Cauliflower |
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Cauliflower, cultivar unknown |
Species |
Brassica oleracea |
Cultivar group |
Botrytis cultivar group |
Origin |
Northeast Mediterranean |
Cultivar group members |
Many; see text. |
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 while the stalk and surrounding thick, green leaves are used in vegetable broth or discarded. Cauliflower is very nutritious, and may be eaten cooked, raw or pickled.
Its name is from Latin cole - mustard crops - flower[1]), an acknowledgment of its unusual place among a family of food plants which normally produces only leafy greens for eating. Brassica oleracea also includes cabbage, brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli and collard greens, though they are of different cultivar groups.
Contents |
The preferred garden soil for cauliflower is well drained, moist and has significant organic matter with a pH of 6 to 7. Cauliflower is typically started indoors six to eight weeks prior to setting out in the garden and is typically ready for harvest two months after transplanting. As with all brassicas, seeds germinate best with a soil temperature of 25 °C (77 °F). The vegetable requires a cool, moist climate - if temperatures go too high, the plants will not produce flower heads, if too low a temperature is reached, the plants might button, creating small heads. It is cold tolerant, but will not survive hard frosts. Of all the brassicas, cauliflowers have the largest number of growth requirements, and the ability to successfully grow cauliflower in a home garden is often thought to be the hallmark of well-managed soil and a good gardener.
The most common insect pests of cauliflower are cabbage worms, aphids and flea beetles. Diseases of cauliflower include black rot, club root and viral yellows. The viral diseases are primarily spread by insects.
FAO reports that in 2005, China and India were the top producers of cauliflower and broccoli. About half of all cauliflower is grown in China and a quarter in India. In Europe, the main producer since 1990 has been Spain. In North America, production is primarily in California. The seasonal average f.o.b. shipping-point price for cauliflower in 2004 was $33.00 per 100 pounds ($0.73/kg) according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.
Top Ten cauliflowers and broccoli Producers — 11 June 2008 | ||||
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Country | Production (Tonnes) | Footnote | ||
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8585000 | F | ||
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5014500 | |||
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1240710 | |||
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450100 | |||
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433252 | |||
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370000 | F | ||
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305000 | F | ||
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277200 | |||
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209000 | F | ||
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186400 | |||
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19107751 | A | ||
No symbol = official figure, P = official figure, F = FAO estimate, * = Unofficial/Semi-official/mirror data, C = Calculated figure A = Aggregate(may include official, semi-official or estimates); |
Cauliflower and broccoli are the same species and have very similar structures, though cauliflower replaces the green flower buds with white inflorescence meristem.
There are four major groups of cauliflower.[2]
Traditional varieties include 'Snowball', 'Hybrid White', 'Super Snowball', 'Snow Crown', 'Mayflower', Candid Charm', 'Mormon', 'Agrahani', 'poushi', 'maghi', 'Snow White', 'Snow Grace'. Self-blanching varieties are 'Self Blanche', 'Early Tuscan', 'Late Tuscan'. Heirloom varieties include 'All the Year Round', 'Early Pearl', 'Early Snowball', 'Igloo', 'Violetta Italia' and 'Walcheren Winter'. Commercial varieties includue 'Fremont', 'Igloo' and 'Snow Crown'. A comprehensive list of varieties is maintained at North Carolina State University.[4]
Cauliflower, raw (edible parts) Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) |
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Energy 20 kcal 100 kJ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient database |
Cauliflower is low in fat, high in dietary fiber, folate, water and vitamin C, possessing a very high nutritional density. As a member of the brassica family, cauliflower shares with broccoli and cabbage several phytochemicals which are beneficial to human health, including sulforaphane, an anti-cancer compound released when cauliflower is chopped or chewed. In addition, the compound indole-3-carbinol, which appears to work as an anti-estrogen, appears to slow or prevent the growth of tumors of the breast and prostate.[8] Cauliflower also contains other glucosinolates besides sulfurophane, substances which may improve the liver's ability to detoxify carcinogenic substances.[9] A high intake of cauliflower has been found to reduce the risk of aggressive prostate cancer.[10]
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.[11] The florets should be broken into similar-sized pieces so they are cooked evenly. After eight minutes of steaming, or five 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. Cauliflower is often served with a cheese sauce, as in the dish cauliflower cheese, or with a meat gravy.
Low carb dieters can use cauliflower as a reasonable substitute for potatoes for while they can produce a similar texture, or mouth feel, they lack the starch of potatoes; cauliflower is used to produce a potato substitute known as fauxtato.
As with many vegetables, the cauliflower has a distinct fractal dimension. The fractal dimension of cauliflower is predicted at about 2.88.[12]