Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable which has various types and is cultivated throughout the year. In Japan, you can see mainly winter cabbage (season: November – March) and spring cabbage (season: April – June), also Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, green balls, red cabbage in supermarkets.

Let’s check the health benefits of Cabbage.

Cabbage NUTRITION

• Vitamin C

Cabbage, especially green parts contains lots of vitamin C.

Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that may protect against heart disease, certain cancers and vision loss. Vitamin C also known as essential for the synthesis of collagen which is indispensable for the beauty of the skin.

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, so be careful of immersion of water too much.

When heating, we recommend cooking method which can taste as juice as soup.

• Vitamin U

It may be a name you have not heard, vitamin U is an enzyme discovered from cabbage.

It promotes the secretion of gastric mucus, protects the stomach, and repairs the gastric mucosa.

It makes sense that you see cabbage served with fried foods.

• Isothiocyanate

Isothiocyanate is mainly contained in cruciferous vegetables, garlic, and wasabi. It is expected to enhance the detoxification, antioxidant effects, and to prevent cancer.

Because of the volatile ingredients, you can ingest more by eating while being as fresh as possible.

• Others

In addition, cabbage is high in fiber and contains powerful antioxidants, including polyphenols and sulfur compounds.

Fiber adjusts the condition of the intestines, and lowering your risk for constipation, high cholesterol, heart disease and diabetes. What’s more, it’s rich in soluble fiber, which has been shown to increase the number of beneficial bacteria in the gut. This is because fiber is the main fuel source for friendly species like Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli. These bacteria perform important functions like protecting the immune system and producing critical nutrients like vitamins K2 and B12.

Antioxidants protect the body from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that have an odd number of electrons, making them unstable. When their levels become too high, they can damage your cells.

Potassium is an essential mineral, which oppose to sodium, and plays an important role in maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance in the body. Potassium regulates blood pressure by counteracting the effects of sodium in the body. It also relaxes blood vessel walls, which lowers blood pressure.

How to Choose Fresh Cabbage

・Pick a tight, compact head that feels heavy for its size.

・Choose looking crisp and fresh, with few loose leaves.

・Store whole heads of cabbage in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator.

Reference:

https://home.howstuffworks.com/cabbage2.htm

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-cabbage#section7