carrot

Carrots! A favorite vegetable of the Bugs Bunny that hardly needs a description for they are well known and loved by every kid in the world! Carrots benefits are legendary. Bet your can hear every mother telling their kids that eating carrots would keep your eyesight bright and healthy.

Usually carrots are associated with the color orange, in fact, carrots grow in a host of other colors including white, yellow, red, or purple, the latter being the color of the original variety. The carrot is a plant with a thick, fleshy, deeply colored root that grows underground, and feathery green leaves that emerge above ground. Scientifically it is known as Daucus carota, a name that can be traced back to ancient Roman writings of the 3rd century.

Carrots belong to the Umbelliferae family, named after the umbrella like flower clusters that plant in this family produce. As such, carrots are related to parsnips, fennel caraway, cumin and dill. There are over 100 different varieties that vary in size and color. Carrots can be as small as two inches or as long as three feet, ranging in diameter from one-half of an inch to over two inches. Carrot have a crunchy texture and a sweet and minty aromatic taste, while the greens are fresh tasting and slightly bitter.

Originally been cultivated in Central Asian and Middle Eastern countries thousands of years back these original carrots looked different from those that we are accustomed to today, featuring deep purple coloring, ranging from lavender to deep eggplant. This coloration was a reflection of the anthocyanin phytonutrient pigments these carrots had. In pre-Hellenic times, a yellow-rooted carrot variety appeared in Afghanistan and was further cultivated and developed into an earlier version of the carrot we known today. Both types of carrots spread throughout the Mediterranean region and were adopted by the ancient Greeks and Romans for their medicinal use.

It seems that carrots did not become a popular vegetable in Europe until the Renaissance. Centuries later, beginning in the 17th century, agriculturists in Europe started cultivating different varieties of carrots, developing an orange-colored carrot that had a more pleasing texture than its predecessor. Carrots were introduced into the North American colonies. Owing to its heightened popularity, in the early 1800s, the carrot became the first vegetable to be canned. Today, the United States, France, England, Poland, China and Japan are among the largest producers of carrots. Easy to pack and perfect as crudités for that favorite dip, the crunchy texture and sweet taste of carrots is popular among both adults and children. Although they are shipped around the country from California throughout the year, locally grown carrots are in season in the summer and fall when they are the freshest and most flavorful.

Carrots are one of the most popular and well-loved vegetables. The taproot of the carrot plant is the part that’s eaten, and it comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Carrots are particularly rich in antioxidants, and are a wonderful way to add flavor and texture to many delicious vegetable recipes. The domestic carrot has been selectively bred for its greatly enlarged and more palatable, less woody-textured edible taproot. Carrots can be eaten in a variety of ways. Only 3% of the β-carotene in raw carrots is released during digestion: this can be improved to 39% by pulping, cooking and adding cooking oil. Alternatively they may be chopped and boiled, fried or steamed, and cooked in soups and stews, as well as baby foods. A well known dish is carrots julienne. Grated carrots are used in carrot cakes, as well as carrot puddings.

In India carrots are used in a variety of ways, as salads or as vegetables added to spicy rice or daal dishes, and the most popular variation in north India is the Gaajar Ka Halwa a carrot dessert, which has carrots grated and cooked in milk until the whole thing is solid, after which nuts and butter are added. Carrot salads are usually made with grated carrots in western parts with a seasoning of mustard seeds and green chillies popped in hot oil, while adding carrots to rice usually is in julienne shape or also made as carrot chutney to give a little spiciness to the carrots.

The variety of carrot found in north India is rare everywhere except in Central Asia and other contiguous regions, and is now growing in popularity in larger cosmopolitan cities in South India. The north Indian carrot is pink-red comparable to plum or raspberry or deep red apple in color (without a touch of yellow or blue) while most other carrot varieties in world are from orange to yellow in color, comparable to Halloween pumpkins.

Carrot juice is also widely marketed, especially as a health drink, either stand-alone or blended with fruits and other vegetables. Carrots are useful companion plants for gardeners. Carrots are rich in dietary fiber, antioxidants, and minerals. Lack of vitamin A can cause poor vision, including night vision, and vision can be restored by adding it back into the diet. An urban legend says eating large amounts of carrots will allow one to see in the dark.

