just encourage Eleanor to eat it more as she's a real cheese fiend.

William Kendall said...

I've always liked cauliflower, usually with a white sauce.

Blogoratti said...

That's a lot of health benefits, I must admit its not something I eat often. Appreciate you sharing the information, warm greetings!

Mary Kirkland said...

I love cauliflower and finding new ways to make it.

Mylittlepieceofengland said...

I didn't realise cauliflower was so good for you. I shall endeavour to include it more in our menus, though I don't like it raw xx

Lowcarb team member said...

Reading through the comments many have said how smelly cauliflower can be when cooking it.
Here are some tips to Minimize Cauliflower Cooking Odour ...

http://www.wikihow.com/Minimize-Cauliflower-Cooking-Odor

Hope it helps

All the best Jan

Alicia said...

I love cauliflower and am really enjoyed the frozen rice cauliflower products that steam in the microwave. Is it better for you and more nutritious in it's raw form? I love it both ways but I can see so many benefits for my 80 year old mother, but no ways is she eating it raw!

Connie said...

Good to know . . . your blog is so informative. Thank you!

Marcie said...

Yum. I have a few planted, but they will not be ready to harvest until fall. This is an informative post!

JFM said...

Great article yet again Jan! This is one delicious food that both hubby and I enjoy!!!

sheila 77 said...

Thanks for this, Jan. We used to make Cauliflower cheese but as I don't grow Cauliflower we haven't done that for a while. Will certainly do it soon, maybe this weekend. Cauliflower Macaroni cheese with toasted breadcrumbs - yes!
Thanks for all the nutritional details, Cauliflower certainly sounds like a
super-food.

Elephant's Child said...

All these benefits - and it tastes good too. Very good. I am particularly fond of cauliflower fried rice.

Sandra Cox said...

Good info on cauliflower! I hadn't heard that it could be a cancer fighter. Excellent.

Lisabella Russo said...

Thanks Jan! I love cauliflower, it's good to know that it's so healthy for us.

happyone said...

I'm sure glad cauliflower is so good for you because I like it a lot. : )

Lowcarb team member said...

Alicia said:
"I love cauliflower and am really enjoyed the frozen rice cauliflower products that steam in the microwave. Is it better for you and more nutritious in it's raw form? I love it both ways but I can see so many benefits for my 80 year old mother, but no ways is she eating it raw!"

There are both 'for's and against' with regard to the amount of nutrition when eating cauliflower raw to cooked ... have a look at this article here for an in-depth answer.
Cauliflower Nutrition Guide
http://www.livestrong.com/article/233468-cauliflower-nutrition-guide/

All the best Jan

Carla from The River said...

#7 ... thank you for sharing all the ideas for us to use cauliflower!! Great ideas and many I had no idea!

Linda said...

I do love cauliflower, Jan. Thank you so much for this.

River said...

One of my favourite vegetables, happy to find the parmesan recipe for it.

Conniecrafter said...

another vegetable I know I should eat more of ..... my girlfriend made a pizza crust from it once and that was very good, she also mixed it with some cheese though so that proably isn't very healthy way to eat it

Martha said...

Great post! When I was growing up, cauliflower was something my mother made regularly. She was always so good at cooking a lot of healthy foods.

Lisa said...

I thought of you today as I was in Asda and saw a packet of fresh cauliflower rice in the fruit and veg section!
Lisa x

Magic Love Crow said...

Thank you for this great information!!!

Healthytips said...

Thanks for sharing such beautiful information with us. I hope you will share some more information about cauliflower benefits. Please keep sharing.
Cauliflower Juice Benefits For Disease

baili said...

Great sharing dear Jan !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yes we too make tortilla filled with cauliflower which is favorite to all ages specially teens
thank you for insightful post once again