Benefits of Cabbage
The health benefits of cabbage include its frequent use as a treatment for constipation, stomach ulcers, headaches, obesity, skin disorders, eczema, jaundice, scurvy, rheumatism, arthritis, gout, eye disorders, heart diseases, and Alzheimer’s disease.
What is Cabbage?
Cabbage is a leafy vegetable of Brassica family and is round or oval in shape. It consists of soft, light green or whitish inner leaves covered with harder and dark green outer leaves. It is widely used throughout the world and can be prepared in a number of ways, but most commonly, it is included as either a cooked or raw part of many salads.
Cabbage is beneficial in curing various health ailments and a short list of those is listed below:
Deficiency of Vitamin C
Scurvy is a disease commonly characterized by spongy and bleeding gums, cracked lip corners, weakened immune system, frequent infections and cold, premature aging, and depression.
Remedy: Cabbage is an abundant source of vitamin C. You might be surprised to know that it is actually richer in vitamin C than oranges, which are considered the “best” source of that vital nutrient. Vitamin C, as one of the best antioxidants, reduces free radicals in your body that are the fundamental causes of premature aging. It also helps in repairing the wear and tear of the body through the course of life. Therefore, cabbage is very helpful in treating ulcers, certain cancers, depression, and is immune system boosting, and defending against a cough and cold. It can also speed up the healing process for wounds and damaged tissues, regulate the proper functioning of the nervous system, and reduce the effects and presence of Alzheimer’s disease and other degenerative neural diseases.
Deficiency of Sulfur
Sulfur is a very useful nutrient because it fights infections. A deficiency of sulfur can result in microbial infections and a greatly reduced rate in the healing of wounds.
Remedy: Again, cabbage is rich in sulfur. So, it helps to fight infections in wounds and reduces the frequency and severity of ulcers.
Health Benefits of Cabbage
Did you know that the inexpensive humble and widely used cabbage can practically work miracles? Take the look at the best ones;
Anti-inflammatory Agent
Cabbage is known to accumulate a build-up of cadmium-binding complexes in its leaves and one of the main components of that is glutamine. Glutamine is a strong anti-inflammatory agent, so consuming cabbage can reduce the effects of many types of inflammation, irritation, allergies, joint pain, fever, and various skin disorders.
Improves Bones
Cabbage, as well as all cruciferous vegetables, are great sources of minerals, like calcium, magnesium, and potassium. These three essential minerals are integral in the protection of bones from degradation and the onset of conditions like osteoporosis and general bone weakening.
Reduces Muscle Aches
When certain bacteria ferment the sugars in cabbage during the preparation of sauerkraut, lactic acid is released. It isn’t the easiest compound to find in a diet, but it has been shown to reduce muscle soreness and aches, so in some small way, cabbage can help general pain relief and muscle soreness, depending on how it is prepared.
Improves Brain Health
Let’s not forget that cabbage is a very powerful brain food! The presence of vitamin K and anthocyanins within cabbage can give a strong boost to mental function and concentration. Vitamin K is essential for the production of sphingolipids, the myelin sheath around nerves. This wrapping is what protects nerves from damage and decay. Therefore, consuming vitamin K can improve your defense against neural degeneration, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia.
Furthermore, the anthocyanins in cabbage are a current area of research, but early indications point to it being a more powerful source of antioxidants than vitamin C, and red cabbage has, even more, types of anthocyanins than normal cabbage. It also appears that the nutrient uptake is not limited by anything and that people can eat as much cabbage as they want, and continue to accumulate antioxidants, which help fight off diseases, reduce chances of cancer, improve the nervous system, and increase brain function.
Skin Care
As mentioned already, cabbage is rich in antioxidants, including vitamin C, anthocyanins, and sulfur, since it is a cruciferous vegetable. Antioxidants play a major role in skin health and the general toning and improvement of the body in response to the aging process. Free radicals can be an underlying cause of wrinkles, skin discoloration, spots, and many other conditions. Therefore, the antioxidants you get by eating cabbage can cause a turn-around in your aging processes, leaving you feeling and looking healthy and young.
Weight Loss
Cabbage is frequently recommended for people who want to lose weight in a healthy way. Since cabbage is packed with many beneficial vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, it is a healthy dietary option for people to eat and is quite filling since it has high levels of fiber, which add bulk to the bowels. However, cabbage is extremely low in calories, only 33 calories in a cup of cooked cabbage. Therefore, people can go on the popular “cabbage soup” diet, and eat plenty of food to stay healthy, without gaining excess weight!
Prevents Cancer
Cabbage is a member of the Brassica family, also known as cruciferous vegetables. One of their most celebrated benefits to health is their powerful antioxidant quality. This means that cabbage and other similar vegetables scavenge free radicals from the body, which can be detrimental to overall health and are major contributors to things like cancer and heart diseases.
Cabbage also has a number of anti-cancer compounds, like lupeol, sinigrin, and sulforaphane, which are known to stimulate enzyme activity and inhibit the growth of tumors that lead to cancer. One study, performed primarily on Chinese women, showed a significant reduction in breast cancer when cruciferous vegetables like cabbage were regularly added to their diet.
Improves Vision
Cabbage is a rich source of beta-carotene, so many people, particularly as they get older, turn to cabbage for its ability to prevent macular degeneration and promote good eye health and delay cataract formation. Beta-carotene has also been positively linked to reduced chances of prostate cancer, which is an extra bonus on top of other anti-carcinogenic effects of cabbage!
Other benefits of Cabbage
Cabbage, being rich in iodine, helps in proper functioning of the brain and the nervous system, along with keeping the glands of the endocrine system in proper condition. It is good for the brain and is useful in the treatment of neural disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. The other nutrients present in cabbage, such as vitamin-E, keep the skin, eyes, and hair healthy. The calcium, magnesium, and potassium found in cabbage are very useful for a wide range of health benefits. Cabbage can also be used for the treatment of varicose veins, leg ulcers, peptic and duodenal ulcers.
Basically, this common component of your Chinese dishes could be a miraculous addition to your diet. Don’t be afraid to add cabbage to your daily diet, whether it is in your soup or salad, and that small change will help you live a healthier and longer life.