Carrots are an excellent source of antioxidant compounds, and the richest vegetable source of the pro-vitamin A carotenes. Carrots’ antioxidant compounds help protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer and also promote good vision, especially night vision. In addition, they are a very good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, dietary fiber and potassium. The nutritional value and health benefits of carrots make them ideal for Maintaining optimum health and Weight loss.

Cucumber

Cabbage is a popular species of the Brassica oleracea linne group and is used as a leafy vegetable. It is an herbaceous, biennial flowering plant which is crowded with mass of leaves, usually green but in some varieties red or purplish. The plant is also called head cabbage or heading cabbage. Cabbage leaves often have a delicate, powdery, waxy coating called bloom. The occasionally sharp or bitter taste of cabbage is due to glucosinolate(s).

The English name Cabbage derives from the Normanno-Picard caboche (head), perhaps from boche (swelling, bump). Cabbage was developed by ongoing artificial selection for suppression and the only part of the plant that is normally eaten is the leafy head; more precisely, the spherical cluster of immature leaves, excluding the partially unfolded outer leaves. Cabbage is used in a variety of dishes for its naturally spicy flavor. The so-called “cabbage head” is widely consumed raw, cooked, or preserved in a great variety of dishes. It is the main ingredient in coleslaw. Normally this vegetable is widely used in Chinese cuisine especially added into the soups or stews. Cabbage soup is most popular in Central and Eastern Europe, and cabbage is an ingredient in some kinds of borscht.

Cabbage is used in many popular dishes in India for example the cabbage kofta curry, channa cabbage and the cabbage foogath. Boiling tenderizes the leaves and releases sugars, which leads to the characteristic “cabbage” aroma. Boiled cabbage becomes stigmatized because of its strong cooking odor and the belief that it causes flatulence. Moreover, boiling reduces the cabbage’s anti-cancer properties. It is also be prepared and served with many other vegetables or boiled meat. Cabbage rolls, a type of dolma, is an East European and Middle Eastern delicacy. The leaves are softened by parboiling or by placing the whole head of cabbage in the freezer, and then stuffed with a mixture of chopped meat and/or rice. A vegetable stuffed with shredded cabbage and then pickled is called mango.

It is said that the largest cabbage dish ever made was on 19 December 2008 in the Macedonian city of Prilep, with 80,191 sarmas (cabbage rolls) weighing 544 kg (1,221 lbs). Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin C. It also contains significant amounts of glutamine, an amino acid that has anti-inflammatory properties. Cabbage can also be included in dieting programs, as it is a low calorie food.

There are many varieties of cabbage based on shape and time of maturity. Cabbage has a round shape and is composed of superimposed leaf layers. There are three major types of cabbage: green, red, and Savoy. The color of green cabbage ranges from pale to dark green. Both green and red cabbages have smooth-textured leaves. Red cabbage has leaves that are either crimson or purple with white veins running through it. The leaves of Savoy cabbage are more ruffled and yellowish-green in color. Red and green cabbages have a more defined taste and crunchy texture as compared to Savoy cabbage’s more delicate nature. Bok choy as well as Chinese (Napa) cabbage are other varieties of cabbage available. Bok choy has a mild flavor and a higher concentration of vitamin A. Chinese cabbage, with its pale green ruffled leaves, is great to use in salads. Red cabbage contains additional health benefits not found in green cabbage.

Sturdy, abundant, and inexpensive, cabbage is a longstanding dietary staple throughout the world and is so widely cultivated and stores so well that it is available throughout the year. However, it is at its best during the late fall and winter months when it is in season. Cabbage has a long history of use both as a food and a medicine. It was developed from wild cabbage, a vegetable that was closer in appearance to collards and kale since it was composed of leaves that did not form a head. It is thought that wild cabbage was brought to Europe around 600 B.C. by groups of Celtic wanderers. It was grown in Ancient Greek and Roman civilizations that held it in high regard as a general panacea capable of treating a host of health conditions.

Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin K and vitamin C. It is also a very good source of fiber, manganese, folate, and vitamin B6 potassium and omega-3 fatty acids. Cabbage is also a good source of thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, and protein. The health benefits of cabbage include treatment of constipation, stomach ulcers, headache, excess weight, skin disorders, eczema, jaundice, scurvy, rheumatism, arthritis, gout, eye disorders, heart diseases, ageing, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Throughout history, the Asian cuisine has been rich and abundant in cabbage and its various varieties. Cabbage is relatively cheap yet one of the richest when it comes to protective vitamins. One cup of cabbage contains only around 15 calories. Cabbage is rich in the following nutrients like the Vitamin A, Vitamin C,

Vitamin E, Vitamin B

Nutritive Values of Cabbage : Per 100 gm.

Vitamin A : 80 I.U.

Vitamin C : 50 mg.

Calcium : 46 mg.

Phosphorus : 31 mg.

Potassium : 140 mg.

Carbohydrates : 5.3 gm.

Protein : 1.4 gm.

Calories : 24

Tindora or Ivy gourd

Tindora or Ivy gourd is also called by different names like the parwal, kundru, tondli in Marathi, Toroda, kunduri (Oriya), kovai, kundri or kovakkai in Malayalam and kovakka in Tamil, Dondakaya in Telugu or also baby watermelon or little gourd is a tropical vine.

Botanical name of Ivy gourd is coccinia grandis, a perennial herbaceous vine. Ivy gourd is a tropical plant in the pumpkin family and is an aggressive climbing vine that can spread quickly over trees, shrubs, fences and other supports. It is an outdoor plant but prefers a sunny sheltered position and a sandy soil. Being a perennial plant, it can spread vegetative or by seed. The stem is a herbaceous climber or perennial slender climber with occasional adventitious roots forming where the stem runs along the ground. The tendrils are long, elastic with coil-like springy character that can wrap around the host to the entire length. The leaves are classified as palmately simple with five lobes while the shape varies from the heart to pentagon form. The size of the leaves is approximately 5 10 cm in width and length. The flower is large and white about 4 cm in diameter and contains five long tubular petals. The ivy gourd fruit belongs to the berry type: oval and hairless with thick and sticky skin. The raw fruit is green in color and turns bright red when it is ripe. The mature fruit is usually from 25 to 60 mm long by 15-35 mm in diameter and contains several pale, flattened seeds.

Ivy gourd is available after the rainy season for about 6 months in a year. Most of the people love to grow this vegetable in their own kitchen garden. A variety of dishes can be prepared with this versatile vegetable like fries, chutney or stuffed with masala. Few also like to add it in Gojju which is usually prepared with the tender ivy guard. This fresh tender gourd is an easy dish for starters and a summer delight!

Coccinia grandis’ native ranges from Africa to Asia including India, Philippines, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, eastern Papua, New Guinea and Northern Territories (Australia) (PIER, 2003). Seeds or fragments of the vine can be relocated and lead to viable offspring. Once Ivy Gourd is established, it is presumed that it is spread by birds, rats and other mammals. In Hawaii, PIER (2001) suggests that the fruit may be dispersed by pigs. Long distance dispersal is most commonly carried out by humans due to its culinary uses or by mistake. Coccinia grows in dense blankets that shade other plants from sunlight and high-jacking nutrients. Native to tropical Africa and Asia, it was introduced to Hawai’i as a backyard food crop. It is sometimes tolerated along garden fences and other outdoor features because of its attractive white flowers.

Ivy gourd’s various medicinal qualities describes that the juice of the roots and leaves is used in the treatment of diabetes. The leaves are used as a poultice in treating skin eruptions. The plant is used as a laxative. It is used internally in the treatment of gonorrhea. Aqueous and ethanol extracts of the plant have shown hypoglycemic principles. Some counties in Asia like Thailand prepare traditional tonic like drinks for medicinal purposes.

There are a variety of recipes from all over the world that list Ivy Gourd as the main ingredient. It is often compared to bitter melon. The fruit is commonly eaten in Indian cuisine. Natives of Thailand, Indonesia, and other Southeast Asian countries also consume the fruit and leaves. Cultivation of ivy gourd in home gardens has been encouraged in Thailand due to its being a good source of several micronutrients, including vitamins A and C. It is eaten as a curry, by deep-frying it; stuffing it with masala and sautéing it; or boiling it first in a cooker and then frying it. It is also used in sambar, a vegetable and lentil-based soup.

