Cauliflower: calories, nutritional value, useful properties

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Cauliflower is one of the most common vegetables. It is distinguished by an abundance of vitamins and a variety of useful substances, as well as versatility in cooking. After all, cabbage can become the basis of dietary nutrition, a delicious component of lunch or dinner, it is harvested for the winter, and it serves as one of the first complementary foods for babies. What are the calorie content of cauliflower with various cooking methods, its beneficial properties and nutritional value?

Benefits of cauliflower

The value of cauliflower for the human body is enormous. One of the most amazing positive properties of cauliflower is the blocking of various kinds of tumors. That is, this vegetable can be consumed in order to prevent certain cancers.

B vitamins, folic acid and vitamin K combined withfatty acids have a positive effect on the body, reducing the risk of birth defects in the fetus, preventing the formation of inflammation and normalizing bowel function. Thanks to potassium, the possibility of the formation of kidney stones is excluded, dietary fibers improve digestion, and glucoraphanin protects the gastric mucosa from ulcerative neoplasms. In addition, the so-called curly cabbage has a chemical composition that is quickly absorbed by the blood, which subsequently significantly increases the metabolic processes of the body. Simply put, eating cauliflower is unlikely to be harmful, and its presence in the diet will have a beneficial effect on he alth.

Boiled cauliflower

The versatility of cauliflower lies in the fact that it can be consumed in its original form, boiled, fried, marinated and so on ad infinitum. In fact, you can do almost anything with it. Of course, with different cooking methods, the calorie content of cauliflower changes. This is due to the cooking time and the added products. The calorie content of boiled cauliflower is 29 kcal per 100 grams. This is quite a bit, which is why boiled cabbage is especially popular with people who are on diets or follow a he althy diet. In addition, it is cooked for literally 5-6 minutes, retaining most of the useful properties. You can cook it on the stove, steam, cook in the microwave. The latter method is the most favorable for the preservation of vitamins.

Thus, in kale remainall vitamins and minerals, ranging from B1, B2, B3 and ending with iron, phosphorus and magnesium. All this contributes to the synthesis of proteins, the absorption of nutrients, the removal of harmful substances. Regular consumption of cauliflower increases stress resistance and reduces susceptibility to depression and apathy, while the low calorie content of boiled cauliflower allows it to be used in any diet.

Fried cauliflower

If you don't like boiled cabbage, you should try frying it. In this cooking option, it will acquire a new unusual taste, while, what is important, without losing the beneficial substances contained in it. When fried, this vegetable becomes more nutritious, but no less useful, and everything also has a fruitful effect on the body, helping to eliminate toxins and other processes that are favorable for the body. Thus, the calorie content of fried cauliflower is 120 kcal per 100 grams of product.

When frying, cabbage acquires a golden crust that protects it from the loss of nutrients. To avoid high fat content, you can fry the cabbage on the grill, although the calorie content of fried cauliflower is not that high. But still, frying gives it a new interesting taste.

Calorie cauliflower in batter

Cauliflower in batter is very popular among gourmets. Preparing it is quite simple - just before frying, dip the inflorescences in beaten eggs, to which you can add flour and s alt. Also recommended for frying.flaxseed or butter, as this will be he althier and more interesting in taste, but any other will do. As a result, the calorie content of cauliflower will be about 158 Kcal per 100 grams of product. This figure may vary depending on the method and time of frying, the batter and oil used. As with other cooking methods, cabbage retains most of the vitamins and minerals it contains. But, since the vegetable is fried in oil, you should not abuse it.

This dish can be served on its own or included in any others. At the same time, batters can be very diverse, besides, cabbage can be cooked not only on the stove, but also in the oven.

Calorie pickled cauliflower

For lovers of snacks, there is a recipe for pickled cauliflower. The marinade is water, sugar and s alt, after boiling, vinegar is added there. Cabbage is poured with hot marinade, closed with a lid and left to cool. Usually, carrots and garlic, peppers and bay leaves are also added to cabbage. Pickled cabbage is stored in the refrigerator for no more than 8 days.

With this cooking method, the calorie content of cauliflower is approximately 64 Kcal per 100 grams. There are also recipes for pickled cauliflower, in which the shelf life of the product increases, which allows you to later please yourself with a he althy snack in the winter.

Nutritional value

As mentioned above, this vegetableis a very useful product, rich in a wide variety of vitamins, the nutritional value of cauliflower is very high. As for the presence of BJU, the distribution is as follows (calculated per 100 grams of product): 3% of the daily protein intake (1.9 g), 0.3 g of fat, 2% of the daily carbohydrate intake (5 g). Of the vitamins in cauliflower, there are E and K, as well as B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B9, C. In addition, cauliflower is rich in minerals: iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, fluorine, selenium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper. Based on all this, the benefits of cauliflower are formed. Moreover, you can squeeze the maximum out of it in its raw form, adding it to a salad or using it yourself.

Cauliflower selection

Having understood the calorie content of cauliflower, its nutritional value and cooking methods, it is worth paying attention to other factors. One of the important knowledge can be the ability to choose cauliflower, because not everyone has the opportunity to grow it in their own garden. Cauliflower has green leaves underneath that should be fresh and not wilted. It is worth paying close attention to the presence of various kinds of black dots, mold, brown spots and other defects. Heads should be firm and heavy, with no signs of dryness. Store fresh cabbage in the refrigerator for a maximum of a week. Having disassembled the cabbage into inflorescences, it can be frozen - in this way the shelf life of the vegetable will increase to six months. A well-chosen head of cauliflower will bring maximum benefits, whether raw or otherwise.

Cauliflower is definitely an important food in the human diet. No wonder it is with her that the first complementary foods begin. Thus, each of us gets acquainted with it in infancy. Cauliflower is surprisingly easy to prepare and there are many different ways to process it, so even those who turn up their noses at fresh cabbage will find something they like.