The Health Benefits Of Consuming Cauliflower

Cauliflower, a cabbage of a variety which bears a large immature flower head of small creamy-white flower buds. Cauliflower is covered with several layers of green leaves attached to the stem.

The small, tender, inner leaves, which are yellow-green in color, are edible.

Cauliflower traces its ancestry to the wild cabbage, a plant thought to have originated in ancient Asia Minor, which resembled kale or collards more than the vegetable that we now know it to be.

The cauliflower went through many transformations and reappeared in the Mediterranean region, where it have been an important vegetable in Turkey and Italy since at least 600 B.C.

It gained popularity in France in the mid-16th century and was subsequently cultivated in Northern Europe and the British Isles. The United States, France, Italy, India, and China are countries that produce significant amounts of cauliflower.

Health Benefits Of Consuming Cauliflower:-

Cauliflower consumption can help decrease the risk of inflammation, diseases such as arthritis, obesity, diabetes mellitus, inflammatory bowel disease and ulcerative colitis.

A cup of boiled cauliflower contains about 11 micrograms of vitamin K and 0.21 g omega-3 fatty acids. Because of the omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin K in cauliflower, it helps to prevent chronic inflammation that leads to conditions such as arthritis, chronic pain, and certain bowel conditions.

In addition, one of the glucosinolates found in cauliflower-glucobrassicin, can be readily converted into an isothiocyanate molecule called ITC, or indole-3-carbinol.

A cup of boiled cauliflower delivers about 3.35 g of dietary fiber, which helps clean your digestive system and gets rid of unnecessary substances. Additionally, a substance called glucoraphin present in cauliflower appears to have a protective effect on your stomach lining.

With glucoraphin, your stomach is not prone to the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, thereby reducing your risk for stomach ulcer and cancer.

Cauliflower is a very good source of vitamin C and manganese, which are both powerful antioxidants.

In fact, 1 cup of boiled cauliflower can already give you 55 mg of vitamin C. Aside from these antioxidants, cauliflower also contains carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, and phytonutrients that include kaempferol, ferulic acid, cinnamic acid and caffeic acid.

With these antioxidants, you can be certain that eating cauliflower regularly will help protect you from free radical damage and reduce your risk for diseases caused by oxidative stress, such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Cauliflower helps women during pregnancy. As it is rich in folate and also vitamins like vitamin A and vitamin B, it helps in the growth of cells. This ultimately helps in the proper development of the fetus in the womb.

Cauliflower also contains calcium which has numerous benefits. Calcium helps to make our bones and teeth strong along with many other important functions like transmission of nerve impulses.

Cauliflower is easily prepared and can be found in supermarkets, so why not take advantage of this wonderful vegetable.