Ivy gourd is rich in beta-carotene. Tindora contains a fabulous mix of complex carbohydrates, fibre, and a vast array of B vitamins and minerals. It is quite a valuable source of nutrients. New research shows that consuming 50 grams of kundru daily can help keep your blood sugar under check. A three-month study conducted by doctors at the Institute of Population Health and Clinical Research, Bangalore, has found that the common kundru, which looks like a poorer cousin of the tasty gourd parwal and has no particular gastronomic appeal, can reduce blood sugar levels in patients with mild diabetes.

The team found that sugar levels in new diabetics, with fasting blood sugar counts below 200, can drop by 16% by simply slurping the curried vegetable, known to botanists as Coccinia indica. It also reduced post-prandial blood glucose (sugar count after a meal) by 18%. Kundru Chana dal is a curry prepared by using Kundru fruits with Chana dal (Chickpea splitted seeds). Among the natives this preparation is popular for its delicious taste but the traditional healers are aware of its health benefits. According to them this preparation is especially useful for the patients having diabetes. It is also useful in biliousness and diseases of blood. During fever the use of this preparation with meals, helps in reducing the high temperature.

Ivy gourd has been classified as a medicinal herb in traditional Thai and ayurvedic medicine. The parts used in diabetes treatment are the leaves, but the primary use of ivy gourd is culinary, and it is considered a vegetable. Ivy gourd contains beta-carotene, a major vitamin A precursor from plant sources. It is also considered a good source of protein and fiber.

The nutritional value per 100 gms of edible portion of Tindora or Ivy gourd is:

Energy (KCal):  21

Protein (g):  1.4

Carbohydrate (g):  3.4

Fat (g):  0.2

Calcium (mg):  25

Iron (mg):  0.9

Eggplant or Brinjal

Brinjal also known as eggplant, aubergine, melongene or guinea squash is a nightshade plant closely related to the tomato and potato and is native to Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It is commonly used in cooking and a variety of dishes is prepared by this vegetable.

The eggplant is native to India and has been cultivated in southern and eastern Asia since prehistory but appears to have become known to the Western world no earlier than ca. 1500. The first known written record of the plant is found in Qí mín yào shù, an ancient Chinese agricultural treatise completed in 544. The name eggplant, used in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada refers to the fact that the fruits of some 18th century European cultivars were yellow or white and resembled goose or hen’s eggs.

The name aubergine, used in British English, is an adoption from the French word (derived from Catalan albergínia, from Arabic al-baðinjān from Persian bâdenjân, from Sanskrit vātiga-gama). The word brinjal is derived directly from the Portuguese beringela. Aubergine is known as brinjal in Indian, South African, Malaysian and Singaporean English. It is a delicate perennial often cultivated as annual. The stem is often spiny. The flowers are white to purple, with a five-lobed corolla and yellow stamens. The fruit is fleshy, has a meaty texture, and is less than 3 centimeters (1.2 in) in diameter on wild plants, but much larger in cultivated forms. The most widely cultivated varieties (cultivars) in Europe and North America today are elongated ovoid, 12–25 cm wide (4½ to 9 in) and 6–9 cm broad (2 to 4 in) in a dark purple skin. A wide range of shapes, sizes and colors are grown in India and Asia. Chinese varieties are commonly shaped like a narrower, slightly pendulous cucumber, and were sometimes called Japanese eggplants in North America.

The raw fruit has a somewhat bitter taste, but becomes tender when cooked and develops a rich, complex flavor. Salting and then rinsing the sliced fruit (known as “degorging”) can soften and remove much of the bitterness though this is often unnecessary. Some modern varieties do not need this treatment, as they are far less bitter.  The fruit is capable of absorbing large amounts of cooking fats and sauces, allowing for very rich dishes, but the salting process will reduce the amount of oil absorbed. The fruit flesh is smooth; as in the related tomato, the numerous seeds are soft and edible along with the rest of the fruit. The thin skin is also edible, so peeling is not required.

Eggplants are very popular all over the world and often stewed as in French ratatouille, the Turkish musakka and Middle Eastern and South Asian dishes.

