Cauliflower during breastfeeding: benefits and harms, delicious recipes

A woman's diet while breastfeeding should be varied and include everything necessary for the proper development of the child.

Cauliflower is included in the list of foods recommended for breastfeeding. It ranks 14th in the list of products with a high index of preventive nutritional value (ANDI - Aggregate Nutrient Density Index) [1, 2]. Every day, a nursing mother needs to eat at least 400 grams of various vegetables in several doses [3]. Among these vegetables, cauliflower should also be present.

Chemical composition and effect on the body

Cauliflower is a source of vitamins A, B, PP, C, K. It contains a lot of potassium, calcium, iron, antioxidants, and fiber.

When consuming 100 grams of the product, the body receives [4]:

• 3.3% of the recommended daily intake of protein;
• 10.5% fiber;
• 13.3% potassium;
• 4.3% magnesium;
• 6.4% phosphorus;
• 7.8% iron;
• 3.6% calcium;
• 5.6% riboflavin;
• 18% pantothenic acid;
• 9% choline and folic acid;
• 8% vitamin B6;
• 13.3% vitamin K;
• 77.8% vitamin C.

The energy value of 100 grams of this cabbage is only 30 kcal.

Impact on the body of a nursing mother [5, 2]

Cruciferous crops, including cauliflower, contain sulforaphane. This substance has cytoprotective properties, reduces the risk of developing cancer, heart and vascular diseases.

Choline (vitamin B4) improves the transport of substances through the membranes of all cells and ensures the conduction of nerve impulses. [6]

Cauliflower is a supplier of essential amino acids: tryptophan (consumption of 100 g of product covers 10% of the daily requirement), threonine, methionine, histidine, valine and others.

Calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin K are necessary for proper bone formation in the child and the prevention of osteoporosis in the mother.

Cauliflower is beneficial for diabetes in a nursing woman. It contains few carbohydrates, vitamin K is involved in the regulation of blood sugar levels, fiber reduces the absorption of glucose in the intestines.

Vitamin U is involved in the regeneration of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines. Therefore, cauliflower is useful for mother’s peptic ulcers and inflammatory processes of the digestive tract.

White cabbage contains too much coarse fiber. In contrast, cauliflower contains just enough fiber to ensure normal intestinal motility.

Eating this vegetable helps reduce the level of “bad” cholesterol in the blood. This prevents the development of atherosclerosis and associated strokes, heart attacks and hypertension. Potassium also plays a role in the regulation of blood pressure as a sodium antagonist.

The chemical composition of cauliflower contains allicin. It has an antitumor effect, a positive effect on the cardiovascular system, and inhibits the aging process of cells.

Vitamin C is necessary to maintain immunity, normal skin tone, and prevents increased fragility and vascular permeability.

Is it possible to eat cauliflower while breastfeeding?

If we say directly whether cauliflower can be eaten on breastfeeding or not, the answer will be positive. The product can be consumed both during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, as it is rich in valuable substances: vitamins C, E, A, PP, group B, including folic acid (B9) and biotin (B7), macro- and microelements (zinc, phosphorus, calcium, fluorine, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper), fiber, protein.

Cauliflower is a low-calorie dietary product, which is especially important during breastfeeding. Calorie content per 100 g is 25 kcal. Nutritional value for the same weight:

• proteins – 2.5 g;
• fats – 0.3 g;
• carbohydrates – 5.5 g.

Thanks to this, the vegetable has the following beneficial properties:

• cleansing blood vessels;
• strengthening bones;
• improvement of intestinal function;
• prevention of cancer;
• strengthening the immune system;
• improving the functioning of the nervous system.

Attention! Due to their low carbohydrate content, cauliflower and broccoli can be consumed during breastfeeding, even by patients with both types of diabetes.

Methods for preparing cauliflower for a nursing mother

The method of processing the vegetable is important.

It is best to steam it: this preserves the maximum amount of vitamins. You can cook in a slow cooker, microwave, or with the lid closed in a small amount of water and not for long.

You can also stew and bake cauliflower, but frying is strictly not recommended.

How to cook - step by step recipes

A pregnant woman's diet should be complete and balanced . Vegetables and fruits are its main components.

The ideal option is for the menu for a pregnant woman to consist of ½ plant products.

For pregnant women

The process of bearing a child is not a disease for which a diet is prescribed. There is no need to radically change your daily diet. You just need to focus on the beneficial properties of the products, and not just the tasty ones.

Baked

Ingredients:

• cauliflower 500g;
• low-fat milk – 80ml;
• butter – 20g;
• hard cheese – 30-40g;
• premium flour – 25g;
• fat sour cream – 30g;
• breadcrumbs;
• salt, herbs.

