Today’s Amazing Fact: Control your immune allergies with Cabbage!

Cabbage structurally consists of clusters of stiff leaves superimposed one over the other in compact layers, giving it a round or globular shape. Several varieties are cultivated worldwide including green, purple, red, and savoy (loose-wrinkled leaves). Cabbage is: Low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol,High in Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Potassium, Manganese, Vitamin A, Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Iron and Magnesium. Histidine, a compound found in cabbage regulates the T-cells of the immune system. This is essential in the treatment of allergies and other illnesses caused due to a weak immune system.

 

Use cabbage while farm fresh to get its maximum health benefits. However, it can be stored in the refrigerator for few days for later use.

Cabbage helps to promote weight loss in some people. This is because of its content of Vitamin C, which helps burn fat, as well as of Vitamin B, which increases metabolism and thereby helps the body burn off fat.

If one is looking for ingredients of a low calorie diet, cabbage is at the top of the list. One cup of cabbage only holds about 15 calories. It is definitely a weight-loss food.

Drinking juiced cabbage is known to assist in curing stomach and intestinal ulcers.

• Fresh, dark green-leafy cabbage is incredibly nutritious; however, very low in fat and calories. 100 g of leaves provide just 25 calories.
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• The vegetable is the storehouse of phyto-chemicals like thiocyanates, indole-3-carbinol, lutein, zea-xanthin, sulforaphane, and isothiocyanates. These compounds are powerful antioxidants and known to help protect against breast, colon, and prostate cancers and help reduce LDL or "bad cholesterol" levels in the blood.
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• Fresh cabbage is an excellent source of natural antioxidant, vitamin C. Provides 36.6 mg or about 61% of RDA, more than that of in the oranges. Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.
• Total antioxidant strength measured in terms of oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC value) is 508 µmol TE/100 g. Red cabbages contain more antioxidant value, 2252 µmol TE/100 g.
• It is also rich in essential vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and thiamin (vitamin B-1). These vitamins are essential in the sense that our body requires them from external sources to replenish.
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• It also contains a adequate amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, iron, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Iron is required for the red blood cell formation.
• Vitamin E Content: Vitamin E is known for keeping the skin healthy, as well as for assisting oxygen uptake of the blood cells. Having sufficient amounts of Vitamin E in one's body helps to reduce acne.
• Cabbage is a very good source of vitamin K, provides about 63% of RDA levels. Vitamin-K has the potential role in bone metabolism by promoting osteotrophic activity in them. So enough vitamin K in the diet gives you healthy bones. In addition, vitamin-K also has established role in curing Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in their brain.

§  Histidine, a compound found in cabbage regulates the T-cells of the immune system. This is essential in the treatment of allergies and other illnesses caused due to a weak immune system.

§  It contains quantities of fiber and iron, which help to keep the digestive tract and colon in a healthy condition.

This is by no means a complete list of all the benefits of cabbage. It serves to give you a general outline.

There are many different varieties of cabbage. Green Cabbage and Red Cabbage are the most common, and are the types we are most familiar with.

Does this mean one should switch to a diet of eating only cabbage? Of course not. There are many more vegetables with equally important nutritional ingredients.

But it including cabbage in one's diet on a regular basis can be beneficial health, weight loss, and well-being.

Caution:

Cabbage may contain "goitrogens,” certain plant-derived compounds, especially found in cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, etc., may cause swelling of thyroid gland and should be avoided in individuals with thyroid dysfunction. However, they may be used liberally in healthy persons.

Pests are common in cabbage. Conventionally grown heads may be subjected to insecticide spray to avoid pest infestation. Therefore, wash thoroughly in running water then soak in saline water for about 30 minutes, again wash in clean water in order to remove dust, pests, eggs/ova/cysts and any residual insecticides.