Eggplants are also battered before deep-frying commonly known as bajjis and are served with a sauce made of tahini and tamarind. It may also be roasted in its skin until charred, so that the pulp can be removed and blended with other ingredients such as lemon, tahini, and garlic, in the Middle Eastern dish baba ghanoush or grilled, mashed and mixed with onions, tomatoes and spices make the Indian dish called the Baingan ka Bhartha or Gojju, similar to Salată de vinete in Romania, while a mix of roasted eggplant, roasted red peppers, chopped onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots, celery and spices is called Zacuscă in Romania or Ajvar in Serbia and Balkans. The eggplant can also be stuffed with meat, rice, or other fillings and then baked. As a native plant, eggplants are widely used in Indian cuisine, for example in sambhar, dalma (a dal preparation with vegetables, native to Orissa), chutney, curries, and achaar. The eggplant is very versatile and can be used in both everyday and festive Indian food, it is often described (under the name brinjal) as the ‘King of Vegetables’. In one dish, Brinjal is stuffed with ground coconut, peanuts, and masala and then cooked in oil popular known as the Gutti Vankai, a popular Andhra delicacy.

The eggplants can also be allergic to few people as few case reports of itchy skin and/or mouth after handling and/or eating eggplant have been reported anecdotally and published in medical journals. A recent (2008) study of a sample of 741 people in India (where eggplant is commonly consumed) found that nearly 10% reported some allergic symptoms after consuming eggplant, while 1.4% showed symptoms in less than 2 hours. A few proteins and at least one secondary metabolite have been identified as potential allergens. Cooking eggplant thoroughly seems to preclude reactions in some individuals, but at least one of the allergenic proteins survives the cooking process.

Commonly known as the eggplant, brinjal is one of the most easily available and affordable vegetables. In its unripe form, it is a large greenish-whitish vegetable and when ripe, it turns a deep violet. Brinjal can be cooked in many different ways and provides many essential nutrients that are needed for overall well-being of the body. In fact, one can even take brinjal soup to attain maximum benefits from this vegetable. It is a very good source of potassium and contains a high content of water and fiber.

Brinjal when eaten in a mashed form or as a soup and adding some garlic and asafetida to it helps you get rid of flatulence and adjust the wind humor of the body. Brinjal can also be eaten after being roasted directly on fire. Just peel off the skin, mash it and add some salt in it for flavor and eat it. It will help cure phlegm, congestion and reduce the formation of gas. In order to increase appetite and digestion, take soup made of mashed brinjal and tomato, along with some salt and pepper. In case you are unable to fall asleep easily, eat a soft brinjal (along with some honey) after baking it directly over fire. If taken regularly, it may also cure insomnia.

The nutritional value of serving 100 grams of brinjal is:

Calcium – 525 mg

Cholesterol – 16mg

Dietary Fiber – 4.9g

Iron – 6mg

Potassium – 618mg

Protein – 8g

Saturated Fat – 5.2g

Sodium – 62mg

Sugars – 11.4g

Total Carbohydrates – 17.8g

Total Fat – 27.5g

Vitamin A – 6.4 mg.

Bottlegourd or Lauki

Lauki or bottle gourd is otherwise also known as calabash, long melon, Chinese melon, luffa which is a vine grown for its fruits either harvested young and used as a vegetable in most parts of the world. The fresh tender fruit has a light green smooth skin and a white flesh inside. There are varieties of gourds, the longer and slimmer is known as the bottle gourd and the rounder variety is called calabash gourds.

The word calabash come from the Spanish calabaza, possibly from Arabic qar’a yabisa “dry gourd,” from Persian kharabuz, used of various large melons; or from a pre-Roman Iberian *calapaccia. The calabash was one of the first cultivated plants in the world, grown not for food but as a container. It was named for the calabash tree (Crescentia cujete).

The lauki have a high water content that makes them cooling and lubricating. The bottle gourd generally has a very pale green smooth skin. The flesh is white. Size and thickness can vary widely. While purchasing a lauki, choose young, firm lauki for best results. Scrape and discard harder portions of skin, and scoop out and discard seeds before cooking. These gourds contain moderate amounts of Vitamins C and B complex and a few proteins.

This vegetable is said to be one of the earliest vegetables cultivated by man, believed to be originated in Africa. Bottle gourd, not very familiar to the western world, is one of the favorite vegetables in Indian Cuisine. It grows in humid weather of India, Sri Lanka and other tropical countries. Bottle Gourd or Lauki has many properties that are valued in traditional healing. Calabash has been cultivated in Europe since before Columbus’s discovery of America, while the rest of the marrow species were brought in from America.

