BENEFITS OF EATING CAULIFLOWER

As a member of the crucifera family, cauliflower has many of the same nutritional benefits as broccoli, kale or cabbage, including cancer-fighting antioxidants. The mild flavor of cauliflower makes it easy to incorporate into soups, stews and curries. You can serve cauliflower raw, or steam, bake or saute it. Cauliflower is usually white, but orange and purple varieties are also available. Purple cauliflower cooks faster and tastes a bit sweeter than other cauliflowers -- the florets turn green when they are cooked.

Anti-cancer Compounds
Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower have some of the highest cancer-fighting abilities of all foods. Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables contain glucosinolates, sulfur compounds that account for their unique flavor profile. The body processes glucosinolates into isothicyanates, or ITCs. According to Joel Fuhrman, M.D., ITCs remove carcinogens from the body, kill cancer cells and slow the growth of tumors. Fuhrman recommends eating plenty of cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower as part of an anti-cancer diet.

Vitamin C
Oranges get all the good press for vitamin C content, but cauliflower is no slacker in that department. A 1-cup serving of cauliflower -- about one-sixth of a medium-sized head -- supplies 100 percent of your daily recommended vitamin C. Vitamin C boosts your immune system, improves your absorption of iron and helps maintain healthy teeth, gums and blood vessels.

Beta Carotene
Standard white cauliflower contains very little beta carotene, but orange cauliflower is full of it. Orange cauliflower is the result of a random, natural mutation of white cauliflower that was discovered in Canada, and it contains carotenoids, the same compounds found in carrots that give them their orange flavor and high beta carotene content. Beta carotene provides the body with vitamin A and may also improve your cardiovascular heath and fight cancer. Orange cauliflower heads tend to be smaller than white cauliflower. They may only be available seasonally or at specialty markets.

Other Benefits
Cauliflower also provides folate, calcium, potassium and selenium. A 1-cup serving of cauliflower contains 2 g of fiber, 2 g of protein and 26 calories. Cauliflower is naturally fat-free, although of course the fat content will increase if you top it with butter.

Buying and Using Cauliflower
Look for firm heads with no discoloration. The leaves surrounding the head should be bright green and not wilted. A whole head of cauliflower will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week, but once it's been cut it will spoil faster. To clean cauliflower, first tear off the leaves, then carefully cut the main stem off with a sharp knife. After that you can cut off individual florets from the underside of the cauliflower. Rinse the florets with water before use.

Source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/495685-what-are-the-benefits-of-eating-cauliflower/

Health benefits of Cauliflower

It is very low in calories. 100 g of the fresh cauliflower head provides only 26 calories. Nevertheless, it comprises of several health-benefiting antioxidants and vitamins in addition to be very low in fat and contains no cholesterol.

Its florets contain about 2 g of dietary fiber per 100 g; providing about 5% of recommended value.

Cauliflower contains several anti-cancer phyto-chemicals like sulforaphane and plant sterols such as indole-3-carbinol, which appears to function as an anti-estrogen agent. Together these compounds have proven benefits against prostate, breast, cervical, colon, ovarian cancers by virtue of their cancer-cell growth inhibition, cytotoxic effects on cancer cells.

Furthermore, Di-indolyl-methane (DIM), a lipid soluble compound present abundantly in Brassica group of vegetables has found effective as immune modulator, anti-bacterial and anti-viral compound by synthesis and potentiating Interferon-Gamma receptors. DIM has currently been found application in the treatment of recurring respiratory papillomatosis caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and is in Phase III clinical trials for cervical dysplasia.

Fresh cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin C; 100 g provides about 48.2 mg or 80% of daily recommended value. Vitamin-C is a proven antioxidant helps fight against harmful free radicals, boosts immunity and prevents from infections and cancers.

It contains good amounts of many vital B-complex groups of vitamins such as folates, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B6) and thiamin (vitamin B1), niacin (B3) as well as vitamin K. These vitamins is essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish and required for fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism.

Further, It is an also good source of minerals such as manganese, copper, iron, calcium and potassium. Manganese is used in the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Potassium is an important intracellular electrolyte helps counter the hypertension effects of sodium.

Source: http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/cauliflower.html