A healthy recipe: cauliflower soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 grated carrots
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ginger
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 medium cauliflower, divided into small pieces
• 1 potato, halved

Preparation:

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pot. Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, garlic, ginger and turmeric in the amounts specified and sauté until the onion is lightly golden. Add the small cauliflower pieces and potato. Leave to simmer over low heat. Cook for approximately 20-25 minutes until the vegetables soften. Blend the cooked soup and serve…

Enjoy.

Cauliflower

With a history dating back 2000 years, cauliflower is a vegetable growing in the northeastern Mediterranean region. It belongs to the Brassica oleracea family. It consists of tightly packed cream-colored bud clusters surrounded by green leaves. Its cream-colored buds contain chlorophylls that give plants dark green colors.

When choosing cauliflower:

• Ensure that the buds are cream-colored,
• Bud clusters should not be separated,
• Avoid spotted or pale specimens,
• Ensure that the surrounding leaves are fresh,
• Uncooked cauliflower can be refrigerated in suitable containers for up to 1 week,
• Pay particular attention to storage conditions, such as temperature and exposure to air, to prevent loss of vitamin C, B vitamins and carotenoids.

Cauliflower composition:

Cauliflower contains:

• Very high levels of vitamin C (54,93mg), vitamin K (17,11mcq), folic acid (54,56 mcq), vitamin B5 (0,63 mg) and vitamin B6 (0,21 mg).
• High levels of choline (48,48 mg), fiber (2,68 g), omega-3 (0,21 g), manganese (0,16 mg), phosphorus (39,68 mg) and biotin (1,61 mcq).
• Moderate and low levels of vitamin B1 (0,05 mg), vitamin B2 (0,06 mg), vitamin B3 (0,51 mg), potassium (176,08 mg), protein ( 2,28 mg ) and magnesium (11,16 mg).

Cooking cauliflower:

Studies show that cauliflower should be cooked for no more than 10-15 minutes to prevent loss of phytochemicals called glucosinolates and flavonoids. Sulfur compounds giving cauliflower its distinctive smell also emerge as cooking time increases.

Cauliflower and its benefits:

• Cauliflower contains glucosinolates, which give it its characteristic smell. In our body, glucosinolates support proper cardiovascular function and a stronger immune system . They also help eliminate toxins, producing an antimicrobial effect .
• The World Cancer Research Fund states that cauliflower’s indole-3-carbinol and isothiocyanates, metabolites (breakdown products) of glucosinolates, prevent DNA damage occurring during cancer formation.
• Thanks to its sulfur compounds, it has aprotective effect on the cardiovascular system .
• It contains indole-3-carbinol, which controls inflammation resulting from chemical processes in our body.
• It is a rich source of vitamin C (meeting %77 of daily requirements) and vitamin K .
• Through its choline (fatty acid), it contributes to brain development .
• Through its “sülfarophan”, it forms a protective layer covering the stomach lining and prevents the formation of the bacterium Helcobecter pylori. Many studies have found that as consumption of sulfarophan-containing vegetables regularly increases, lung, breast, prostate, colorectal and non-Hodgkin lymphoma cancers decline . A study in mice with diabetes induced by streptozocin, which causes both insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetes, also found prevention of type-1 diabetes .
• Cauliflower acts as an antioxidant for human health through phytochemicals such as beta-carotenes, beta-cryptoxanthin, caffeic acid, cinnamic acid, ferulic acid and quercetin. Its vitamin C and manganese also act as antioxidants in our tissues.

Mediterranean cuisine includes cauliflower as a valuable ingredient. Remember that, despite all these benefits, it is only food. It must never be regarded or used as a medicine or medical treatment. Drawing on scientific data, this article presents the benefits of different components of the Mediterranean diet .

Our aim here is to present what we eat and drink by bringing together taste, enjoyment and a scientific perspective.