Health Benefits of Cauliflower

January 21, 2022

You may have come across this vegetable, however you probably don’t understand the full benefits of this particular vegetable. We are referring to the vegetable called cauliflower. Now, just so you know, you can get different varieties of cauliflower from several countries. There’s white cauliflower and there’s Romanesco cauliflower. The white cauliflower is white of course. The Romanesco is the one that looks like the cauliflower has got little lumps on it. It is lime green in colour. There’s also Orange cauliflower and Purple cauliflower. Quite remarkable. Now the orange cauliflower and the purple cauliflower, you can normally find in the USA, Australia and France. In the UK, it seems to be always the lime green Romanesco or the white cauliflower.

Why is cauliflower so versatile? Number one, it is part of what we call the brassica family or the cruciferous vegetables, namely in parallel families cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprout, kale and cabbage. These are the cruciferous vegetables. The word cruciferous comes from the word crucifix like that’s a crossover. So anything that crosses over like a cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprout, and cabbages are part of the brassica family. A very important part of the brassica family is that it is a very good source of anti inflammatory properties.

The Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals and it is therefore an excellent vegetable to eat. It contains almost all the vitamins and minerals we need. It can be eaten raw and added to salads or other cooked foods or slightly cooked, either steamed or stir fried. The cauliflower consists of little florets and you can separate these florets. It should still be crunchy when eaten so ensure not to cook it on high heat or overcook it. You can also add carrots and green beans with the cauliflower, making your dish more colourful and nutritious. These vegetables are also highly alkaline and will be beneficial for your body, especially if you eat a lot of meat and other acidic foods.

The latest craze is to use grated cauliflower in place of rice or gluten free pizza dough. This makes a low calorie substitute for higher calorie foods such as rice and flour. It can therefore aid weight management or weight loss. One must take care though not to cook it on too high heat, otherwise you will just be eating for taste and fibre, however most of the nutrients would be destroyed by the high heat. The Indians use cauliflower in a dish called pakora which is normally deep fried. We recommend using coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil to gently fry the pakora to make it healthier.

The Cauliflower is also high in fibre and will aid digestion and also constipation. Constipation is one of the main causes of most diseases and illnesses as the body is unable to expel the toxic waste from the digestive system. You may be slim, however still constipated. Consuming sufficient fibre daily is important to prevent digestive issues such as diverticulitis, constipation and inflammatory bowel disease.

Manganese is a trace mineral found in cruciferous vegetables and is useful for preventing or treating hay fever. Cauliflower also contains Magnesium which is another mineral most people are deficient of these days. Another good source of magnesium is from nuts and seeds, however by the time these nuts and seeds get to us, the mineral is highly depleted. Cauliflower is excellent to build your immune system up with folate for pregnancy and a great anti-cancer vegetable.

Do also check out our short video below to find out how to heal Psoriasis and other illnesses using cauliflower.

Below is our cauliflower recipe:

Steam one Cauliflower and or Romanesco, after separating it into tiny bite size florets. Steam for maximum 5 minutes and remove from heat immediately and also remove the cover of the steamer to stop it from cooking further.
Steam one pontiac potato and one sweet potato until soft and mash these in a bowl with the cooked cauliflower
Mix well with 1 or 2 tablespoons of Pesto
Add 250 grams of soft goats cheese
Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of cumin, turmeric and chilli per taste
Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Add 1 tablespoon of sour cream
Add some Sel de Guerande sea salt per taste
Mix all above well and garnish with fresh coriander and chives.

Cauliflower is also high in choline, another essential nutrient most people are deficient in. Choline is involved in brain development and the production of neurotransmitters that are necessary for a healthy nervous system. It also helps bad cholesterol from accumulating in the liver.

Cauliflower can also be used in place of mash potatoes or chickpeas in hummus. Experiment with cauliflower and create your own recipes.