Health Benefits to Eating More Cauliflower

Health Benefits to Eating More Cauliflower
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Cauliflower: it’s not just a healthy alternative to mashed potatoes anymore. In fact, this versatile vegetable is packed with vitamins and nutrients that can help your body fight off ills, boost energy levels and prevent disease.

Turns out, this cruciferous vegetable has a lot to offer. Here are some health benefits of cauliflower and why you should be eating more of it.

  • May help fight cancer

Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and kale are high in compounds called glucosinolates, which may help protect against cancer by removing substances that can cause damage to cells and DNA.*

Research also shows that these compounds may help slow the growth of existing tumors.** But more research is needed to understand the role of cauliflower specifically in cancer prevention.

  • Aids in detoxification

Glucosinolates in cauliflower also break down into compounds called indoles and isothiocyanates that support phase 1 and 2 detoxification in the liver. The liver works hard to rid your body of toxins by breaking them down into smaller pieces, which can then be excreted via urine or stool.

  • Cauliflower Is Packed With Vitamins

Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin C, boasting 92 percent of your daily recommended dose in a single cup. This essential vitamin helps pump up the immune system, which protects you from infection, and it promotes wound healing as well as healthy gums and teeth. Vitamin C also serves as a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage caused by free radicals, which may be linked to certain types of cancer.

Cauliflower also provides some vitamin B-6 (9 percent), folate (15 percent) and pantothenic acid (8 percent). Vitamin B-6 promotes normal blood cell formation, while folate plays a role in red blood cell formation and may reduce the risk of neural tube defects in fetuses during pregnancy. Pantothenic acid helps your body make use of carbs, protein and fat for energy, while also promoting healthy skin


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Anna is an avid blogger with an educational background in medicine and mental health. She is a generalist with many other interests including nutrition, women's health, astronomy and photography. In her free time from work and writing, Anna enjoys nature walks, reading, and listening to jazz and classical music.

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