Eating green leafy vegetables like cabbage is extremely beneficial in winters. Add them in soup or stews or to your salads to reap maximum health benefits.
Winters, the season of leafy green vegetables are here and one thing that is abundant during this season is gobhi, available in all kinds of varieties. Cabbage or patta gobhi is a storehouse of nutrients from fibre, folate, potassium, magnesium, vitamins A and K, and more. The veggie can also be a great immunity booster considering it has more Vitamin C than oranges. It is quite a versatile vegetable considering it can be eaten raw, as a salad and even in soups or stews. Cabbage can even be fermented and converted into sauerkraut. Eating green leafy vegetables like cabbage is extremely beneficial in winters and studies suggest that increasing consumption of plant-based foods can also reduce risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, among others. From boosting energy to aiding in weight loss, cabbage offers a series of benefits.
Benefits of cabbage
“Cabbage popularly called patta gobi in India is one of the most important vegetables grown worldwide. It belongs to the family Cruciferae, which includes broccoli, cauliflower, and kale. Despite its impressive nutrient content, cabbage is often overlooked but the benefits you can derive from this cruciferous vegetable will surely compel you to include it in your diet,” nutritionist Lovneet Batra writes in her recent Instagram post.
Batra also lists many benefits of cabbage:
Cancer prevention: The sulfur-containing compound, sulforaphane, which gives these vegetables their bitter taste, is also what specifically gives them their cancer-fighting power. Sulforaphane has been shown to inhibit the progression of cancer cells. Anthocyanins, the powerful antioxidants that give red cabbage its vibrant colour, have been shown to slow the formation and even kill already-formed cancer cells.
Help keep inflammation in check: Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage contain many different antioxidants that have been shown to reduce chronic inflammation. Sulforaphane, kaempferol and other antioxidants found in this remarkable group of plants are likely responsible for their anti-inflammatory effect.
Supports brain health: Cabbage may be rich in vitamin K, iodine, and antioxidants like anthocyanins. These elements can be beneficial as building blocks for the brain. According to studies cruciferous vegetables like cabbage may help in reducing levels of bad tau proteins that are found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.
May lower blood pressure: Potassium helps keep blood pressure within a healthy range. Increasing your intake of potassium-rich foods like cabbage may help lower high blood pressure levels.
