13 Amazing Benefits Of Eating 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 

Prevents Cancer

One of the most celebrated health benefits of cabbage is its 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 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.

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 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!

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. It is also low in calories, amounting to 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!

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.

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.

Regulates Blood Pressure

The presence of potassium in cabbage also makes it a wonderful way to protect yourself from elevated blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Potassium is a vasodilator, which means that it opens up the blood vessels and eases the flow of blood, so it isn’t being forced in a stress-inducing way through constricted arteries and veins. Overall, cabbage is a great shield against many types of dangerous conditions!

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.

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.

Detoxifies the Body

Cabbage acts as a good detoxifier too, meaning that it purifies the blood and removes toxins, primarily free radicals and uric acid which are the main causes of rheumatism, gout, arthritis, renal calculi, skin diseases, and eczema. This detoxifying effect of cabbage is due to the high content of vitamin C and sulfur in it.

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, and 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.

Cooked cabbage is how most people get it into their diet or system, but cooking actually causes a loss of many of the nutrients, particularly the high levels of vitamin C. Besides, the other nutrients become harder for the body to absorb. The best option is to eat the cabbage raw!