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Cauliflower

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For other uses, see Cauliflower (disambiguation).
Cauliflower
Cauliflower, cultivar unknown
SpeciesBrassica oleracea
Cultivar groupBotrytis cultivar group
OriginNortheast Mediterranean
Cultivar group membersMany; see text.
Cauliflower plants growing in a nursery in New Jersey.
Cauliflower, raw
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy104 kJ (25 kcal)
5 g
Sugars1.9 g
Dietary fiber2 g
0.3 g
1.9 g
VitaminsQuantity
%DV†
Thiamine (B1)
4%
0.05 mg
Riboflavin (B2)
5%
0.06 mg
Niacin (B3)
3%
0.507 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)
13%
0.667 mg
Vitamin B6
11%
0.184 mg
Folate (B9)
14%
57 μg
Vitamin C
54%
48.2 mg
Vitamin E
1%
0.08 mg
Vitamin K
13%
15.5 μg
MineralsQuantity
%DV†
Calcium
2%
22 mg
Iron
2%
0.42 mg
Magnesium
4%
15 mg
Manganese
7%
0.155 mg
Phosphorus
4%
44 mg
Potassium
10%
299 mg
Sodium
1%
30 mg
Zinc
2%
0.27 mg
Other constituentsQuantity
Water92 g
Link to USDA Database entry
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults,[1] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.[2]

Cauliflower is one of several vegetables in the species Brassica oleracea, in the family Brassicaceae. It is an annual plant that reproduces by seed. Typically, only the head (the white curd) is eaten. The cauliflower head is composed of a white inflorescence meristem. Cauliflower heads resemble those in broccoli, which differs in having flower buds.

Its name is from Latin caulis (cabbage) & flower.[3] Brassica oleracea also includes broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, & kale, though they are of different cultivar groups.

For such a highly modified plant, cauliflower has a long history. François Pierre La Varenne employed chouxfleurs in Le cuisinier françois.[4] They were introduced to France from Genoa in the 16th century, & 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",[5] but they did not commonly appear on grand tables until the time of Louis XIV.[6]

Classification and identification

Major groups

There are 4 major groups of cauliflower.[7]

Italian
Diverse in appearance, and biennial and annual in type, this group includes white, Romanesco, various brown, green, purple, & yellow cultivars. This type is the ancestral form from which the others were derived.
Northern European annuals
Used in Europe and North America for summer & fall harvest, it was developed in Germany in the 18th century, & includes the old cultivars Erfurt and Snowball.
Northwest European biennial
Used in Europe for winter & early spring harvest, this was developed in France in the 19th century, & includes the old cultivars Angers & Roscoff.
Asian
A tropical cauliflower used in China & India, it was developed in India during the 19th century from the now-abandoned Cornish type,[8] and includes old varieties Early Benaras and Early Patna.

Varieties

There are 100s of historic & current commercial varieties used around the world. A comprehensive list of about 80 North American varieties is maintained at North Carolina State University.[9]

Colors

White
White cauliflower is the most common color of cauliflower.
Orange
Orange cauliflower (B. oleracea L. var. botrytis) contains 25% more vitamin A than white varieties.[10] This trait came from a natural mutant found in a cauliflower field in Canada.[11] Cultivars include 'Cheddar' and 'Orange Bouquet'.
Green
Green cauliflower, of the B. oleracea botrytis group, is sometimes called broccoflower. It is available both with the normal curd shape & a variant spiky curd called Romanesco broccoli. Both types have been commercially available in the U.S. & Europe since the early 1990s. Green-curded varieties include 'Alverda', 'Green Goddess' & 'Vorda'. Romanesco varieties include 'Minaret' & 'Veronica'.
Purple
The purple color in this cauliflower is caused by the presence of the antioxidant group anthocyanins, which can also be found in red cabbage & red wine.[12] Varieties include 'Graffiti' & 'Purple Cape'.
In Great Britain and southern Italy, a broccoli with tiny flower buds is sold as a vegetable under the name "purple cauliflower"; it is not the same as standard cauliflower with a purple curd.
  • White cauliflower
    White cauliflower
  • Orange cauliflower
    Orange cauliflower
  • Purple cauliflower
    Purple cauliflower

Nutrition

Cauliflower is low in fat, low in carbohydrates but high in dietary fiber, folate, water, & vitamin C, possessing a high nutritional density.[13]

Cauliflower contains several phytochemicals, common in the cabbage family, that may be beneficial to human health.

Boiling reduces the levels of these compounds, with losses of 20–30% after 5 minutes, 40–50% after 10 minutes, & 75% after 30 minutes.[15] However, other preparation methods, such as steaming, microwaving, & stir frying, have no significant effect on the compounds.[15]

Cooking

Aloo gobi, an Indian, Pakistani dish prepared with cauliflower & potato

Cauliflower can be roasted, boiled, fried, steamed, or eaten raw. When cooking, the outer leaves and thick stalks are removed, leaving only the florets. The leaves are also edible, but are most often discarded.[16] The florets should be broken into similar-sized pieces so that they are cooked evenly. After 8 minutes of steaming, or 5 minutes of boiling, the florets should be soft, but not mushy (depending on size). Stirring while cooking can break the florets into smaller, uneven pieces.

