Why cabbage is useful: important properties are revealed

Cabbage is a very useful product for strengthening the immune system, restoring the balance of intestinal flora and eliminating toxins that threaten the body and can cause inflammatory processes and pathologies.

Even the ancient Romans considered this vegetable a healing product against various diseases: insomnia, intestinal disorders, ulcers and cancer, according to riza.it.

Cabbage is rich in vitamins, fibers and minerals. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and detoxifying properties, as well as protects the cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract, strengthens the immune system and reduces the risk of cancer.

Substances found in cabbage

The most important active ingredients in cabbage are glucosinolates and isothiocyanates, substances that are credited with anti-cancer properties.

Glucosinolates contain a sulfur molecule and are responsible for the unpleasant odor associated with these vegetables, as well as for the natural repellent effect that prevents insects and herbivores from eating the leaves. However, in the human body, glucosinolates have been shown to be able to block the activity of cancer cells.

Isothiocyanates also have the ability to indirectly limit their proliferation (reproduction). Other substances with anti-cancer properties include indole, which acts primarily for the benefit of the breast, and sulforaphane, which is found in large quantities in broccoli and protects the gastrointestinal system.

Features of cooking

As with most vegetables, prolonged cooking of cabbage at high temperatures reduces or leads to a complete loss of nutrients. Frying and cooking primarily destroy vitamin C and reduce the content of glucosinolates by more than 75%.

Glucosinolates, being water-soluble, tend to disperse in water during cooking, so a good strategy is to reuse it in other recipes, such as soaking legumes, making sauce, pasta, or rice.

On the other hand, steaming, microwaving, or lightly simmering (in a small amount of water and for a limited time) is less damaging to the active ingredients.

To truly utilize all the beneficial properties of kale, it is better to choose one of these cooking methods or consume it raw: thinly sliced into a salad or centrifuged with other ingredients.

In addition, it is important to remember to chew the cabbage well or cut it before serving. This way, the biologically active compounds increase up to four times, as the broken down plant cells release everything they contain more easily and quickly.