Purple cauliflower has been around for years, but it's becoming increasingly popular — and it's easy to see why. The vibrant color makes it look way more interesting than plain-old cauliflower, and it's the most eye-catching vegetable you'll find in the produce aisle. But what exactly is purple cauliflower, and is it any different than white cauliflower? Here's the deal with one of the trendiest foods of 2017 [1].

Although it almost looks artificially dyed because it's so bright, rest assured, purple cauliflower is dyed naturally [2] thanks to antioxidants called anthocyanins [3]. The same antioxidants are found in other deeply colored foods like red cabbage, cherries, and blackberries. While the color is drastically different, the taste and texture isn't. You won't be able to tell any difference in taste between purple cauliflower [4] and the regular cauliflower you've had before. We honestly see no reason to settle for regular cauliflower given the chance to choose its magical-looking counterpart; the purple veggie makes it even easier to eat the rainbow [5].

The coolest part is that purple cauliflower won't lose its color [6] when cooked, and we've got the photos to prove it. You can treat purple cauliflower just as you would any other roasted vegetable [7], steamed vegetable, or sauteed vegetable. If you're suddenly feeling excited to find the closest grocery store that carries purple cauliflower — you can even find it at Trader Joe's [8] — and need ideas for how to cook with it, keep reading for plenty of inspiration and recipe suggestions.