Cabbage is king of cruciferous vegetables in defending the body against illness. Of all foods rated high for cancer prevention, few rank as high as cabbage. While its cancer fighting properties have gained a lot of attention, there are other reasons to make cabbage a mainstay of your diet too. It’s low in calories and has almost no sodium or fat, as you would expect. Combined with its high amount of insoluble fiber it’s also ideal for those trying to lose weight.
In addition, cabbage is as rich in vitamin C as citrus fruits, with all its protective and healing properties. Just one cup of shredded cabbage will give you two-thirds of the recommended daily allowance of this important vitamin. That’s great news because the human body can’t store vitamin C so you need to consume it on a daily basis to maintain it in the body. So cabbage can even help combat seasonal colds and flu!
Cabbage Selection
With it’s power-packed nutritional benefits and so many savory ways to enjoy it, there’s no reason not to find more fun ways to add cabbage to your menu. That said, there are several kinds of cabbage to choose from. We’re all familiar with the compact, light green heads that are readily available. Besides those, you can also choose from the slightly sweeter, yet robust and peppery red cabbage; the crinkly leafed, mild flavored Savoy cabbage; and the elongated, celery looking, crunchy Chinese cabbage, also known as bok choy.
Common red and green cabbage have been bred for storage and longevity so they can be enjoyed year-round. The more delicate Savoy cabbage is best during the fall. Bok choy can be bought through January if it looks crisp and fresh. For all types, look for firm heads with bright, crisp leaves that are firmly packed and heavy for their size. Steer clear of heads with wilted, yellowed leaves or those with signs of mold or worm damage.
Storing Cabbage
Red and green cabbage will keep well for two weeks or more in your refrigerator. Wrap the whole head of cabbage in paper towel and store it in a plastic bag, not tightly closed, in the crisper section to preserve the vitamins. Savoy cabbage and bok choy will keep about a week, given the same treatment.
Preparing Raw Cabbage
All cabbage should be washed and the outer leaves trimmed just before use. Trim off and discard the stem end. Cut the core out in a cone shape and discard or grate for slaw (it has a stronger taste). Slice or cut cabbage into thin wedges before washing. Discard any withered or stringy parts. For mildest flavor and tenderness, cut out and discard the fibrous thick ribs from the outer leaves
Grate or shred cabbage raw to use in any number of different varieties of salads or coleslaw. If using a food processor, use the slicing blade to shred cabbage. The shredding blade will cut it too finely. Try combining shredded Savoy cabbage with various kinds of lettuce in tossed green salads. Incorporating red cabbage adds nice color and peppery flavor to salads.
Getting the Odor Out
If you love cabbage but not the odor it emits during cooking here are a couple of suggestions to minimize the characteristic odor. First, when you are cooking cabbage, add a whole English walnut (in its shell) or a celery stalk to the water while you are cooking. Otherwise, choose brief, healthy methods, such as microwaving, or stir-frying, or steaming to cook your cabbage. The smell doubles with cooking times longer than 5 minutes and decreases its anti-cancer properties.
Cooking Methods for Cabbage
New studies seem to indicate that slightly cooked cabbage yields more nutritional power than raw. Bok choy or Chinese cabbage is a natural then to use in stir frys. Green cabbage is very good in a quick saute. Both red and green cabbage are delicious in slow, gentle braises. Try sauteing red cabbage with red cooking apples with a pinch of grated nutmeg and serving with grilled chicken.
My all time favorite way to eat cabbage is to cook it in the microwave with a little water to steam it, just until it’s soft – about five minutes. Drain the water and add a pat of butter, plus grated sage and salt and pepper to taste. Delicious!
Cabbage may be common, but it’s uncommonly good for you. Your broadest health benefits from cabbage are likely to come from inclusion of all varieties in your diet. With innumerable ways to introduce more cabbage into your diet, why don’t you see what you can come up with today.