Preparation:

1. First, wash the head of cabbage and separate it into inflorescences.
2. Boil in salted water until half cooked. Approximately 7-10 minutes.
3. At this time, prepare the creamy sauce: fry the flour in a frying pan until golden brown. Add milk, sour cream and some grated cheese into it. After boiling, turn it off.
4. When the cabbage is boiled, you need to drain off the excess liquid.
5. While we prepare a small baking sheet, grease it with oil. Place the inflorescences on it, pour the sauce over it, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
6. Place in the oven at 180°C for 20 minutes.
7. After cooking, you can sprinkle with herbs.

For a couple

Ingredients:

• head of cauliflower;
• olive oil;
• salt pepper.

Preparation:

1. First of all, you need to divide the cabbage into inflorescences and wash it.
2. Bring the water in the steamer to a boil, then place the vegetable on top. Cover with a lid.
3. Cooking time 10-15 minutes.
4. Then we take it out and let the excess liquid drain.
5. Sprinkle with olive oil and salt. Cabbage is ready as a side dish.
6. You can also grind the finished cabbage in a blender to a puree consistency, add butter or milk and serve.

When breastfeeding

For a nursing mother and baby, you should choose only healthy dishes prepared from quality ingredients.

You should definitely avoid fried, pickled and smoked foods. During lactation it is necessary to include cauliflower in the diet.

Vegetable soup

Ingredients:

• cauliflower 300 g;
• carrots – 1 piece;
• onion – 1 piece;
• potatoes - 3 pcs;
• green peas – 100 g;
• cream optional;
• salt, herbs.

Preparation:

1. Pour 2 liters of water into a saucepan and put on fire.
2. After boiling, add chopped onions, potatoes, and carrots.
3. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.
4. Then add cabbage and peas to the vegetables, continuing to cook for another 7 minutes.
5. At the very end of cooking, add salt and cream.
6. Sprinkle with herbs before serving.

Food diary [7]

To make it easier to figure out what exactly the baby is experiencing a negative reaction to, nursing mothers are recommended to keep a food diary. It records what foods the mother eats and how the child feels. If the product is well tolerated, it is included in the “white list”; if it is poorly tolerated, it is excluded for 3-4 weeks, and then checked again. Moreover, each new product (one that the woman did not consume before giving birth) is introduced after 2-3 days.

In very rare cases, individual intolerance to cauliflower occurs. In this case, areas of redness and peeling appear on the child’s skin (usually on the cheeks, elbows and knees). Then it is better to refuse dishes with this vegetable and try to replace it with others.

Carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, potatoes, zucchini, and pumpkin also contain many vitamins and microelements. They can replace cauliflower in the diet of a nursing woman.

It is recommended for mom to start trying cauliflower in minimal quantities. The first portion should be only 50 grams. In the absence of negative reactions in the baby, the portion can be gradually increased, bringing it to 200 grams. The best option is to eat dishes from this vegetable 3 times a week.

Contraindications and possible harm

During breastfeeding, it is worth considering not only the beneficial properties of the vegetable, but also contraindications to its use. There are very few of them, but in some cases it is necessary to completely exclude or limit cauliflower in the diet:

• individual intolerance, allergic reactions in the mother;
• similar manifestations in a child;
• skin rash;
• diarrhea;
• constipation.

If such symptoms appear, eating vegetables while breastfeeding should be stopped completely. It can be resumed only six months after consultation with a doctor.

Cauliflower dishes: sample list

Vegetable stew with vegetable oil (sunflower, olive, rapeseed).

Meat soup with vegetables . You can take low-fat varieties of meat (turkey, veal, rabbit), drain the first broth, and prepare soup on the second. You can add cereals (buckwheat, oatmeal, corn).

Omelet with cauliflower.

Fresh Cauliflower Salad

Pickled cauliflower can be used in small quantities.

Expert opinion

Sokolova L. S.

Pediatrician of the highest category

Of all the thermally processed vegetables, baked cauliflower retains the maximum amount of vitamins and minerals.

How to choose and store cauliflower correctly?

In winter, it is advisable to buy frozen inflorescences or use homemade frozen vegetables. When in season, eat fresh cabbage, choosing inflorescences with bright green leaves. The color of the leaves indicates that the vegetable was not stored for a long time, picked. Cabbage inflorescences can be white, cream or greenish in color. You should not purchase vegetables with dark spots, as this indicates that the cabbage is beginning to deteriorate.

The vegetable should be stored in the refrigerator, but no more than 6-7 days. All beneficial properties are preserved after freezing, so if you have a large number of inflorescences, you can freeze them.

Pros and cons of eating cauliflower

Cauliflower contains vitamins B and C, useful microelements: phosphorus, magnesium, iron, potassium and calcium.

