Cauliflower is closely related to broccoli and is one of the cultivated variants of the cabbage plant family.
They are filled with goodness and healthy nutrients and are thus considered superfoods. However, they are bland to look at and for some don't taste mindblowing either.
There are two opposing ideas about cauliflower's existence. The French believe it has its roots lay in Cyprus. Because of this, It was originally known as choux de Chypre meaning Cyprus cabbages. However, the rest of the world attributes cauliflower to the Middle East.
Cauliflower comes from the Italian phrase caoli fiori, which means cabbage flower. The ultimate origin of the name comes from the Latin words caulis, which means cabbage, and flos, which means flower. Cauliflowers are often called cousins of cabbage.
It is also related to kale. Cauliflower is a member of the Brassica oleracea family, which includes Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and kale. The tightly bunched florets of cauliflower, like broccoli, are joined by a thick core, which is often surrounded by a few light leaves.
Cauliflower leaves are acceptable, but they have a stronger flavor that reminds you of collard greens. You can save them instead of throwing them away and use them to make stock. The stems are the same way.
Cauliflower is a bit of a shrinking violet when it comes to surviving in the spotlight. The cauliflower head is essentially a developing flower, and if it weren't hidden by thick leaves for most of its life, the sunshine would encourage chlorophyll formation, rendering the blooms inedible.
This article brings to you interesting facts about cauliflower. If you are intrigued to discover more such fun facts, why not check out our articles on banana factsandfacts about nonvascular plants.
Cauliflower Classification
Cauliflowers are annual plants with broad rounded leaves that resemble collard greens and grow to be around 1.5 ft (0.5 m) tall.
It's made up of tightly packed round curds. In giant kinds of cauliflower, the head is normally 6 in (15 cm) across and weighs 2-3 lb (0.9-1.3 kg).
The cauliflower head is made up of a central stalk that spreads out and contains undeveloped flower buds. Even after you chop off the head, your cauliflower plant will continue to grow. Give your plant 1–1.5 in (2.5–3.8 cm) of water once a week to keep it healthy.
This, together with normal rainfall, should suffice to keep your plants healthy. The most suitable time to plant most types of cauliflower is in the spring.
Before harvest, the broad leaves are sometimes strung together to shade the curd and prevent discoloration. The plants contain seeds in siliques, which are dry capsules with cross-shaped yellow flowers.
You can regrow cauliflower flowers from cauliflower by directly placing the stem in water for many days. The shoot will start to develop new roots and leaves in this water. When you see these new roots and leaves, shift the new cauliflower plant to your backyard or pot.
White cauliflower is the most popular commercial cultivar, but there are also orange, purple, green, and yellow varieties. All the varieties contain the same level of nutrients, they differ on the basis of the type and concentration of pigment present.
The orange cauliflower is filled with beta carotene pigment and is a rich source of vitamin C. The purple cauliflower gets its tint from the anthocyanin pigment. This purple pigment is a totally harmless water-soluble pigment and can be consumed without a doubt.
In fact, the purple variety is considered the healthiest in the lot.
When cooked, purple cauliflower acts similarly to red cabbage. To preserve the brilliant purple hue, it requires a small amount of acid on a regular basis.
The color will fade to a blue-ish tint when cooked or roasted, but a splash of acid at the end will bring back the gorgeous purple hues. The green variety just like the broccoli gets its color from chlorophyll present in them.
Interestingly the green cauliflower comes in two different types; one with a normal curd and the other one is fractal. The one with the fractal curd is called Romanesco broccoli.
Every branch of a fractal cauliflower is identical to the entire cauliflower. Another feature, which is also found in other plant species, is that when modules become further away from the center, the angle between them is 360 degrees divided by the golden ratio.
All the other varieties of cauliflower are visually pleasing but the white cauliflower still remains the most preferred one.
Health Benefits Of Cauliflower
Cauliflower is a vegetable that has numerous health benefits.
