Cauliflower: A White Food That’s Really Good for You
Cauliflower: A White Food That’s Really Good for You
Submitted by ahs-admin on Wed, 07/09/2014 - 04:58Dietitian Rene Norman, RD/LD, joins us on the blog today to talk about the benefits of cauliflower and how to prepare it so the whole family can enjoy this good-for-you "white food."
The “no white foods” diet is still around. People following it don’t eat white bread, white rice, white pasta or white potatoes. These foods typically raise blood sugars. However, cauliflower is not one of those white foods. One cup of raw cauliflower has 27 calories, 77 percent daily value for vitamin C, 5 grams carbohydrate, 2.5 grams fiber, 2 grams protein and is a good source of potassium, folate, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients. Cauliflower is a low glycemic food, which means it contains very little carbohydrate to raise your blood sugars. Cauliflower is a member of the cruciferous vegetable group which also includes broccoli, cabbage, bok choy and Brussels sprouts. Cruciferous vegetables provide sulforaphane, a phytochemical linked to a decreased risk for cancer.
Instead of rice and potatoes as a side dish, think cauliflower. Cauliflower “rice” is chopping this vegetable in a food processor or grating by hand to look like rice. Whipped cauliflower as a side dish instead of potatoes has been around since the low-carb craze from a couple of decades ago. Here’s a quick recipe to try. Cauliflower can be one of the vegetables used in this Chopped Salad recipe.
Chopped Vegetable Salad
Adapted from What Color is your Diet by David Heber, M.D., Ph.D., Director, UCLA Center for Human Nutrition with Susan Bowerman, M.S., R.D.
Serves 8
Nutrition Analysis:
Calories: 90 Carbohydrate: 11 gr
Protein: 5 gr Fiber: 4 gr
Fat: 2 gr
Rich source of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxantin, lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene. The vegetable color groups are in parentheses (ex: red/purple).