By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Cauliflower is super popular these days, and it makes the perfect low carb base for so many dishes. You can swap it out for rice, potatoes, beans, pizza crust—you name it, cauliflower can become the perfect non carb-y carb, thanks to the keto diet and low carb diets.

The great thing about cauliflower is that besides it being such a versatile low carb option for so many foods, it also is full of nutrition, fiber, and phytochemicals, so it’s the perfect choice!

Cauliflower is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family, along with broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, kohlrabi, cabbage, and more. These slightly bitter tasting veggies contain a lot of super phytochemicals to help fight cancer, protect your bones, balance your hormones, strengthen the immune system and detoxification.

Cancer fighting

Cruciferous vegetables have a strong cancer-fighting link, and are helpful to prevent breast cancer, colon, liver, lung and stomach cancers as well. It not only helps to slow the growth of cancer cells but it also helps to prevent the growth of tumors as well.

Cruciferous vegetables are rich in a compound called glucosinolates which are sulphur containing compounds. The sulphur is part of the reason cruciferous vegetables have such a strong odor.

Inflammation fighting

We know that inflammation is the beginning of many chronic diseases including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s and more. Lowering our toxic intake of foods that cause inflammation, while eating more ant-inflammatory foods will go a long way towards protecting our health and longevity. Cauliflower lowers oxidative stress and fights free radicals in our body. It also contains a host of powerful antioxidants including vitamin C, to fight inflammation and protect health.

Aids in Digestion

Compounds in cauliflower including sulforaphanes, glucobrassicin, glucoraphanin and gluconasturiian, aid the liver and support detoxification. These sulfur containing compounds help with nutrient absorption, and toxin and waste removal. In addition, glucosinolates help protect the stomach, and reduce leaking gut syndrome and other digestive disorders. They also feed our good bacteria in our guts, keeping a healthy gut environment which in turn aids our immune system, and reduces unhealthy bacterial overgrowth in the gut.

Cauliflower has a high fiber content, and one cup of it cooked has about 10 percent of the recommended daily amount of fiber. Diets rich in fiber help with digestions and help keep us regular. These beneficial effects not only make life more comfortable but also help maintain colorectal health.

Helps Keep our Hormones in Balance

Eating a diet heavy in cruciferous vegetables helps to maintain the proper levels of healthy estrogen, for both men and women. An inflammatory diet and unhealthy lifestyle make hormonal imbalances very common. In addition, processed foods like soy, meat, dairy, yeast and refined sugar can all lead to high levels of a bad version of estrogen in the body. Too much estrogen can cause health issues like weight gain, hypothyroidism, autoimmune disease, chronic fatigue, breast and ovarian cancer.

High Antioxidant Levels

Cauliflower contains ample amounts of vitamins C and K along with the mineral, manganese which neutralize free radicals before they can cause damage to healthy cells and contribute to disease. Vitamins C and K are considered powerful antioxidants that may help prevent conditions such as cancer, heart disease and arthritis.
One cup of cooked cauliflower provides 70% percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C, 19 percent of the daily vitamin K amount and 8 percent of the daily manganese amount, according to World’s Healthiest Foods.

Can you Eat Too Much Cauliflower?

Given the prevalence of cauliflower everywhere, can you eat too much of it?

Large quantities of cruciferous vegetables can inhibit thyroid function, but only for those who are deficient in iodine.

Cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables are known to cause some gas and bloating, especially if you eat them raw. Cooking helps to relieve the gas issue, and also helps with absorption of vitamins and minerals.

Cruciferous veggies including cauliflower do include compounds called purines which can aggravate kidney stones and gout, but generally there is little risk unless you are eating large quantities.

Roasted Cauliflower, garlic and Tahini Dip

One of my favorite ways of enjoying cauliflower is roasting it. The roasting brings out a rich, nutty flavor in cauliflower and it blends well with garlic. Check out this delicious low carb dip with sliced fresh veggies.

