8 Reasons Why You Should Eat Cauliflower Today

One of the best reasons to eat cauliflower is because it tastes so good but it is also one of the healthiest foods on earth. Unlike pasta, white bread and sugar, cauliflower is a white food you can feel good about eating.

It is a non-starchy cruciferous vegetable like cabbage and broccoli but cauliflower is special because it is very versatile. It can be added to soup instead of potatoes to create a velvety texture. Spice it up and roast it in the oven for a quick and easy vegetable dish. When cauliflower is steamed and mashed with a little organic butter it is better than mashed potatoes. Put it in a food processor and pulse it into cauliflower “rice” for a low glycemic side dish. My new favorite is cauliflower pizza crust. (recipe below). The ways to use cauliflower are almost unlimited.

Because it tastes so good and is low calorie, it’s very easy to eat 2 cups or more of cooked cauliflower at one time, especially when you use it mashed or chopped. It is a powerhouse full of nutrients.

8 Reasons to Eat Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable that is particularly beneficial due to its special combination of phytochemicals called carotenoids, tocopherols, and ascorbic acid.

1. Reduces Inflammation

Excess Inflammation is the primary cause of nearly all chronic diseases we experience in modern society. Cauliflower contains a wealth of anti-inflammatory nutrients to help keep inflammation in check. It is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds which lower oxidative stress and the presence of free-radicals in our body.

One cup of cauliflower contains 73% of the daily recommended amount of Vitamin C, helping to reduce inflammation, boost immunity and keep your body from getting infections and colds.

2. Prevents The Growth of Cancer Cells

Cauliflower is rich in glucosinolates – a large group of beneficial sulfur-containing compounds that have been shown to kill cancer stem cells, halting tumor cells from further reproducing. These sulphur compounds are what gives cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables like cabbage and broccoli their distinctive smell when they are cooking.

Glucosinolates essentially act like natural pesticides in plant cells; when they are consumed by humans they are utilized for DNA repair and help prevent cancer by slowing the growth of mutated cancer cells.

3. High Levels of Vitamins and Minerals
(Especially Vitamin C and K)

In addition to Vitamin C, cauliflower is also a good source of vitamin K, which is a fat soluble vitamin that is absorbed in the intestines. Therefore it is good to eat cauliflower with a healthy fat like coconut oil or cultured butter.

Vitamin K helps keep your skeletal structure healthy. It assists the transport of calcium throughout the body. reduces bone loss, and decreases the risk of bone fractures. It helps prevent calcification of arteries and other soft tissue. Vitamin K also helps with blood clotting necessary for responding to injuries. Vitamin K turns inflammation off in the body.

The chart below shows the nutrients you get from only 1 cup of cauliflower. Because it taste so good you will probably eat more.

4. Supports Your Heart

High levels of inflammation are correlated with an increase in stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Cauliflower’s anti-inflammatory nutrients help keep arteries and blood vessels free from plaque build-up, lessening the chance of excess cholesterol.

Sulforaphane in cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables significantly improves blood pressure and kidney function

5. Good For Your Brain

Cauliflower is a good source of choline, a B vitamin known for its role in brain development. Choline helps boost cognitive function, and improve learning and memory. It may even diminish age-related memory decline.

Cauliflower’s powerful nutrients help to stop the immune system from operating on overdrive, creating auto-immune reactions that can lead to oxidative stress capable of damaging brain cells.

5. Improves Digestion

The glucosinolates in cauliflower help protect the lining of the stomach reducing the chances of developing leaky gut or other digestive disorders. The sulforphane helps prevent bacterial overgrowth from occurring in the gut microbiome. It helps keep the bad bacteria from taking over, allowing the good bacteria to thrive.

Cauliflower is a good source of dietary fiber. It helps reduce constipation and keeps excess waste moving out of your body, which always makes you to feel better.

6. Helps Maintain Your Natural Body Weight

Cauliflower is very low in calories (only 29 calories per cup), and has very low levels of carbs and sugar. This makes it a great food to eat to keep your blood sugar in balance. Using cauliflower instead of potatoes in soups and other foods prevents blood sugar spikes. The fiber in cauliflower keeps you full and satisfied without over eating.

7. Supports Detoxification

The fat soluble environmental toxins and heavy metals in the air we breathe also pollutes the soil and even the organic foods we eat daily. These toxins are very hard to detoxify and we cannot avoid them. A strong digestive system is how the body removes these toxins.

Cauliflower helps your body’s ability to detoxify in multiple ways. It contains antioxidants that support the digestive system and Phase 1 detoxification.

Glucosinolates activate the body’s detoxification system. Chewing breaks down glucosinolates into their active form, which triggers the detoxification process. These help in the Phase 2 detoxification activities and activate detoxification enzymes.

There are many ways to enjoy cauliflower. Here are a few cauliflower recipes for you to enjoy.

8 Reasons Why You Should Eat Cauliflower Today

Recipe Key