Cabbage may not be the most taste-appealing vegetable, but it has nutritional benefits that can make you healthy. Do you wish to know “how good is cabbage for you?” Cabbage is a nutrient-dense veggie that can support your body’s defenses and reduce your risk of getting certain cancers.
This common cruciferous vegetable comes in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes.
You can prepare and enjoy your cabbage in several ways. Therefore, spice up your soups, sandwiches, salads, and a lot more to get the feeling of how good this vegetable is.
7 unique ways that show how cabbage is good for you
This nutrient-rich vegetable provides additional health benefits when included in your diet. It has a significant amount of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Whether lowering the chances of developing heart disease or supporting the immune system, eating cabbage is good in several ways. Therefore, this nutritious vegetable deserves a place on your plate.
According to the USDA, one cup (89 g) of chopped, raw green cabbage contains 22 calories and delivers:
- 33 milligrams of vitamin C, which is 37% of the daily value of vitamin C.
- 68 micrograms of vitamin K, which is 57% of the daily value for vitamin K.
- 5 grams of carbohydrates
- 2.9 grams of sugar.
- 2.2 grams of fibers
Research shows that vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts have exceptional nutritional value.
Their different nutrient phytochemicals have various health benefits, such as anti-diabetic properties, anti-hypertensive properties, improved digestive health, and much more.
Additionally, sprouts are also a significant source of potassium, which has a positive impact on high blood pressure.
So if you’re keen to know how good cabbage is for you, keep reading this article.
Cabbage may help maintain heart health.
Cabbage is a heart-friendly food, especially red variety, as it contains many potent compounds known as anthocyanins.
Anthocyanins are plant pigments that are part of the flavonoid class. It is responsible for the purple color in red cabbage and the red-orange color in many fruits. Anthocyanins are full of health-promoting properties.
A review suggests that the anthocyanins in vegetable could be vital to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Studies have shown that red cabbage contains 36 different kinds of anthocyanins. This suggests that this vegetable could be a perfect food for promoting heart health.
Cabbage may help reduce inflammation.
The anthocyanins in veggies are naturally occurring antioxidants. Besides adding color to your vegetables and fruits, anthocyanins may help reduce inflammation.
Chronic inflammation is connected to metabolic disorders like type II diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and obesity.
Anthocyanins have been demonstrated to help control inflammation.
Human studies have suggested that anthocyanins could improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammatory markers.
In another development, findings show that in a group of obese individuals given 320 mg/day of total anthocyanins, their inflammatory marker levels (interleukin-6) were reduced.
Furthermore, a review in food and chemical toxicology indicated that dietary anthocyanins reduce the levels of systemic and vascular inflammatory markers.
Therefore, eating anthocyanin-rich foods may help reduce specific blood markers of inflammation.
Cabbage may help boost your immunity.
Cabbage is a good supplier of vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid. Vitamin C helps keep connective tissue healthy.
Vitamin C does a lot of work in your body. It helps boost the immune system, thus enabling the body to fight diseases more effectively and making you recover faster when you fall sick.
Cabbage may help to support the digestive system.
cabbage is loaded with phytosterols and insoluble fiber.
Insoluble fiber and phytosterol may help improve your digestion and keep your bowel movements regular.
Incorporating this cruciferous veggie into your diet may be a good option if you desire more fiber.
Consuming 2 cups of chopped raw cabbage will deliver you 4.4 g of fiber, or about 16% of the daily value for fiber, which makes it an excellent veggie for alleviating constipation and boosting your digestive health while being low in calories.
When you consume fermented cabbage, such as sauerkraut, the fiber therein helps fuel the beneficial bacteria in your gut that help protect and support your immune system.
Eating cabbage can make an individual feel full faster and longer without eating many carbs; this is because the fiber in it is non-digestible, so it helps add bulk to your meals.
Eating cabbage may help to lower cholesterol levels.
The compound phytosterols and fiber work together to lower cholesterol levels in your body.
These compounds, phytosterols found in cabbage, are structurally similar to cholesterol. They prevent the digestive tract from absorbing cholesterol.
They both help reduce your system’s bad cholesterol levels and improve your overall health.
As to an article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, soluble fiber may lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels.
Too much low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or bad cholesterol, can clog your arteries and cause atherosclerosis and other heart diseases.
Eating cabbage may help you reduce your blood pressure.
Over a billion individuals worldwide suffer from hypertension, a primary cause of heart disease. It harms the lining of the arteries that provide blood to the brain and the heart.
According to the CDC, over 100 million US adults have high blood pressure.
Consuming potassium-rich vegetables like cabbage may help regulate blood pressure by nullifying the effects of sodium in the body and eliminating excess sodium through urine.
Potassium-rich foods help relax blood vessel walls and improve the signs of high blood pressure.
According to recent evidence, consuming more potassium-rich foods might be an important factor in lowering blood pressure.
Individuals can improve their blood pressure and cholesterol levels by consuming a healthy diet that is low in sodium and high in potassium, being physically active, and maintaining a healthy weight.
Eating cabbage may help keep cancer at bay.
Cabbage, like other vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and arugula, is nutrient-dense; these include carotenoids (beta-carotene, lutein), vitamins C and K, and folate. Additionally, it has a sizable amount of fiber.
In addition, it contains glucosinolates, which are sulfur-containing chemicals responsible for the bitter flavor and pungent aroma experienced in cruciferous vegetables.
These glucosinolates are broken down into active compounds during food preparation, chewing, and digestion, which have been studied for their anti-cancer properties
Animal studies suggest that the phytochemicals in cruciferous vegetables like may help protect against some types of cancer.
Best way to eat cabbage for nutrition
To prepare cabbage nutritionally for eating, peel off the outer hard leaves; this can be used to make vegetable broth. You may soak the head in salted or vinegar water for about 20 minutes to remove worms or insects.
Place your cabbage on a chopping board and cut it with a stainless steel knife rather than a carbon steel knife. A carbon steel knife may react with phytochemicals in it and turn this nutrient-dense vegetable into an unattractive black.
Nutritionally, getting a small cabbage that you can use within a day or two is advisable. This is because vegetables begins to lose their nutritional value, especially its vitamin C when it is cut.
You can shred your cabbage and serve it raw in salads or as a crunchy addition to other vegetables. You can also slice it into the soup you’re preparing.
It is straightforward to steam the cabbage. Slice as desired, place in a steamer basket over boiling water, and cook, until tender while covered. Add pepper, salt, oil, butter, and any herbs or flavorings you prefer, then serve.
Although an individual may dislike the slightly bitter taste it possesses, this bitterness is an indication of its nutritional value.
Therefore, instead of seeking out milder-tasting cabbage or avoiding it completely, you may prepare it in these sweetened ways:
- Red cabbage braised with wine and apples
- Green cabbage cooked with ginger and garlic
- Cabbage braised with sweet onion, carrot, and beet slaw.
It’s important to remember that cabbage salad loses water more quickly the longer it sits, losing some of its freshness and crunch.
Therefore, serve it immediately to prevent it from becoming soggy and unpalatable.
Final thought
A healthy vegetable with many potential health advantages is cabbage. It might improve heart health, boost the immune system, and lessen the risk of getting some cancers.
Garnishing your cabbage with other foods like garlic, ginger, and onion may help enrich its nutritional value. Wash it properly before cooking to avoid eating contaminated food.