“Cauliflower – a super-food that is often overlooked”

As we approach the shortest day of the year we are well and truly in winter mode. Just as our wardrobe changes with the seasons, Nurse Fiona truly believes that we should also adjust the food we eat to reflect what is available locally. One vegetable that is abundant in winter and often overlooked is cauliflower!
This is one of Nurse Fiona’s favorite ingredients due to its versatility. You can eat it raw, add it to salads, steam it then freeze it to add to smoothies, or grill it with coconut oil and herbs amongst many other methods. One of her current favourites however is her healthier alternative to mashed potatoes – see below for a simple but delicious recipe that you can try over the Christmas period.

Nurse Fiona’s Cauliflower Christmas Mash

1 whole cauliflower chopped into bite size florets
½ garlic clove
1 tbsp organic coconut oil
1 handful of chopped chives or spring onions
Salt & pepper to taste
 
 
1- Place cauliflower florets into a steamer for 12-15 minutes or until tender
2- Place steamed cauliflower in a food processor. Nurse Fiona recommends the @vitamix food processor
3- Add 1 tbsp coconut oil, ½ garlic clove, salt & pepper
4- Blend for 15 seconds or until smooth
5- Top with chopped chives
6- Enjoy!
 

Health Benefits of Cauliflower

•   Anti cancer properties- cauliflower contains sulforaphane, a sulphur compound that has also been shown to kill cancer stem cells, thereby slowing tumour growth. Recent research suggests cauliflower consumption can protect against breast cancer (1)
•   Anti- inflammatory- Cauliflower is rich in anti-inflammatory compounds that lower oxidative stress and the presence of free-radicals in our body. These include beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, caffeic acid, cinnamic acid, ferulic acid, quercetin, rutin, and kaempferol (2)
•   Assists detoxification- Sulforaphane can increase phase 2 liver detoxification so can be useful in elimination of toxins including excess hormones. The glucosinolates in cauliflower also activate detoxification enzymes
•   Improves digestion- The sulforaphane content of cauliflower can help protect the lining of your stomach. Cauliflower is also an important source of fibre essential to keep digestive tract healthy
•   High in vitamins and minerals- High in Vitamin C, K, B5, B6, folate, manganese, phosphorous and potassium
•   Helps to balance hormones- Cauliflower can reduce excess oestrogen by providing compounds that help to increase the rate that the liver changes oestrogen into a water-soluble form that is easily excreted by the body. It also contains indole-3-carbinol, which supports the detoxification pathway to clear excess oestrogen

(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22877795
(2) https://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=13
(3) https://www.naturalhealthmag.com.au/content/oestrogen-progesterone-imbalance