White, green or purple, for some it is the food par excellence that we would not like to find on our plate; for us it is cauliflower with a thousand properties. And here we find out why we can learn to love him.

Let's start by considering this: cauliflower is a flower! A flower of winter, colorful and beautiful - not for nothing now even florists sometimes sell it. And then did you know that cauliflower is an embodiment of "divine proportion" in nature? Observing a very common Roman cauliflower you will immediately notice its golden spirals, which follow the geometry of that golden section that represents the harmonic dimension of things ... And in fact, babies are born in cauliflowers, aren't they?!?

But let's move on to its more earthly dimension as a vegetable and meanwhile highlight one of its characteristics with very interesting practical implications: 100 grams of raw cauliflower contain about 25 kcal - in fact it is made up of 90% water and practically fat-free. A good reason to explore its possibilities, considering that, even if we add a little béchamel , the starting point is so low that maybe we can even afford it ...

Thanks to the excellent ration of dietary fiber it provides, it is satiating , helps good intestinal transit, has a modulating and prebiotic function of the glycemic index.

Cauliflowers are really rich in beneficial nutrients : lots of vitamins and minerals, among which vitamin C and iron stand out . Other minerals are calcium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and magnesium, as well as many essential trace elements. And among other vitamins, B9 - the famous folic acid - B1 and A.

Their raw consumption should definitely be tried , if you have not already done so. No smell for the house, but a very pleasant crunchy texture and a taste that could convince even those who are traditionally averse to this vegetable. Not only that: raw cauliflower preserves all the nutrients intact and in particular its antioxidant content, which is truly remarkable , so much so that it can be considered an anti-aging and anticancer food .

Talking about antioxidants brings us back to the colors , very important in every self-respecting flower. Yes, because the most striking cauliflower is undoubtedly the one with vibrant shades ranging from pastel violet to deep purple , and what is this color due to? To anthocyanins of course - the same ones found in red wine and the famous super-healthy "red fruits" - which are nothing but antioxidants. It also contains about 25% more vitamin A than white cauliflower. The taste does not vary much between one color cabbage and another, yet some differences seem to be appreciated. The purple one can be a little sweeter, a little more "nutty" ...

Purple is certainly not the only surprising color of cauliflowers: there is also the orange, new and hybrid , so colorful thanks to beta - carotene - that of carrots, of course! - which it contains in generous quantities and, look at it, is also an antioxidant. The flavor of this colorful variety is also milder than the whites and greens, a slightly more sweet and creamy taste.

Let's go back to the health aspects, to name at least one more: cauliflower has strong anti-inflammatory characteristics , so much so that it is a useful food for reducing cold symptoms . Its cooking water can be good for this purpose also for external use, to calm acne and skin inflammations.

Cooked and smoothed it is a real panacea for purifying the body after partying , since it helps to restore intestinal and liver function.

An edible and low-calorie flower, therefore, with profuse beneficial properties and generous aesthetic qualities: colored cauliflowers, the result of years and years of genetic selections (but not modifications), retain their color even after cooking. For a festive lunch they are perfect to combine with each other and with other ingredients, to create memorable color contrasts in beautiful and also healthy dishes.