Table of Contents
Introduction
Cabbage is a highly nutritious vegetable. It is very rich in vitamin K, vitamin C, and fibre. They may assist with heart and digestive health. It, often bunched into the same category as lettuce because of its similar appearance, is a part of the cruciferous vegetable family. While it may look like lettuce, it belongs to the Brassica genus of vegetables, including broccoli, radishes, and Brussels sprouts. Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, and kale are notorious for being chock-full of beneficial nutrients. Cruciferous vegetables are a good place to start if you are trying to improve your diet.
They may assist in protecting against radiation, reduce heart disease risk and prevent cancer.
Cabbage can differ in colour from green to purple and red, and its leaves can be smooth or crinkled. A range of cabbage products are available for purchase online. With less than 20 calories per half mug cooked, cabbage is a vegetable worth making room for on your plate.
Nutrition
It may not be the most appealing vegetable, but it’s full of nutritional excellence that can keep you strong and healthy. From nourishing the immune system to enhancing digestion (sometimes with awkward results), cabbage and its health benefits deserve a place at your table.
Just 89 grams (g), or 1 cup, of raw green cabbage contains:
- Calories: 22
- Fiber: 2 g
- Vitamin K: 56% of the (DV) Daily Value
- Protein: 1 g
- Folate: 10% of the DV
- Vitamin C: 36% of the DV
- Manganese: 6% of the DV
- Calcium: 3% of the DV
- Vitamin B6: 6% of the DV
- Magnesium: 3% of the DV
- Potassium: 3% of the DV
Benefits
This typical leafy green vegetable arrives in various colours, forms, and dimensions and can be used for sandwiches, salads, soups, and more. Eat it raw or stir-fried to get the most advantage. Find it fermented in gut-healthy foods like kimchi and sauerkraut — or diced into coleslaw for a quick fix.
1. Battles inflammation
Some of cabbage’s health advantages are due to anthocyanins, naturally occurring antioxidants. Anthocyanins add colour to fruits (think blueberries) and vegetables and may also decrease inflammation.
Chronic inflammation (long-term swelling) is associated with cancer, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis and many additional medical conditions. In animal investigations, anthocyanins have been shown to support the control of inflammation.
We need more studies, but one small human analysis showed that those who ate or took the most cruciferous vegetables had much-decreased inflammation levels than those who ate the least.
2. It’s very effortless to add to the diet
In expansion to being super healthy, it is delicious. It may be consumed raw or cooked and added to various dishes, such as salads, slaws, stews, and soups.
This adaptable veggie can even be fermented and produced into sauerkraut.
In addition to being flexible in many recipes, it is highly affordable.
No matter how you organize it, adding this cruciferous vegetable to the plate is a tasty way to help your health.
3. Keeps you healthy
Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, functions much for your body. It helps make collagen and increases the immune system. It also allows the body to absorb iron from plant-based foods.
4. Cabbage is a fantastic source of vitamin K
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin class that plays many vital bodily roles.
These vitamins are split into two main classes:
- Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone): This is located primarily in plant sources.
- Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) is located in animal sources and some fermented foods. Bacteria also produce it in the large intestine.
It is a massive source of vitamin K1, delivering 56 per cent of the DV in a single cup or bowl (89 grams).
Vitamin K1 is a key nutrition that plays many vital roles in the body.
5. Enhances digestion
Loaded with phytosterols (plant sterols) and insoluble fibre, it may assist in keeping the digestive system healthy and bowel movements regular. It fuels the good bacteria in the gut that protect the immune system and deliver essential nutrients. That’s specifically true when you eat fermented cabbage in sauerkraut or kimchi.
“It may assist you in staying regular,” says Zumpano. “It may also assist in supporting safe and healthy weight loss.”
Fibre is a non-digestible or absorbed carbohydrate, which counts bulk to meals and takes up space in your belly. This compels you to fill up faster and longer without eating the carbs you absorb.
6. It is loaded with Vitamin C
Vitamin C, also named ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that restores many vital bodily functions. It protects the body from damage induced by free radicals associated with many chronic disorders, including cancer. Although more investigation is needed to determine this vitamin’s impact on cancer prevention, vitamin C plays a key role in many critical bodily functions.
While both green and red are fantastic sources of this potent antioxidant, red includes significantly more.
