What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Cauliflower Regularly

You might call cauliflower the Taylor Swift of the veggie world. No longer relegated solely to veggie crudité plates, cauliflower has gained popularity, making itself into everything from tacos and Buffalo wings to steak and pizza crust.

The fact that it’s a vegetable makes cauliflower automatically good for you. Additionally, cauliflower is packed with nutrients that give it unique benefits, such as fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K and choline. These properties give you a good reason to eat it frequently or even daily. Read on to learn more about the benefits and nutrition of cauliflower. 

Health Benefits of Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a cruciferous veggie, and its family members include Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cabbage. This group of vegetables in the Brassica family are well-known for their health benefits. But what are cauliflower’s exact benefits? Let’s take a closer look. 

Packed with Fiber

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend adults consume at least 28 to 34 grams of fiber daily, depending on age and sex. However, many Americans don’t eat enough. The good news is that cauliflower can help increase your fiber intake. One cup of cauliflower contains about 2 grams of fiber.

While fiber comes with numerous benefits, one of the biggies is creating a healthy gut microbiome, which is important for digestion, nutrition absorption and immune function, says Nichole Andrews, RDN, a Washington-based dietitian, cancer nutrition specialist and author of Sugar Does Not Feed Cancer. In fact, studies have shown that a low-fiber diet can alter your gut microbiome, increasing the risk of chronic health conditions like type 2 diabetes and other metabolic disorders.

Might Lower Your Cancer Risk

While increasing consumer interest in plant-based foods is perhaps one of the reasons cauliflower has become more popular, another might be its potential cancer-fighting properties. Cauliflower contains compounds like sulforaphane and glucosinolates, which have been studied for their anti-cancer effects. “These compounds have been shown to support detoxification processes in the body, inhibit the growth of cancer cells and even induce apoptosis, or cell death, in cancer cells,” says Andrews. One study, for instance, suggests that sulforaphane can help prevent and treat certain types of cancer, like prostate, breast, colon, skin, urinary bladder and oral.

May Improve Your Heart Health

Although more than half of American adults don’t know this, heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the U.S. for 100 years. That’s why it’s crucial to take every step you can to keep that heart healthy, including eating heart-healthy foods. 

Good news on the cauliflower front: Thanks to its high fiber content and the same compounds that can help prevent cancer, cauliflower can give your heart a boost by lowering cholesterol levels, reducing inflammation and supporting overall heart health, says Andrews. For instance, a study on older women found that eating more vegetables, specifically cruciferous ones like cauliflower, may help prevent atherosclerosis, a leading cause of strokes and heart attacks.

Boosts Your Digestive Health

Because of its prebiotic fiber content, cauliflower helps feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut. “Having a healthy gut microbiome is crucial for your overall well-being, not to mention reducing your colon cancer risk,” Andrews says. Fiber also promotes healthy digestion and helps you have regular bowel movements. 

May Help Reduce Inflammation

If you have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), you know firsthand what it feels like to have inflammation in your gut. Because it’s loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, cauliflower can reduce that inflammation, Andrews says. 

Cauliflower’s anti-inflammatory properties go beyond gut inflammation; it can help decrease systemic (chronic) inflammation throughout your body. Tame chronic inflammation can help reduce your risk of chronic health outcomes.

Cauliflower Nutrition Facts

One cup of raw cauliflower contains the following nutrients:

Potential Downsides

There’s no denying that cauliflower is a nutritious food. Still, for many individuals, it can cause some unwanted side effects and might even need to be limited if you have certain health issues. Keep these three on your radar.     

Can Make You Gassy

Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower often produce gas, mainly because they are high in FODMAPs, which stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. “If you’re not already consuming cauliflower regularly, take it slowly at first and eat small amounts to start,” says Kristin Kirkpatrick, RD, a dietitian with the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio and co-author of Regenerative Health. As your body gets used to cauliflower, you’ll notice that you have less gas. Cooking cauliflower can also make it more digestible. 

Might Increase Your Kidney Stone Risk

Oxalates are compounds that can contribute to the formation of kidney stones in individuals who are susceptible to them. And cauliflower is a high-oxalate food. “If you have a history of kidney stones, you might have to limit your intake of cauliflower,” Andrews says. 

Might Cause an Allergic Reaction

Although rare, some individuals have allergies to cruciferous vegetables. If you’re one of them, you’ll need to avoid cauliflower as it could cause an allergic reaction, says Andrews. That said, if you’re more susceptible to food allergies, talk to your health care provider to help determine what's safe for you.

Best Ways to Enjoy Cauliflower 

 One of the best things about cauliflower is its versatility in dishes. Here are five ways you can enjoy it:

• Roasted: Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil, salt and your favorite spices, then roast them until golden brown. “Roasting brings out cauliflower’s natural sweetness and adds a delicious depth of flavor,” says Andrews.
• Riced: Pulse cauliflower florets in a food processor until they look like rice grains. This low-carb alternative to traditional rice can be used in stir-fries, grain bowls and as a side dish, says Andrews.
• Mashed: By steaming or boiling cauliflower until it’s tender and then mashing or blending it in a food processor until smooth, you can create a similar texture to potatoes, Andrews says.
• Baked: If you’ve never had Buffalo cauliflower bites, you’re in for a treat. Andrews recommends tossing the florets in Buffalo sauce and baking until crispy for a healthier take on classic Buffalo wings.
• Souped: There are many delicious cauliflower soup recipes to try, from a simple but delicious and creamy Cauliflower Soup to a Roasted Cauliflower & Potato Curry Soup. Andrews also suggests sautéing cauliflower with onions and garlic until softened, then adding broth and blending until smooth and creamy.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Are there any negatives to eating cauliflower?

Andrews says the biggest pitfall with cauliflower is the possibility of digestive discomfort like bloating, gas or cramping, especially if you are sensitive to other cruciferous vegetables. Cauliflower can also cause issues in people with an allergy to cruciferous vegetables or those vulnerable to kidney stones. 

Which is healthier, broccoli or cauliflower?

They’re both good for you, so choose the one that you’ll eat regularly or like the most, says Kirkpatrick. Each, however, has its own nutritional advantages. For instance, while broccoli contains more calcium than cauliflower, cauliflower provides more choline.  

Is cauliflower better for you cooked or raw?

Cooked and raw are both healthy ways to enjoy cauliflower. Yet, if you want to avoid the gastrointestinal effects of this veggie, namely being gassy, definitely cook the cauliflower, Kirkpatrick says. However, if you aim to get the most antioxidant boost, raw is the best way to enjoy it, followed by steamed and boiled.

Does cauliflower clean your gut?

Cauliflower doesn’t contain anything that would give it superpowers for gut cleaning. Still, it contributes to gut health in numerous ways, the biggest being that it’s a good source of dietary fiber essential for digestive health. It also has anti-inflammatory compounds like sulforaphane and glucosinolates, which can help reduce gut inflammation.  

The Bottom Line

Cauliflower is a nutritious veggie packed with nutrients such as fiber, vitamins C, K and choline. Additionally, it provides many potential health benefits, from helping reduce inflammation and your risk of certain types of cancer to improving your gut health. However, if you have an allergy to other cruciferous veggies, consult your health care provider before adding it to your menu rotation. While it can give your meals a nutritional boost, it’s also a versatile vegetable you can use in numerous dishes. Talk about true flower power!