Benefits and Uses of Cauliflower for Skin, Hair and Health

Cauliflower is a common vegetable used to make a number of tasty dishes. It is full of nutrients and is good for your health as well as the hair and the skin. Having it regularly is good for the liver and also prevents many types of cancers.

Benefits of Cauliflower for the Skin:

Anti Ageing:

The antioxidants present in cauliflower reverses the process of ageing and make your skin look young and glowing.

Fights Skin Problems:

Powerful antioxidants like Vitamin C and manganese are found in cauliflower, which can help in increasing the levels of oxygen in the blood and thereby the metabolic activities as well. This leads to easy digestion of the food you consume and attain all the nutrients from the food. With an increase in the level of oxygen in the blood, there is an increase in the amount of toxins removed from the body. This leads to a healthy skin and reduces the formation of acne, pimples, wrinkles, flaky skin, moles, dark spots, warts and rashes.

Hair Benefits of Cauliflower:

Hair Growth:

Cauliflower contains Vitamins A, C, E and K, sodium, calcium, potassium, zinc, manganese, copper, iron, niacin and fat. All these help in better growth of the hair. It also helps in preventing hair loss and makes your hair strong and healthy.

If your body lacks one of the essential nutrients mentioned above, you will get itchy scalp and many other problems. So ensure that your body gets all the essential nutrients.

Health and Medicinal Benefits of Cauliflower:

Builds healthy immune system:

Antioxidants are found in high quantities in cauliflowers. These are very good for the body and keep it healthy. They control inflammation and aid in providing you a strong and healthy immune system.

Boosts Vitamin K:

If you are deficient in Vitamin K and want to increase its level, have cauliflower daily. This will ensure that you get adequate amounts of Vitamin K. Vitamin K helps in the formation and development of bone cells and therefore is essential for strong and healthy bones. This vitamin is vital for stopping bleeding when a wound or a cut is made on your body. If the body lacks Vitamin K, the bleeding from the wound takes a long time to stop. This is because it is needed for the coagulation of the blood.

Detoxifies the body system:

Cauliflower enhances the ability of the body to detoxify. It helps in activating the enzymes in the liver and increases the detoxification of various organs in the body. Thus it protects your body from various harms caused by toxic substances in the body.

Development of fetus:

Cauliflower is a rich source of folates and Vitamins like vitamin A and B. Hence this vegetable is excellent for the formation of new cells. Therefore pregnant women benefit a lot by consuming cauliflower. It helps in the proper development of the fetus and makes the baby healthy. Vitamin C is also found abundantly in cauliflower. So, pregnant women are advised to have at least one cup of every day.

Lowers cholesterol:

Cauliflower is a rich source of fiber and this helps in lowering the levels of cholesterol in the body.

Promotes heart health:

Having cauliflower regularly helps you to keep your heart and the cardiovascular system healthy. This is because of the presence of Sulforaphane in this vegetable.

Promotes weight loss:

Cauliflower is an excellent choice if you want to lose weight. It contains Vitamin C, which is good for burning extra fat. The folates present in cauliflowers also help in losing weight effectively. It is also low in calories. One cup of cauliflower contains only 30 calories. It is also without any starch. You can consume it in large quantities and remain healthy and fit.

Rich in Calcium:

Cauliflower is a rich source of calcium, which is essential for keeping your bones and teeth strong and healthy. Calcium along with Vitamin D increases your bone mass. Calcium is also good for the heart, nerves and the muscles. You need calcium for the transmission of nerve impulses.

Rich source of minerals:

Cauliflower is a storehouse of various minerals like zinc, phosphorous, magnesium, manganese, selenium and sodium. Zinc is useful for the development of new cells and it also helps in healing wounds fast. Magnesium helps the parathyroid glands to secrete the hormone needed for the proper development of bones. Selenium enhances the functioning of the immune system and makes it strong. Phosphorous provides you strong and healthy bones. To keep a balance of the fluids in the body, you need sodium. Manganese is needed for the formation of enzymes and also to activate the enzymes.

Reduces the risk of cancer:

Cauliflower helps you to reduce the risk of many types of cancers like the cancer of lungs, breast, bladder and so on. The sulforaphane, a suphur compound present in cauliflowers, has the power to kill cancer stem cells, thus slowing down the growth of tumors. Destroying the cancer stem cells is the best way to prevent cancer. Like cauliflower, other members of the cruciferous family like broccoli, kale etc also helps in reducing the risks of cancer.

Some Tips to buy Cauliflower:

When you buy cauliflower, try to get fresh ones as they contain more nutrients than the ones that are not very fresh. So check and ensure that the head is tight and firm. Presence of spots on he means that they are not very fresh. Look for the cream colored varieties and check the weight. It they are fresh, their weight will be more. Also check whether the leaves are still green. You have to store cauliflowers properly as they easily get spoiled. Put them in plastic bags and keep in the refrigerator. You can also cut the heads of the cauliflower and keep in plastic bags in the refrigerator. Wash it only before you cook.