Ingredients

• 1medium sized head cauliflower, chopped into florets
• 1 head garlic
• Juice of 1 fresh lemon
• 2 tbsp tahini paste
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp each ground black pepper and ground cumin

Directions

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Toss chopped cauliflower in a bowl with olive oil, sea salt and pepper. On a large rimmed nonstick baking sheet, spread cauliflower. Slice off about ¼ inch off the top of the garlic head so that cloves are exposed and wrap garlic in foil and place on baking sheet with cauliflower. Roast for 45 minutes, turning cauliflower halfway. Remove from oven, unwrap garlic (being careful of steam) and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Add cauliflower, tahini to food processor. Squeeze out garlic from peel, add lemon juice and 1-2 tbsp water. Process until smooth. Serve with sliced cucumber, sliced carrots, and sliced radishes.

Get your FREE copy of the Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook.

Looking for easy, tasty recipes that help you burn fat, then look no further…

This free recipe book is packed with over 80 fat-burning Keto recipes, such has mouth-watering chicken, beef, pork meals and more…

Best yet, every single recipe uses a slow cooker. Spend less than 20 minutes in your kitchen whipping up these delicious meals.

References
https://www.livescience.com/54552-cauliflower-nutrition.html
https://draxe.com/nutrition/cauliflower/

The post Roasted Cauliflower, Garlic and Tahini Dip appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling
Co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

We’ve probably all noshed on Nori, the seaweed wrapper on sushi, and perhaps tried a seaweed salad or two. But for us Westerners, seaweed doesn’t get the star billing it should as a superfood—and trust me, seaweed is most definitely a superfood! A staple in Asian foods for years, it’s time for us to recognize the incredible value of seaweed.

While there are a variety of edible seaweeds to choose from, in general they all are very high in iodine, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin K, folate, copper and powerful antioxidants. In fact, seaweed generally has about 10 times the minerals of conventional plants. Dried algae contains some of the most concentrated nutrients, while spirulina and chlorella are high in protein, with all the essential amino acids needed. Seaweed contains a rich and vast source of antioxidants and phytochemicals.

Seaweed’s pool of antioxidants prevent inflammation, powerful natural weapons which in turn help to prevent cancer, arthritis, celiac disease, asthma, depression, Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease and more.

Some of the more common edible seaweed types are kelp, wakame, sea lettuce, kombu, arame,  nori, dulse, chlorella, agar, carrageenan, and duckweed. Seaweed is known for its massive amount of iodine, which is good for the thyroid gland (but if you have hyperthyroid, then you need to be careful with too much iodine.)  Not only does the thyroid help keep your metabolism burning at a good rate, it also helps your hair, skin and nails grow.

Thyroid Health and Metabolism

Iodine helps the body to produce thryoxine and triiodothyronine, two of the most important thyroid hormones. Iodine and thyroid hormone are also very vital to the central nervous systems of newborns, so balanced iodine levels are extremely important for baby’s brain cells and nervous system. Mild iodine deficiency is very common, given the low levels of iodine in most of our foods. Mild iodine deficiency can lead to hypo, or low thyroid issues, such as weight gain, fatigue, and depression. It is important, however, to understand that too much of a good thing—in this case, iodine—can also cause issues with thyroid hormone. The recommended amount of iodine is usually about 150 mcg per day.

Depending on where your seaweed came from and what type it is, it may contain more or less iodine than others. Kelp and other brown seaweeds contain more iodine than the green forms. Kombu, contains 100-1,000 times the iodine that nori does.

To learn more about Thyroid health, here’s a great article: The Ultimate Guide to Thyroid Health

Defends Against Diabetes

Seaweed contains compounds which have been found to help stabilized blood sugar levels. Brown algae contains a compound called fucoxanthin, which helps to fight obesity, reduce insulin resistance, and maintain a healthy blood sugar level. Seaweed also contains a different type of fiber which helps to slow down the rate that carbohydrates are absorbed after eating, which in turn slows down the rate at which the those carbs affect blood sugar. In one study, a group on a powdered seaweed supplement reported a 12% decrease in blood sugar levels, as well as a slight reduction in their hemoglobin A1C levels. Hemoglobin A1C is a measure of blood sugar levels over a period of 2-3 months. More research is needed in this area of disease prevention, however, related to the amount and types of seaweed for optimal health and diabetes prevention.

