The high standards of our society let the million dozen of food go to waste every year. Cauliflower which is the famously consumed vegetable all around the world is sold without leaves to enhance the look.
Or however, if you may buy cauliflower that has leaves then you might also throw the cauliflower leaves in the dustbin. Well, I agree that’s how it’s done as it is not important to protect the cauliflower if you are cooking it.
But are leaves underutilized in our homes? Well that’s the thought that came across my wife’s mind and she asked me, can we use cauliflower leaves to make something.
Well, I was not sure so I asked my nutritionist friend and researched on the web and I got the answer in detail. Well, without any long story let’s directly jump into the question which is can you eat cauliflower leaves?
Can you eat cauliflower leaves?
Yes, definitely you can eat cauliflower leaves. It is the best way to utilize cauliflower completely. Cauliflower leaves are rich in nutrients and contain some vitamin properties.
Besides that, you can eat raw cauliflower leaves or can cook them for your lunch.
To know complete information about cauliflower leaves, keep reading.
Are cauliflower leaves nutritious
Yes, cauliflower leaves are nutritious. It contains fiber and vitamin c in it. Cauliflower leaves are a house of nutrients and vitamins that help in improving the impunity of your body. Besides fiber and vitamin c, it also contains calcium, folate, potassium, iron, and selenium.
If we compare the nutrition of cauliflower leaves with cauliflower and other vegetables of this family, let’s find out which has more nutrition.
The chart below shows the nutrition facts in cauliflower leaves, cauliflower, and broccoli. The values are based on 100 grams of each item.
| Broccoli | cauliflower | Cauliflower leaves | |
| Vitamin c | yes | yes | yes |
| Vitamin k1 | yes | yes | yes |
| calcium | yes | yes | yes |
| fiber | 2.4 gram(100g) | 2 gram(100g) | yes |
| iron | yes | yes | |
| sugar | 1.5 gram(100g) | 2 gram (100g) | |
| magnesium | yes | yes | yes |
| folate | yes | yes | |
| carbs | 6 gram (100g) | 5 gram(100g) | – |
| calories | 31 gram(100g) | 25 gram (100g) | – |
| fat | 0..4 gram(100g) | 0 (100g) | – |
| sodium | (100g) | (100g) | – |
| protein | 2.5 gram(100g) | 2 gram (100g) | – |
| potassium | yes | 6% | – |
Cauliflower- just like cauliflower leaves cauliflower is also rich in vitamins and minerals and contains more nutrition than leaves. Most of the vitamins and minerals present in cauliflower are similar to leaves.
What do cauliflower leaves tastes like?
The taste of cauliflower leaves depends on how it is eaten and what’s the age of the cauliflower.
And lastly, sometimes the environment and weather conditions also affect the taste of the leaves.
As there are four different types of cauliflower and all have leaves on them. The leaves are mainly forest green or light green.
Let’s first know how it tastes when you eat it raw. Well, when you eat the cauliflower leaves raw are crunchy and have fresh flavor.
The taste is familiar and is not bitter or sweet, as the cauliflower itself the taste is mild as I personally tasted it myself. The time tasted the leaves is just after pilled from the cauliflower.
But this doesn’t mean that you have to eat it right away, as it is hard to eat a lot of leaves at a single time.
And you don’t have to do that because you can store it up for 4 to 5 days in your refrigerator, to eat raw every next day.
Benefits of eating cauliflower
Helps in constipation
Cauliflower leaves are rich in fibers and can help one to relieve constipation problems. Fibers help the stool to increase its size and become heavy, this simplifies the process of normal bowel movements.
Besides that, fibers also help in lowering cholesterol levels and controlling sugar levels. Further, some studies have also suggested that fiber also helps in reducing blood pressure. The combination of potassium and fiber helps in water retention and in preventing cancer.
Strengthen bone
It’s unique and that cauliflower leaves have enough calcium in them that can fulfill the requirements of your daily calcium intake. Calcium is very important to keep your bones healthy and strong.
Helpful in weight loss
Cauliflower leaves are an easy meal to add in your weight loss program.
The main reason is that it contains fewer calories and carbs, both are two main important things to cut down in your diet to lose weight.
Not only leaves but if you eat cauliflower, still the carbs and calories intake is less than your other meals.
Help in body functioning
As cauliflower leaves are rich in iron which helps the body to perform well, from energy, immune system to body temperature.
Iron is also very important for our body to make hemoglobin or convert protein in red blood cells. Further, 100 grams of cauliflower leaves contain 40 milligrams of iron.
This is enough to keep up with the body requirement of an average person.
Make a good salad combination
The best plus point of eating cauliflower leaves is that they make great combinations with a lot of salads, soups, and vegetables. And also it’s not necessary to cook them.
Can you cook cauliflower leaves?
Yes, you can cook cauliflower leaves and make different dishes with them. Cooking cauliflower leaves makes them soft and easy to chew and digest.
Besides that, you can add flavors of salt and other things to make the dish delicious, which is not possible when you eat it raw.
Before cooking it
There are different recipes that you can try with cauliflower leaves. But before cooking the leaves one thing should always make sure to wash them with clean water, as most of the time leaves are the home to caterpillars.
Cauliflower leaves are easy to add to any salad. You can add them to any salad.
Best time to eat cauliflower leaves
Cauliflowers are all year round but the best time to eat cauliflower and its leaves is in winter. High winter months, mainly in December or January, are the best time to eat cauliflower leaves.
