Health Benefits of Cabbage
Benefits of Cabbage
What comes to mind when you think of cabbage? How appetizing does a tall glass of cabbage juice sound? If you are like most people cabbage doesn't get your taste buds watering, but when you stop to consider the many health benefits that can be gained from eating more cabbage or drinking cabbage juice it just may be a bit more appealing.
The health benefits of cabbage come from the wide array of vitamins and minerals that are found in this nutrient-rich and extremely low calorie natural food. Many of the nutrients that it offers the body are those that we many people take supplements for and make special dietary decisions to accommodate, such as:
Nutrition Facts for 100g or Raw Cabbage
| Nutrients | Units |
| Water | 92.18g |
| Energy | 103 kcal |
| Protein | 1.28g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.10g |
| Carbohydrate | 5.80g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.5g |
| Sucrose | 0.08g |
| Glucose (dextrose) | 1.67g |
| Fructose | 1.45g |
| Maltose | 0.01g |
| Calcium | 40mg |
| Iron | 0.47mg |
| Magnesium | 12mg |
| Phosphorus | 26mg |
| Potassium | 170mg |
| Sodium | 18mg |
| Zinc | 0.18mg |
| Copper | 0.019mg |
| Manganese | 0.160mg |
| Fluoride | 1.0µg |
| Selenium | 0.3µg |
| Vitamin C | 36.6mg |
| Thiamine | 0.061mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.040mg |
| Niacin | 0.234mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.212mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.124mg |
| Folate | 43µg |
| Choline | 10.7mg |
| Betaine | 0.4mg |
| Beta Carotene | 42µg |
| Alpha Carotene | 33µg |
| Vitamin A | 98IU |
| Vitamin E | 0.15mg |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 30µg |
| Vitamin K | 76.0µg |
- Vitamin A - an important antioxidant and may assist in eye health and a healthy immune system
- B Vitamins - folate or B9 and choline are brain foods. Folate may reduce risk for Alzheimer's disease. These vitamins also assist in energy production, reduce excess fat in liver, improve skin cell production and also support a variety of other body functions.
- Vitamin C - also an anti oxidant and it strengthens the immune system and assist in tissue growth and repair
- Vitamin K - for proper blood clotting
- Calcium - essential for strong bones and healthy muscles and nerves
- Magnesium - important for heart health
- Phosphorus - necessary for bones
- Potassium< - essential for muscle contraction, the production of energy and other body functions
- Fiber - regulates bowel movements and may assist in weight loss
- Beta Carotene - an antioxidant; may guard from some disease and assist in eye health
- Lutein and zeaxanthin - for eye health
- Phytosterols - may reduce the risk of heart disease
The health benefits of cabbage that come from this list of nutrients should be of interest to literally everyone concerned with some aspect of their health. Consuming more cabbage can rid the body of free radicals which contribute to the development of cancer, reduce your risk of heart disease, support your weight loss efforts, and contribute to a more youthful, energetic body.
The Cabbage Soup Diet
The benefits of cabbage were highlighted with the appearance of the cabbage soup diet years ago. This plan requires daily consumption of unlimited amounts of cabbage soup, following a given recipe which can be modified to your taste buds, along with selected fruits and vegetables on different days of the week.
The plan is extremely restrictive, but is only intended to be used on a very short term basis to jumpstart weight loss or accomplish a short term weight goal. Many different versions of the diet can now be found online as people discover that the plan actually works and adjust the recipe to make it taste more appetizing.
There are still quite a number of people who still believe in the cabbage soup diet for the purpose of losing weight in a short period of time. But the side effects of such high consumption of cabbage include severe gas, bloating, and potential diarrhea for some people. Some find that increasing fiber consumption or taking a fiber supplement and using a gas pill can relieve much of the side effects, which may be reasonable as long as the diet is used for short term purposes it is intended.
Does a big glass of cabbage juice sound a bit more palatable now? It actually can be quite tasty if you use spices and a non-creamy based soup which you enjoy. If the health benefits of cabbage are appealing to you, consider creating your own version of cabbage juice.
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