The health benefits of cabbage can reduce the risk of cancer, improve brain and nervous system health, maintain bone health, maintain blood pressure, detoxify the body, promote bowel regularity, regulate sugar levels and reduce weight loss. Other benefits include improving healthy hair, skin and nails, helping prevent or cure acne, healing stomach ulcers, helping care for the heart, promoting healthy pregnancy and improving immunity.
Cabbage is a favorite of many people around the world, providing an affordable and delicious option for a variety of meal options. Cabbage is a vegetable with the name Brassica oleracea, which occurs naturally in colors ranging from green, purple and even white. Their final size can range drastically, being anywhere from 1lb to 9lbs. heavy.
Cabbage appears to have originated in Europe around 1000BC, after being introduced to the Middle East and other regions. Today, cabbage can be found all over the world, making it possible for everyone to enjoy its benefits.
Nutrition facts. (Per 100g raw serving)
Calories-25.0
Total Carbohydrates-5.8 g
Dietary Fiber-2.5g 10% RDA
Sugar - 3.5 g
Protein-1.5 g 3% RDA
Vitamin RDA - 2% 98.0 IU
Vitamin C-40 mg 61% RDA
Vitamin K-76mcg 95% RDA
Thiamin-0.1 mg 4% RDA
Vitamin B6-0.1 mg 6% RDA
Folate 43.0mcg 11% RDA
Calcium - 40mg 4% RDA
Iron - 0.5 mg 3% RDA
Magnesium - 12mg 3% RDA
Phosphorus - 26mg 3% RDA
Potassium - 170mg 5% RDA
RDA 8% manganese - 0.2 mg
Benefits of Cabbage
1. Reduces the risk of cancer
Vegetables are among some of the best-known foods that increase cancer resistance, thanks to the multifaceted way they work. For one, cabbage is rich in a compound known as DIM, which helps break down estrogen in a less potent form. This is great news for both women and men, as it can help to reduce the chance of developing estrogen-dependent cancers. Cabbage also has many anti-oxidant nutrients and various phytochemicals that help reduce the impact of harmful waste materials on healthy cells.
2. Improve Brain and Nervous System Health
Despite these few facts, Vitamin K has important brain and neuron protective actions. Neurons are encased in a fatty sheath that increases insulation and facilitates optimal nerve conduction, but can be affected by diet. Vitamin K is important in the production of this outer sheath, which is composed of a special type of fat known as sphingolipids. Cabbage, especially the red variety, is also a very rich source of a group of compounds known as Anthocyanins. This compound is reportedly a much more powerful anti-oxidant than Vitamin C, and may play an important role in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, which appears to have a strong inflammatory relationship.
3. Contributes to Bone Health
Cabbage contains many nutrients important for bone health, including calcium, magnesium and Vitamin K. These nutrients help prevent bone loss or bone resorption, and may compensate for conditions associated with altered bone metabolism, such as osteoporosis. Cabbage consumption offers excellent support for post-menopausal women as well, who may be at increased risk for accelerated bone loss.
4. Helps maintain blood pressure
Consumption of most vegetables positively affects blood pressure, with cabbage, no exception. Cabbage is a good source of potassium which helps regulate blood pressure and heart rhythm, but can also make blood vessels more flexible due to blood flow. Cabbage can be especially useful when you're limiting sodium but need a little help getting your blood pressure under control.
5. Increases Detoxification
As briefly mentioned earlier, cabbage has the ability to promote the detoxification of waste from the body. This is due to the presence of two very important compounds, DIM and i-3-C. These two compounds are very potent anti-oxidants, help break down waste, and help the liver to process them. Their benefits are especially useful for a liver that is constantly bombarded with toxins, such as in alcoholics.
6. Improves Gut Health
A diet rich in fiber is a necessary pre-requisite for maintaining bowel regularity, something a generous helping of cabbage helps. A 100g serving of cabbage alone supplies about 10% of our recommended daily intake of fiber, making it easier to meet your goals. Plus, since most people eat more than one 100g serving anyway, it can go a long way. Cabbage contains both soluble and insoluble fiber, which helps to feed the probiotic colonies in your intestines and helps waste matter easily expel bulk.
7. Helps regulate blood sugar levels
Cabbage is very low in sugar, but high in fiber, a perfect scenario for improving blood sugar. Fiber helps to change the rate at which blood sugar enters the bloodstream, smoothing out the rise and fall in insulin as well. Try to include healthy fats with your cabbage meals as well for better blood sugar regulation.
8. Helps Lose Weight
Cabbage is a very low calorie food that can be easily incorporated into or made into a variety of dishes, through a variety of cooking methods. This leaves room for you to experiment with the methods you like, which can support a weight loss calorie restriction diet. Consuming cabbage will also help keep you filled for a long time, so that your diet doesn't go off track from sugar crashes or starvation.
9. Improves healthy hair, skin and nails
Vitamin C is found in abundance in cabbage, and is necessary for collagen synthesis, but that's not all it is. Regular consumption of cabbage can also increase the production of another protein called keratin, especially concentrated in hair and nails. A deficiency of this protein will inevitably cause damage to structural proteins and make you appear older than you actually are. Even if you don't make your appearance a priority, no one would turn down the opportunity to look better than their years!
10. Acne
Collagen is an important protein in the overall health of your skin, but there's a lot more at play if you want to maintain clear skin. One thing that even the best among us struggle with is acne, or the scars that are left as a result of it. Cabbage is rich in the element sulfur which can help prevent future acne and minimize the appearance of scars. Many people know sulfur as the element that gives it its characteristic "smell", and it can explain why cabbage has a smell that at first may seem calculated for a lot.
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