Eating them lowers the chance of cancer due to the presence of glucosinolates and isothiocyanate. Glucosinolates are a category of compounds found in cauliflower.
These ingredients are broken down into compounds that may help prevent cancer by protecting cells from harm and having anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial actions as you chew and digest it. It also helps in preventing heart disease, and brain diseases. Additionally, it aids in gastrointestinal relief, bodily purification, enhanced iron absorption, and weight loss.
This superfood also protects against colitis, hypertension, respiratory papillomatosis, diabetes, and the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation by boosting eye health and maintaining hormonal balance.
This vegetable is high in vitamin C; one cup contains around 75% of your daily vitamin C requirement. It is a low-calorie wholesome food that facilitates weight loss, 1/4 cup cooked cauliflower is only 15 calories but provides 45% of your daily vitamin C needs.
Cauliflower is high in minerals and antioxidants, aids in immune system strengthening, bone and cellular health, electrolyte balance, and maintaining cholesterol levels that are optimal.
Why does cauliflower turn yellow?
Growing cauliflower comes with its own problems that need to be dealt with. It's important to learn cauliflower facts in order to keep your veggies fresh. However, you may have noticed that when growing your own cauliflower, the whiteheads become yellow and don't appear as appealing.
If exposed to the sun for too long, the color of white cauliflower curds will turn a dull yellow color as they mature. Although the discoloration has no effect on the taste, it does make the vegetable appear less appetizing.
To avoid yellowing, the cauliflower head should be kept out of direct sunlight. To do so, tie the plant's outer leaves up over the head using a rubber band, a piece of twine, or even a peg to keep light out.
Sometimes it so happens that the cauliflower develops brown spots on the curd's surface. The cause of this coloration is oxidation, which occurs naturally as cauliflower is stored for longer periods of time.
The good news is that you can still use this cauliflower in your cooking. While the discoloration is unsightly, it isn't harmful as long as the spots don't turn black or have a mushy texture.
What happens if you consume too much cauliflower?
With its growing popularity and health benefits, cauliflower has become a widely used carb substitute.
From being an excellent pizza crust ingredient to a substitute for mashed potatoes. Cauliflower has become a trendy vegetable in recent years, thanks to its nutty and slightly sweet flavor.
It's been served in restaurants and on dinner tables in a variety of forms, particularly as a riced version. Cauliflower, like nearly any other food, can have negative side effects, some of which are potentially dangerous and others that are simply irritating and odorous.
Cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables can interfere with iodine absorption if consumed in excess. They include cyanogenic glucosides, which are sugar-like compounds that prevent the absorption of iodine when consumed.
This is significant because iodine is required for thyroid function, and insufficient iodine levels can result in hypothyroidism.
If you eat a diet that is almost completely made up of cruciferous vegetables, you may develop hypothyroidism, which is characterized by slowed metabolism, cold sensitivity, dry hair and skin, difficulty in thinking, and weight gain. Furthermore, when you have low iodine levels, your thyroid may grow to accommodate additional iodine, a disease known as goiter.
If you consume too much cauliflower, you may have gas as a side effect. While intestinal gas is not as dangerous to your health as thyroid disorders, it can create social shame.
Gas can cause bloating and abdominal discomfort, which can make you feel terrible. Complex carbohydrates that are difficult to digest are found in cruciferous vegetables. Intestinal microbes break them down in the intestine, releasing carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas.
To break down sugars that may induce gastrointestinal pain, an enzyme called alpha-galactosidase is necessary. Some people don't create enough of this enzyme, but it's available in the form of over-the-counter anti-gas pills.
It is usually preferable to have a varied diet rather than focusing on a single dish. Cauliflower, a generally healthful vegetable high in vitamin C and vitamin K, low in calories, and high in fiber, does has some unintended consequences for some people. One cup of cauliflower per week will provide health advantages while minimizing the hazards.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 21 curious cauliflower fun facts, then why not take a look at Neil Armstrong facts, or Roman Pantheon facts.
