If you’re familiar with President Donald Trump’s daily diet, you know that he doesn’t necessarily make the healthiest choices. For example, in an interview, he told Fox News reporter Jesse Watters that he often skips breakfast, and when he does eat the morning meal, he enjoys bacon and eggs, an option that may not be doing his cardiovascular health any favors. A meal composed of one slice of bacon and one pan-fried egg contains 10.4 grams of fat, 3.1 grams of saturated fat, and 219 milligrams of cholesterol. And, if he has a larger portion, like many people do, those numbers can quickly add up.
Another less-than-healthy meal he’s been known to savor? Meatloaf. Going back as far as 2005, when he and Melania appeared on Martha Stewart’s show, he has said that his favorite sandwich is a meatloaf sandwich. Also, it was reported in 2017 that the White House kitchen’s meatloaf is one that he particularly enjoys, to the point he often shares it with his VIP guests (via CNN). While the nutrition information for meatloaf can vary depending on the exact ingredients used, a 183-gram slice might contain around 18 grams of fat, 6.4 grams of saturated fat, and 123 milligrams of cholesterol.
Not surprisingly, Trump’s doctor, Ronny Jackson, was so alarmed by Trump’s eating habits that he resorted to sneaking vegetables into the President’s diet in order to help him shed pounds. “The exercise stuff never took off as much as I wanted it to,” he said. “But we were working on his diet. We were making the ice cream less accessible, we were putting cauliflower into the mashed potatoes” (per The New York Times).
Why cauliflower is a healthy choice
Cauliflower is a great addition to your diet. At just 27 calories and 5 grams of carbs per cup, it will fill you up without contributing significantly to your caloric intake, and it’s perfect for a low-carb diet. It has only 0.3 grams of fat and provides 2.1 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein. It also contains numerous vitamins and minerals, including 77% of your daily vitamin C, 20% of your daily vitamin K, and 10% of your daily vitamin B6 and folate.
In addition to its fiber and vitamins and minerals, cauliflower is a rich source of antioxidants, which can help protect your cells from free radicals and inflammation. In particular, it has the antioxidant sulforaphane, which might help prevent cancer, reduce blood pressure, and ward off diabetes. It also contains choline, which plays roles in DNA synthesis, cell membrane integrity, and metabolism, as well as healthy functioning of the brain and nervous system. It may also help protect the liver.
Delicious ways to enjoy cauliflower
With its mild flavor, cauliflower is a versatile vegetable that can be added to your diet in many ways. The simplest way to consume cauliflower is to have it raw. You can dip the florets in a healthy vegetable dip or hummus for an easy snack.
You can also cook cauliflower in a variety of ways. For example, you can roast it for Roasted Cauliflower White Bean Soup, steam it for Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad, or air fry it for Cauliflower Buffalo Wings. Or you can also follow Ronny Jackson’s lead and whip up some mashed cauliflower in place of mashed potatoes for more finicky eaters like Donald Trump.
Be aware, however, that cauliflower may not be for everyone. If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, for example, you may want to avoid eating cauliflower since its fiber content can contribute to gassiness, making it more difficult for you to breathe.
