Vegetable : Cauliflower

History

Cauliflower is an annual vegetable which is propagated through seeds. Broccoli and cauliflower are the same specie from same family though difference is in their colours.

There various groups of cauliflower which are Italian that are biennial and annual type, northwest European biennial and northwest European annual and the last group seems to be Asian that belongs to china and India.

There various varieties and colours in cauliflower.

Plant Description

It is consists of white curd, thick stalks and green leaves which surround the flower.

Cauliflower is grown annually in almost all the countries. This family includes cabbage, broccoli, kale and Brussels sprout.

Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable that has a compact head with a normal size in diameter and consisted if undeveloped lower head. The flowers are attached to the central stalk surrounding green leaves.

Parts Used

Cauliflower head and stalk is used for cooking.

Chemical constituents

All the cruciferous plants including cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli contains some important nutrients like indole-3-carbinol and photonutrient sulforaphane.

Cauliflower is also rich in folate, vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene.

Uses

• Cauliflower is an edible vegetable which can be taken raw or cooked. It can be cooked raw, boiled or even roasted.
• When cooking the flower curd is mainly eaten and thick stalks are normally removed.

Medicinal uses

• Cauliflower has said to have various medicinal properties. As it contains folate which helps in making and stimulating the blood and prevents symptoms of anemia.
• Folate is essential for growth of body tissues and also prevents severe disease like cancer and heart disease.
• Cauliflower contains vitamin C which acts as anti-oxidant and vitamin E and beta-carotene makes our immune system strong.

Other Names

• Common name- cauliflower
• French- choufleur