Savoring Winter Whites

Vibrantly colored vegetables often overshadow the paler varieties, which many people view as nutritional lightweights. It's true that color is usually a reliable indicator of the nutrients inside, and typically the brighter the better. For example, dark leafy greens have more to offer than pallid iceberg lettuce. Even so, winter white vegetables should not be discounted. They might lack the vivid hues of squashes, carrots, beets and broccoli, but white-colored vegetables have many overlooked attributes that might surprise you.

• Cauliflower: Creamy, white cauliflower lacks the green chlorophyll found in its cousin broccoli because the cross-shaped leaves shade the florets from the sun. But this crunchy cruciferous vegetable is a tremendous source of vitamin C, and it contains certain phytonutrients that might help reduce the risk of cancer. The natural compounds in cauliflower called glucosinolates have been linked to a decreased risk of breast, colon, bladder, prostate and lung cancers. Some studies suggest glucosinolates might also help lower blood pressure.
• Celeriac: This ugly-duckling relative of celery, often referred to as celery root, gets no respect for its gnarly appearance or nutritional value. Yet, the oft-ignored homely vegetable has a lot to boast about. Celeriac is packed with blood pressure-lowering potassium and is remarkably high in vitamin K, a nutrient vital for healthy blood. The knobby, softball-size root vegetable also is a good source of vitamin C, phosphorus, manganese, vitamin B-6 and fiber. A Swiss study with rats found that celeriac helped inhibit the rate bone is broken down, which might help protect against osteoporosis.