The bottle gourd is low in fat and cholesterol yet high in dietary fibre. It contains 96% water and 100gm of it contains around 12 Kcal. It is rich in iron and also has vitamins C and B complex. It has sodium of 1.8mg per 100gm and 87 mg of potassium making it suitable vegetable for hypertensive patients. It is excellent for light, low-cal diets, as well as for small children, people with digestive problems, diabetics and convalescents.

The calabash, as a vegetable, is frequently used in southern Chinese cuisine as either a stir-fry or in a soup. The traditional Chinese name for calabash is hulu or huzi in Mandarin. In India, it is known by many names likes the lauki, dudhi, ghiya in Hindi, churakka (Malayam), lau (Bengali), sorakaaya or anapakaya in Telugu, dudhi bhopala in Maharashtra and sorakkay in Tamil. The dried and cored thick outer skin has traditionally been used to make musical instruments like the tanpura, veena, etc. Additionally, the gourd can be dried out and used to smoke pipe tobacco.

The Calabash is primarily used as utensils, such as cups, bowls, and basins in rural areas. In South Africa it is commonly used as a drinking vessel by tribes such as the Zulus. It can be used for carrying water, or can be made for carrying items, such as fish, when fishing. In some Caribbean countries it is worked, painted and decorated as shoulder bags or other items by artisans, and sold to tourists. In Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, the calabash gourds are well known to have been used for various medicinal purposes for over a 1,000 years by Andean Cultures. In India according to the naturopathy the lauki juice is very beneficial and has many health benefits. Hindu ascetics (sadhu) traditionally use dried gourd as a vessel called Kamandalu.

The juice of lauki is considered to have many medicinal properties and is very good for health, the baul singers of Bengal have their musical instruments made out of it. The practice is also common among Buddhist and Jain sages. Lauki, dudhi or bottle gourd holds pride of place in the Indian Ayurvedic medical system. Loved by some, and hated by many, the lowly lauki really packs a punch. Besides having excellent nutritional benefits, it is a versatile vegetable that lends itself to a variety of recipes. If you consider lauki boring or tasteless, a little imagination it takes to transform it into a delicious dish. There are a variety of dishes that can be prepared with lauki like the popular and delicious Bottle gourd doodhi halwa, doodhi pachadi, doodhi channa and many more.

Yellowish green in color, lauki is usually shaped like a bottle. Its pulp is white and has white seeds entrenched within spongy flesh. Lauki is 96.1% water, so is light on the stomach and aids digestion. A 100 gm serving of lauki contains just twelve calories and is ideal if you are watching your weight. Lauki has enormous health benefits. Cooked lauki is cooling, calming, diuretic and anti-bilious. It makes you relax after eating. It plays a very important role in treating urinary disorders. A glass of fresh lauki juice mixed with limejuice combat the burning sensation caused by the high acidity of urine. Lauki juice is an excellent remedy for excessive thirst caused by diarrhea, over consumption of fatty or fried foods, and diabetes. Drink a glass of this juice with a little salt added to it to treat this condition. If you are on a low calorie diet, suffering from digestive problems, are diabetic or convalescing, then lauki is must for you as it is easily digestible and low in calories. Juice from its leaves is good for jaundice.

Nutritional value of 100 g of edible portion of lauki (bottle gourd) is:

Energy (KCal):  12

Protein (g): 0.2

Carbohydrate (g): 2.5

Fat (g):  0.1

Calcium (mg):  20

Iron (mg):  0.46

Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a vegetable that belongs to the Brassica oleracea species that also includes cabbage, brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli and collard greens. The vegetable originated in the Northeast Mediterranean and is presently cultivated in most parts of the world. This vegetable has a white head and stalk and is surrounded by thick, green leaves. The stalk and leaves are discarded and only the head (white curd) is eaten. Cauliflower can be had in the raw, cooked or pickled form and the raw form holds the highest nutritional value.

Its name is derived from the Latin word caulis (cabbage) and flower. Cauliflower has a long history. François Pierre La Varenne employed chouxfleurs in Le cuisinier françois. They had been introduced to France from Genoa in the 16th century, and are featured in Olivier de Serres’ Théâtre de l’agriculture (1600), as cauli-fiori “as the Italians call it, which are still rather rare in France; they hold an honorable place in the garden because of their delicacy,” but they did not commonly appear on grand tables until the time of Louis XIV.

