Cabbage: benefits and properties

Cabbage: benefits and properties

The cabbage (a vegetable known also with the name of cabbage) belong to the family of the Cruciferae, whose family also includes other vegetables that are well known to our readers, such as broccoli or cauliflower (in fact, to this belong more than 300 genera and approximately 3,000 species, of which only a few they are well known to be quite consumed).

In the case of cabbage, they are vegetables native to southern and central Europe, although it is true that they are currently cultivated practically all over the world. The Egyptians already cultivated them, while Romans and Greeks attributed digestive properties to them.

The best months of the year to find them in the market are the months of December, January, February and March (during the winter months), although it is true that today we can find them at any time and time of the year.

Nutritional properties of cabbage

From a nutritional point of view, cabbages stand out from the start due to their high water content, low presence in fat and therefore also in calories.

They provide interesting amounts of provitamin A, which is transformed into vitamin A, an essential nutrient essential for our vision, although we must bear in mind that most of this vitamin is lost during the cooking process.

It also stands out for its presence in vitamin C, which exerts an interesting antioxidant action, intervening in the formation of teeth, bones, red blood cells and improving defenses against infections (learn more about tips to increase defenses).

Regarding the different minerals that the cabbage contributes, we must mention its content in potassium (necessary for the transmission and generation of the nervous impulse, as well as for the muscular activity) and magnesium (it improves the immunity and it has a mild laxative effect).

Benefits of cabbage

The cabbage stands out for its low fat content and therefore caloric, so that it becomes an ideal vegetable not only in healthy and balanced diets, but also for all those people who must follow a low-fat diet in order to lose weight and lose weight.

Because of its fiber content, its regular consumption helps improve intestinal transit, preventing constipation. In addition, for its content in water and potassium provide diuretic and purifying benefits, helping not only in case of fluid retention, but when it comes to eliminating toxins that accumulate in our body.

Thanks to the presence in provitamin A is a vegetable beneficial for the health of the vision, while vitamin C helps improve the resistance of our body to infections.

In addition, due to its folate content, its consumption is recommended in the diet of pregnant women, since it is an essential nutrient for the proper development of the neural tube of the fetus.

Contraindications of cabbage

Due to the contribution in fiber and sulfur compounds we must be careful with the excessive consumption of cabbage, since they produce flatulence (gases), complicating the good process of digestion.

Hence, its consumption is not recommended in people with digestion problems.

Images | La Grande Farmers' Market / rjw1 This article is published for informational purposes only. You can not and should not replace the consultation with a Nutritionist. We advise you to consult your trusted Nutritionist. ThemesFoods