Yes, cauliflower is good for you. But some people need to be careful.
Anyone looking to include more vegetables in their diet has many opportunities to do so during fall. It's the time of year when a host of vegetables are in season and when many of our favorite holiday dishes call for vegetables as central ingredients. Think pumpkin pie, yams, Thanksgiving salad, breakfast casserole, sweet potato hash, soup bowls and glazed carrots.
Another vegetable that's in season this time of year and popular in many fall and holiday recipes is cauliflower. People enjoy it in cauliflower soup, cauliflower casserole, cauliflower rice or served as a side either as raw florets or in baked or roasted form.
Mashed cauliflower is also popularly used as a substitute for potatoes, "especially as a way of helping people who are managing their blood sugars reduce their carbohydrate intake," says Jen Messer, a nutrition consultant and registered dietitian at Jen Messer Nutrition. Still, despite so many advantages, not everyone tolerates cauliflower the same way.
What is cauliflower?
Though technically a flowering plant, the cauliflower we eat is harvested well before it blooms is and is usually classified as a vegetable. It belongs to the Brassica oleracea species - the same cruciferous vegetable family that includes broccoli, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts and collard greens.
It's planted in the spring or early summer and is in season from late summer through fall. It's grown in fertile soil that drains well with consistent watering. China and India produce the majority of the world's cauliflower, followed by the U.S., per the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. California is responsible for most of the cauliflower produced in the country, followed by Arizona.
While many people think of cauliflower as being exclusively white, there are also purple, orange and green cauliflower varieties.
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Is cauliflower good for you?
No matter where your cauliflower is grown or what color it is, the vegetable packs a ton of nutrients. For example, one medium head of cauliflower contains 129 milligrams of calcium, 88 milligrams of magnesium, 259 milligrams of phosphorus and 1,760 milligrams of potassium - plus zinc, iron, copper, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate, lutein, vitamin K and a whopping 11 grams of protein and nearly 12 grams of dietary fiber, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Such nutrients can help protect cells from harmful free radicals, improve gut health and reduce the risk of chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, says LeeAnn Weintraub, a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant based in Los Angeles. And cauliflower's high fiber content "promotes healthy digestion and helps digestive regularity," says Messer.
She adds that it's a significant source of vitamin C as well - which can help support a healthy immune system; and it contains antioxidants like isothiocyanates - which can "lower the risk of developing some cancers."
Moreover, as a filling and low-calorie food, cauliflower can be helpful with weight loss. "Cauliflower is a good option for weight management as it only has about 25 calories per cup," says Weintraub.
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Can you eat cauliflower every day?
As with other cruciferous vegetables, Messer says that cauliflower can cause digestive issues such as bloating or gas in some people. "This can be uncomfortable and even embarrassing," she says, adding that such people can improve this by eating smaller amounts.
And because of its vitamin K content, Weintraub says that anyone on blood thinners should limit the amount of cauliflower they consume as vitamin K helps blood to clot. Cauliflower can also increase how quickly the liver breaks down medications like clozapine (used to treat schizophrenia), pentazocine (used to treat nerve pain), theophylline (used to treat asthma), and zolmitriptan (used to treat migraines), so anyone taking these medications should consult a doctor about any possible dietary restrictions.
But as long as such considerations are kept in mind, Weintraub says the fact that "cauliflower is so rich in vitamins and minerals while also being so low in calories makes it an all-around good choice."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is cauliflower good for you?