What else is a vegetable useful for:

• strengthens bones,
• cleanse the body of toxins,
• one of the most hypoallergenic products,
• reduces the risk of developing cancer cells,
• helps normalize blood circulation,
• the substances contained in the vegetable neutralize microbes and prevent the development of infectious diseases.
• improves intestinal microflora, prevents the development of gastritis and ulcers,
• reduces the risk of myocardial infarction,
• This is a low-calorie product that will not lead to excess weight gain,
• helps relieve bladder problems,
• Thanks to the presence of potassium, it reduces stress levels.

Minuses:

• it contains purines, which are dangerous in large quantities. But it is doubtful that a nursing mother will consume kilograms of the product,
• The baby may experience colic due to the inclusion of cauliflower in the mother's diet. When deciding whether cauliflower is right for you, listen to your baby.
• Some doctors are against eating cauliflower, arguing that it can cause an allergic reaction. But almost all products in some cases cause individual intolerance,
• Consumption of cauliflower is contraindicated in case of severe diseases of the kidneys and genitourinary system, gout, and high blood pressure.

Other types of cabbage for nursing mothers

Along with cauliflower, experts recommend eating broccoli. This vegetable prevents the development of cancer cells, strengthens the immune system of a young mother, and has a positive effect on digestion. Cabbage leaves are also useful. They can be used to make compresses for pain and swelling of the breasts, their distension due to a large amount of milk.

The cabbage variety is very difficult to digest. It should be consumed in strictly limited quantities, starting only after the child is at least six months old. The vegetable is heavy, it should be eaten stewed or boiled, but in no case raw. It is strictly prohibited to consume fermented milk before the end of lactation. The seasonings and salt used in its preparation are very harmful to the newborn and the mother’s digestion.

Separately, it is worth mentioning seaweed, which, although not a vegetable, is used along with them. It stabilizes the functioning of the thyroid gland, improves memory, and saturates the body with iodine, phosphorus, and iron.

But use it with caution: it can cause allergies. Consume no more than 150 grams three times a week.

5 Health Benefits of Cauliflower

Before you decide for yourself whether cauliflower can be eaten while breastfeeding, you should definitely find out what value it has and whether it is completely safe. Benefits of vegetables:

• Considerable nutritional value when cooked. The vegetable is full of vitamins and mineral components.
• Fresh inflorescences contain flavonoids, which help improve immunity and prevent cardiovascular diseases.
• This is a hypoallergenic product, it can be eaten immediately after birth and given to the baby as the first complementary food.
• Cauliflower does not cause irritation to the mucous membranes of the digestive organs and generally has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract. It can be used as a means of preventing constipation.
• The vegetable is low in calories. This helps new mothers get in shape after giving birth.

Vitamins and microelements contained in cauliflower

The inflorescences contain a complex combination of chemicals, making it not only an extremely necessary food product after childbirth, but also a healing natural medicine. They contain many protein compounds and antioxidants. When consumed systematically, the maternal body is provided with a sufficient amount of vitamins A, C and B. The culture additionally includes:

• iron (helps get rid of anemia and reduces the likelihood of its occurrence);
• magnesium (minimizes the risk of developing heart disease, improves the condition of vascular walls);
• calcium (helps strengthen bones and joints);
• sodium;
• phosphorus (helps improve memory and brain functioning in general);
• fiber (coarse fibers are present only slightly and do not affect the baby in any way, so the risk of gas formation and colic, common in infancy, is reduced to zero);
• zinc;
• selenium;
• carbohydrates.

Possible harm from eating cauliflower

It is not always safe to eat such a product. Rarely, after eating it, adverse reactions may occur in both mother and child. Possible negative consequences:

• food allergies (the appearance of bright itchy spots on children's skin);
• colic in the baby’s tummy due to increased intestinal motility;
• increased gas production in a new mother or baby.

The effect of cauliflower on lactation

Cabbage has no effect on the amount of milk produced and does not improve lactation. However, its quality improves and it is enriched with many nutrients. Green soups with cabbage florets affect milk flow due to the significant volume of liquid.

Possible effect on the baby

Due to the content of plant fibers, the vegetable is incredibly valuable for the child’s body. If you eat cabbage, intestinal motility is normalized and digestive functions are restored. Beneficial substances enter the infant’s body and contribute to the proper functioning of all organs and systems and cause light stools.

Why cabbage is so indispensable for infants:

• does not entail food allergies due to intolerance to components;
• quickly absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract and does not cause heaviness in the digestive organs;
• very rarely provokes gas and colic.

Pediatricians' opinion on the use of cauliflower by nursing mothers

Obstetricians-gynecologists and pediatricians recommend including such a vegetable in a woman’s diet. This is the most important storehouse of fiber, which is indispensable for the self-cleansing of the body and the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

The product is rich in vitamins and minerals and can be eaten during lactation (if there are no contraindications). Cabbage inflorescences not only help improve maternal health, but also greatly reduce the likelihood of tumor growth and development.