Healthy Red Cabbage, also known as red cabbage, belongs to the Brassica genus of crops. This group incorporates nutrient-dense vegetables, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kale.
It tastes like green cabbage
On the other hand, the purple variety is richer in valuable plant compounds that have been linked to health benefits, such as bones and a much healthier heart.
Healthy Red Cabbage can be thought to lower inflammation and protect against certain types of cancers. Moreover, it’s an incredibly versatile vegetable which can be enjoyed raw, raw, or fermented and inserted to many different dishes.
Listed below are 8 impressive health benefits of purple cabbage, all backed by sciencefiction.
Rich in nutrition
Despite being low in carbs, Healthy Red Cabbage contains an impressive number of nourishment.
1 cup (89 g ) of chopped, raw, purple cabbage contains the following nutrients
Calories: 28
Protein: 1 gram
Carbs: 7 grams
Fiber: 2 g
Vitamin C: 56 percent of the Daily Value (DV)
Vitamin K: 28 percent of the DV
Vitamin B6: 11 percent of the DV
Vitamin A: 6% of the DV
Potassium: 5 percent of the DV
Thiamine: 5 percent of the DV
Riboflavin: 5% of the DV
Purple cabbage also supplies small amounts of iron, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, copper, and zinc.
Boasts strong plant chemicals
Purple cabbage is an excellent source of antioxidants and other beneficial plant chemicals that help protect against cellular damage.
In reality, it frequently contains higher amounts of them than green cabbage.
For instance, research suggests that the antioxidant levels in purple cabbage are around 4.5 times higher than those found in green cabbage varieties
What’s more, Healthy Red Cabbage is among the foods That Provides the highest amounts of antioxidants per unit cost
Additionally, it is a good source of sulforaphane, a sulfur-rich chemical which forms when raw cabbage is cut or crushed. Sulforaphane is connected to strong heart health benefits and cancer-fighting properties
Helps fight inflammation
Healthy Red Cabbage may help combat inflammation, which is thought to lead to a lot of diseases.
One test-tube study having an artificial version of the human intestine found that particular varieties of purple cabbage decreased markers of gut inflammation by 22–40 percent
Animal studies report that sulforaphane, the valuable sulfur compound found in many cruciferous vegetables, may be to thank for its anti-inflammatory Consequences
Interestingly, applying cabbage leaves into the skin also seems to decrease inflammation.
For example, adults with arthritis who wrapped their knees in cabbage leaves once per day reported feeling significantly less pain at the end of the 4-week study. However, the cabbage wraps lower pain significantly less effectively than a topical pain gel
Moreover, cabbage leaves appear to Decrease breast pain, swelling, and inflammation due to increased milk supply and Blood Circulation during the early postpartum period
May promote heart health
Purple cabbage can also benefit your heart.
This may be due to its content of anthocyanins, which are flavonoid antioxidants that give purple cabbage its characteristic color
1 large study found that women who regularly eat large amounts of anthocyanin-rich foods might benefit in the 11–32% lower risk of heart attacks, compared to those who eat fewer of those foods
Greater anthocyanin intakes may also be linked to reduced blood pressure and a reduced risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Purple cabbage contains more than 36 types of anthocyanins, Which Makes It an Exceptional source of this heart-healthy compound
May strengthen your bones
Purple cabbage Includes several bone-benefiting nutrients, such as vitamins K and C, as well as smaller quantities of calcium, manganese, and zinc
For instance, 1 cup (89 grams) of raw purple cabbage comprises around 56% of the DV for vitamin C, which plays a role in bone formation and helps protect your own bone cells from damage
Purple cabbage can also be full of vitamin K1, offering a little more than a quarter of the DV per cup (89 grams).
Vitamin K1 is chiefly found in plant foods, such as leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables. This distinguishes it in vitamin K2, which is found in animal products and fermented foods.
There’s proof that both forms of vitamin K play a role in maintaining strong and healthy bones, although more study is needed to pinpoint the specific effects of each
May protect against specific cancers
Purple cabbage may help protect against certain kinds of cancers, even though more research in people is needed.
Experts believe this may be because it contains sulforaphane and anthocyanins — just two compounds researched for their anti inflammatory properties.
Research links high intakes of cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, to an 18 percent lower risk of colon cancer. Diets rich in cruciferous vegetables also have been linked to a lower chance of breast cancer.
Moreover, there’s evidence to suggest that the sulforaphane found in purple cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables can help kill cancer cells or prevent them from growing and spreading
Cell and animal studies indicate that anthocyanins could have similar anti-cancer effects. Anthocyanins are located in blue, red, and purple fruits and vegetables, such as purple cabbage
But more human research is needed before strong conclusions can be made.
May enhance gut health
Purple cabbage may improve the function of your own gut.
There is evidence that cabbage can lower inflammation in the intestine and reduce intestinal mucositis — a condition where lesions develop from the gut, often as a side effect of cancer therapy
Cabbage is also a fantastic source of fiber, which keeps your gut healthy and assists it digest foods more easily.
Insoluble fiber comprises around 70% of the fiber . It adds bulk to stools and helps food move through your gut more easily, reducing the risk of constipation
The remaining 30 percent is soluble fiber, which provides food for the beneficial bacteria living in your gut. Subsequently, these friendly bacteria create short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), like acetate, butyrate, and propionate, which feed the cells of your gut
Research also shows that SCFAs can also reduce inflammation and other symptoms of gut disorders, such as Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and ulcerative colitis
There is also some evidence that drinking around 1 quart (946 ml) of cabbage juice per day might help cure gut ulcers in seven –10 days. However, the studies demonstrating this are obsolete, so newer research are Required to investigate this impact
Simple to add to your diet
Purple cabbage is a remarkably versatile vegetable. You can eat it raw or cooked, and it’s ideal to accompany an assortment of dishes.
For instance, it may be steamed and used to make dumpling fillings, or braised with red wine, apples, vinegar, carrots, and beets for a flavorful side dish.
Purple cabbage can also be roasted or sautéed with legumes or beans, or it may be shredded and used as a spoonful for soups, salads, and warm dishes.
Additionally, it supplies an antioxidant-rich and visually appealing option to green cabbage in coleslaw or sauerkraut, or it may be fermented to make kimchi.