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Brassica oleracea, the cauliflower, is one of the most popular cabbage vegetables in German kitchen gardens. The popular inflorescences can be harvested and prepared just 8 to 12 weeks after planting. But how? The vast majority of preparations cook the cauliflower in one way or another. But can you also eat it raw? And what about the solid, thick stalk? We offer useful information about cauliflower as a raw food.
Eat cauliflower raw
A look at a cookbook from the currently popular vegetarian or even vegan scene makes it clear that the question of the toxicity of cauliflower consumed raw does not require closer examination. This cultivated form of cabbage is obviously a product that can be eaten uncooked. So let's turn to the question of whether it's just edible, or whether there are even some benefits to eating it raw. Let’s start with a general look at the ingredients of cauliflower:
- Vitamins C and K, provitamin A
- phosphorus
- potassium
- calcium
- magnesium
- sodium
- iron
- fiber
- chrome
- folic acid
- Sulforaphane (cancer-inhibiting effect!)
Many of these substances disintegrate with increasing cooking through the effect of the cooking heat, or convert into other substances. The "rawer" the vegetables are eaten, the more likely this valuable content will benefit the connoisseur to the full extent.
danger: Note that the highest levels of these substances are found in or just under the cauliflower skin. For a healthy diet, opt for raw cauliflower, but if you peel the veggies before eating, you'll negate a large portion of the benefits gained!
tip: Keep in mind that numerous inhabitants of the cauliflower florets, i.e. beetles, insects and snails, can be overlooked when eaten raw and then eaten with them. To prevent this, it is advisable to place the cauliflower upside down in cold water before preparing it and leave it there for about 20 minutes. Unwanted inhabitants then look for the distance and can be collected from the water surface. At the same time, any sand that may be in the florets is loosened and washed out.
Consequences of excessive raw consumption
Although cauliflower is generally considered to be very mild and easily digestible, the stalks of the florets and the core of the plant have a high proportion of highly fibrous areas. Excessive consumption can lead to the following symptoms:
- gas
- Bloated stomach
- stomach pain
- constipation
During cooking, the fibers become softer and the after-effects are less pronounced. Therefore, the warning against excessive consumption applies primarily to Brassica oleracea in its raw form.
Special case of iodine deficiency
It is now clear that, in general, there is nothing to be said against cauliflower as a raw food. The situation is different if you suffer from a thyroid disease or if you are suffering from an acute iodine deficiency. Then you should indeed avoid raw cauliflower. Like many other cruciferous vegetables, it contains goitrogens, which in the human body can lead to a reduced ability of the thyroid gland to absorb iodine. If you are already predisposed, the result can be a further disruption of the iodine balance. In this exceptional case, the decomposition of ingredients by heat is exceptionally even desirable. The goitrogens are at least partially broken down by the cooking process, so that eating cauliflower raw is at least less critical as a result.
stalk
The stalk is a special case in many plants. Cauliflower is no different. Traditionally, recipes use the florets, i.e. the unopened inflorescences of the cabbage. The stem of the flower, on the other hand, is often ignored because of the following peculiarities:
- More intense to even penetrating taste
- High content of bitter substances
- Firm to hard consistency
- Visually unappealing and therefore difficult to present
From a biological or culinary point of view, the stalk is there can be used and consumed to the same extent as the florets. Due to the higher firmness and the more intense taste, consumption raw is not for everyone, so that one should decide individually whether to leave out the stalk in the raw food or to include it.
tip: Did you know that a hard and bitter stalk becomes much more edible if you grate or grate it finely and add it to a salad or other raw food dishes?
leaves
In addition to the obvious florets and the frequently questioned stalk, there are other components of this vegetable plant that can be eaten without further ado and are wholesome and tasty even as raw food: the leaves. They usually fall victim to the cleaning of the cabbage head first and are carelessly put aside. Clean leaves that are not affected by rot can sometimes be included in salads or even eaten raw with a dip. Due to the green colour, the cabbage taste is much stronger here, so that they are ultimately not to everyone's taste.