Fights Cancer, Balances Hormones

Another great thing about seaweed is that it can help to regulate estrogen and estradiol (a form of estrogen) levels in the body. Regulating estrogen helps to prevent breast cancer. It is even thought that the Japanese, who eat a lot of seaweed, also suffer less from breast cancer and other female hormone-related issues. Seaweed is also thought to help ease PMS, and improve female fertility issues as well.

The unique soluble fiber in seaweed helps to prevent colon cancer, and other compounds, found in kelp, wakame, and kombu, help to prevent the cancer cells from spreading and multiplying.

Heart health

Seaweed is actually very good for heart and blood vessel health. The powerful antioxidants in seaweed help to reduce blood pressure, prevent blood clots, and reduce inflammation. Seaweed also helps to reduce LDL, triglycerides and total cholesterol levels in those who eat it on a regular basis. Several studies show that an adequate seaweed intake may reduce blood pressure levels in children, adults and elderly people.

Healthy Immune Function

Seaweed is a powerful boost to your immune system because of the marine plant compounds that power up your immune system, calm your allergies, and fight pathogens that cause disease.  The marine plant polysaccharides exert a strong anti-viral effect on the body, killing off viruses that cause infections in humans. Studies show that these compounds are especially effective against human viruses like herpes and HIV.

Healthy Gut

Seaweed contains a variety of substances like agars, carageenans, and fucoidans which work in the gut as prebiotics, creating food and nutrition to feed the healthy bacteria in the gut. In addition, the rich soluble fiber helps to ensure smooth digestion and regular bowel movements. In turn, healthy bacteria in the gut produce a compound called butyrate, which has anti-inflammatory effects in the digestive system, helping to decrease inflammation and fighting colon cancer as well.

Be Careful of Too Much of a Good Thing

In very large quantities, seaweed’s abundance of iodine could create troubles with the thyroid, potentially causing hyperthyroid conditions or actually contributing to thyroid cancer (however it should be noted that this would be very rare, and only be a risk from eating very large quantities of seaweed for long periods of time).  One or two tablespoon servings of brown seaweed a week will give you enough of its healthy benefits without any health problems. Nori (the kind of seaweed on your sushi roll), has a lower iodine content, so you’d have to eat a lot of sushi for it to cause any problems.

Seaweed can also carry its share of toxins, arsenic, and other heavy metals and even potentially radiation from nuclear waste from the Fukushima meltdown depending on the area it was harvested.  Heavy metals can also accumulate in marine plants over time, creating dangerously high levels of toxins like the arsenic found in hijiki. The best and safest choices are certified organically grown seaweed, such as Maine Coast or Eden Foods brands.

What do you do with seaweed? I love buying toasted Nori and using it for wraps. You can add in some tuna salad, a few sprouts and a slice of avocado and you have a nutrition packed, low carb lunch. Or wrap around a bunch of veggies, scrambled eggs or hummus—or throw a bit into your smoothie!  Sprinkle dulse on salads and soups, use kelp as a replacement for salt in cooked dishes or add a strip or two of kombu to your beans and they will come out perfectly.  We get some kelp granules that we sprinkle into soups, scrambled eggs, or even tomato sauces.

Seaweed is a superfood and is worth adding to your list of favorites. Just don’t overdo it! Enjoy!

References:

English, Nick. The Green Superfood you are not

Eating but Should Be. Huffington Post. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/21/superfood-seaweed-health-benefits_n_3786076.html

English, Nick. Superfood: Seaweed. Retrieved from http://greatist.com/health/superfood-seaweed

Petre, Alina, MS, RD. Why Seaweed is Super Healthy and Nutritious. Retrieved from https://authoritynutrition.com/seaweed-healthy-nutritious/

The post Seaweed benefits for Thyroid, digestion, heart health, Diabetes, and more appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.