Low carbohydrate dieters can use cauliflower as a reasonable substitute for potatoes or rice; while they can produce a similar texture, or mouth feel, they lack the starch of the originals.

Fractal dimension

Fractal pattern of Romanesco broccoli, a variant form of cauliflower

Cauliflower has been noticed by mathematicians for its distinct fractal dimension,[17][18] predicted to be about 2.8.[19]

History

The oldest record of cauliflower dates back to the 6th century B.C. Pliny wrote about it in the 2nd century. In the 12th century, three varieties were described in Spain as introductions from Syria, where it had doubtless been grown for more than 1000 years. It is found in the writings of the Arab botanists Ibn al-'Awwam and Ibn al-Baitar, in the 12th and 13th centuries when its origins were said to be Cyprus.[20][21][22]

References

  1. ^ United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". FDA. Archived from the original on 2024-03-27. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
  2. ^ National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee to Review the Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019). Oria, Maria; Harrison, Meghan; Stallings, Virginia A. (eds.). Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. The National Academies Collection: Reports funded by National Institutes of Health. Washington, DC: National Academies Press (US). ISBN 978-0-309-48834-1. PMID 30844154. Archived from the original on 2024-05-09. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  3. ^ "Cauliflower: definition". dictionary.com. 2006. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
  4. ^ Wheaton, Barbara Ketcham (1996) Savoring the Past: the French kitchen and table from 1300 to 1789, Touchstone, p. 118, ISBN 0684818574.
  5. ^ Wheaton, Barbara Ketcham (1996) Savoring the Past: the French kitchen and table from 1300 to 1789, Touchstone, p. 66, ISBN 0684818574.
  6. ^ Toussaint-Samat, Maguelonne (2009) A History of Food, 2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons, pp. 625f, ISBN 144430514X.
  7. ^ Crisp, P. (1982). "The use of an evolutionary scheme for cauliflowers in screening of genetic resources". Euphytica. 31 (3): 725. doi:10.1007/BF00039211.
  8. ^ Swarup, V. and Chatterjee, S.S (1972). "Origin and genetic improvement of Indian cauliflower". Economic Botany. 26 (4): 381–393. doi:10.1007/BF02860710.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ Farnham, M. (2007). "Vegetable Cultivar Descriptions for North America:Cauliflower". Retrieved 2007-09-19.
  10. ^ Cohen, Amanda and Koenig, Leah (November 9, 2009). "The Story Behind Orange Cauliflower". saveur.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Dickson, M.H., Lee C.Y., Blamble A.E. (1988). "Orange-curd high carotene cauliflower inbreds, NY 156, NY 163, and NY 165". HortScience. 23: 778–779.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ Chiu, L., Prior, R.L., Wu, X., Li, L. (July 16, 2005). "Toward Identification of the Candidate Gene Controlling Anthocyanin Accumulation in Purple Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis)". American Society of Plant Biologists Annual Meeting. p. 628.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ "Cauliflower Nutrient Data Table". USDA. 2003. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  14. ^ "Breeding Better Broccoli: Research Points To Pumped Up Lutein Levels In Broccoli". Science Daily. 8 November 2009. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  15. ^ a b Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick (2007-05-15). "Research Says Boiling Broccoli Ruins Its Anti Cancer Properties".
  16. ^ Stephens, MJ (1998). "Secondary Edible Parts of Vegetables". Vegetarian. 5.
  17. ^ Walker, John. (2005-03-22) Fractal Food. Fourmilab.ch. Retrieved on 2013-09-03.
  18. ^ Description of the Julia sets of the cabbage fractal. Iwriteiam.nl. Retrieved on 2013-09-03.
  19. ^ Kim, Sang-Hoon. "Fractal Structure of a White Cauliflower" (PDF). Journal of Korean physical society. 46 (2): 474–477. arXiv:cond-mat/0409763.
  20. ^ "Cabbage Flowers for Food". Aggie Horticulture. Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M System. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
  21. ^ Fenwick, G. Roger; Heaney, Robert K.; Mullin, W. John; VanEtten, Cecil H. (1982). "Glucosinolates and their breakdown products in food and food plants". C R C Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 18 (2): 123–201. doi:10.1080/10408398209527361.
  22. ^ "History of Cauliflower". cauliflowerfestival.com. Retrieved 12 October 2014.

Further reading

  • Sharma, S.R, Singh, P.K., Chable, V. Tripathi, S.K. (2004). "A review of hybrid cauliflower development". Journal of New Seeds. 6 (2–3): 151. doi:10.1300/J153v06n02_08.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cauliflower.
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