7. Protects your heart
The anthocyanins discovered in cabbage help with more than inflammation. Research recommends they add to the health advantages of it by lowering the risk of heart disease. Scientists have found 36 other kinds of anthocyanins in it, which could make it a fantastic choice for cardiovascular health.
8. Decreases the blood pressure
Potassium is an electrolyte & mineral that helps the body control blood pressure. One mug of red may deliver a beneficial amount of potassium—as much as 6% of the recommended daily value. This could assist in lowering blood pressure and lowering the risk of heart disease.
9. Reduces cholesterol
Too much “bad” cholesterol, or LDL cholesterol, may cause heart issues if it builds up in the arteries. It contains two substances — fibre and phytosterols (plant sterols) — that vie with cholesterol to be absorbed by the digestive system. They wind up lowering the harmful cholesterol levels and enhancing health.
10. Supports bone health and healthy blood clotting
Vitamin K is important to your well-being. Without it, you’d be in danger of creating bone diseases like osteoporosis, and the blood wouldn’t be able to clot properly. Enter cabbage, a significant source of vitamin K. One cup provides 85 per cent of the recommended daily value.
“Vitamin K assists in keeping our bones strong and blood clotting well,” says Zumpano. “it can give you that boost to ensure your levels are adequate and the body stays covered against disease and illness. And you don’t even need to eat that much cabbage to get amazing health benefits.”
11. Keeps cancer at bay
Early animal investigations indicate that leafy green vegetables like cabbage have phytochemicals that may assist protect against cancer. They have antioxidants and plant combinations like glucosinolates. These sulfur-containing chemicals break down throughout the digestive process into substances that may assist in fighting cancer cells and clearing them from your body.
What are the types of cabbage?
It is a Brassica oleracea vegetable family member, along with broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kale. The most common type is green, but 100 other varieties exist in red, white, and purple hues, with various textures and sizes.
Some forms of it have subtle, delicate flavours, while others pack a peppery punch. Nutrition from cabbage comes from types like:
- Brussels sprouts are tiny circles of cabbages that grow on a thick stem.
- Baby Bok choy and bok choy, with leaves flowing out of a central stalk.
- Green (cannonball cabbage) has tightly packed smooth leaves and a firm head that may grow nearly as huge as a basketball.
- January King, a gloriously vibrant with purple and green tinted leaves.
- Napa (Chinese or celery) has long, lighter green leaves on a thick white stalk.
- Kale, with crinkled, darker green leaves fanning out from a central stalk.
- Red is a roundish, red-coloured that’s incredibly nutritious and usually smaller than green.
- Savoy is a curly with loosely layered, ruffled leaves.
side effects
While it provides lots of vitamins and minerals the body needs, there may be a downside or side effects to eating cabbage. Cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage may cause gas, bloating and diarrhoea. It’s best to slowly introduce these vegetables into the diet and gradually increase your intake.
It also includes substances that can interfere with medications like blood thinners or cause hypothyroidism. In this condition, your thyroid doesn’t create enough thyroid hormone, causing your metabolism to slow.
While the goitrogenic effect of cabbage is considered mild, moderation is key, particularly for those with pre-existing thyroid issues.
Eating or taking it as part of a healthy diet can avoid side effects. Talk to your healthcare or doctor provider if you experience symptoms or have any concerns.
Napa Cabbage
Napa (Brassica rapa, variety pekinensis) is a Chinese belonging to the mustard household (Brassicaceae). It is grown for its edible leaves. It is widely cultivated in eastern Asia and is generally used to make kimchi, a classic Korean dish of spicy fermented vegetables. It is also grown in the United States and elsewhere as a salad vegetable.
While napa and regular are alike, napa is slightly sweeter. Napa becomes more delicate when cooked, so it’s preferred in many Asian dishes. Its heart is also a flavorful addition to recipes. Purple napa adds dramatic colour to salads, sides, and entrees.
How to cut and boil cabbage
To cut and boil cabbage, first remove any injured outer leaves. Then, slice or chop in half lengthwise through the core, pull the core, and either shred or cut into wedges, depending on your preference. Eventually, boil in salted water until tender, which can take 5-12 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces.
Conclusion
Cabbage may assist with heart and digestive health. It, often lumped into the same category as lettuce because of its similar appearance, is a part of the cruciferous vegetable family. While it may look like lettuce, it belongs to the Brassica genus of vegetables, including broccoli, radishes, and Brussels sprouts.