Cauliflower and broccoli are from the same species having very similar structures, though cauliflower replaces the green flower buds with white inflorescence meristem. Cauliflower is a cool season crop and is more exacting in its climatic requirements than most other crops in this family. It grows best in a comparatively cool temperature with a moist atmosphere. They are classified into four major groups like the Italian, Northwest European biennial, Northern European annuals and the Asian. There are different colors of cauliflowers available in the market like the orange cauliflower that contains 25 times the level of Vitamin A of white varieties. Green cauliflower is sometimes called brocco flower or broccoli. Purple color exists and the purple color is caused by the presence of the antioxidant group anthocyanin, which can also be found in red cabbage and red wine.

Cauliflower is low in fat, high in dietary fiber, folate, water and vitamin C, possessing a very high nutritional density. Cauliflower is also a good source of carotenoids. Cauliflower can be roasted, boiled, fried, steamed or eaten raw. There are a variety of dishes that can be made of the cauliflower like the cauliflower miluguperatu, carrot cauliflower pickle, cauliflower au gratin and the cauliflower 65 to name a few. The cauliflower manchurian is an all time favorite to many like the kids and the oldies. Steaming or microwaving better preserves anti-cancer compounds than boiling.

When cooking, the outer leaves and thick stalks are removed, leaving only the florets. The leaves are also edible, but are most often discarded. The florets should be broken into similar-sized pieces so they are cooked evenly. After eight minutes of steaming, or five minutes of boiling, the florets should be soft, but not mushy (depending on size). As with all vegetables, be sure not to overcook cauliflower. Sautéing cauliflower is rather better than the more traditional methods of boiling or steaming, which makes them waterlogged, mushy and loses much of its flavor. Cut cauliflower florets into quarters and let sit for 5 minutes before cooking. For great tasting cauliflower add 1 tsp of turmeric when adding the cauliflower to the skillet.

Raw cauliflower is firm yet a bit spongy in texture. It has a slightly sulfurous and faintly bitter flavor. The milk, sweet, almost nutty flavor of cauliflower is at its best from December through March when it is in season and most plentiful in your local markets. Cauliflower traces its ancestry to the wild cabbage, a plant thought to have originated in ancient Asia Minor, which resembled kale or collards more than the vegetable that we now know it to be.

The cauliflower went through many transformations and reappeared in the Mediterranean region, where it has been an important vegetable in Turkey and Italy since at least 600 B.C. It gained popularity in France in the mid-16th century and was subsequently cultivated in Northern Europe and the British Isles. The United States, France, Italy, India, and China are countries that produce significant amounts of cauliflower.

Cauliflower contains phytonutrients that release odorous sulfur compounds when heated. These odors become stronger with increased cooking time. If you want to minimize odor, retain the vegetable’s crisp texture, and reduce nutrient loss, cook the cauliflower for only a short time. Some phytonutrients may react with iron in cookware and cause the cauliflower to take on a brownish hue. To prevent this, add a bit of lemon juice to the water in which you blanch the cauliflower.

Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K, folate and fiber. It is a very good source of vitamin B5, vitamin B6, omega-3 fatty acids, and manganese. Additionally, it is a good source of potassium, protein, phosphorus, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, and magnesium. Cauliflower, a highly nutritious vegetable, contains many nutrients that can help prevent a range of diseases from cancer to cataracts. Three florets of cauliflower a day will provide you with 67% of your daily vitamin C requirement. Cauliflower has been associated with the maintenance of a healthy cholesterol level. Cauliflower acts as a blood and liver detoxifier.

Nutritional Value of Cauliflower

Given below is the amount of nutrients in 100 gm of raw cauliflower

Carbohydrates – 5 g

Sugars – 2.4 g

Dietary fiber – 2.5 g

Protein – 2 g

Vitamin B6 – 0.22 mg

Folate (Vitamin B9) – 57 μg

Vitamin C – 46 mg

Calcium – 22 mg

Iron – 0.44 mg

Potassium – 300 mg

Energy – 20 kcal (100 kJ)