Health benefits of red cabbage

Definition

Red cabbage is a very healthy vegetable, which most of restaurant’s chefs and housewives known for a long time. Red cabbage is very low in cholesterol and saturated fats and excellent source of vitamins C, A, K and B6, dietary fiber, folate, manganese, potassium, iron, calcium, riboflavin and thiamin. Various studies have shown that high volume intake of cruciferous vegetables like red cabbage can protect against some types of cancer.

Health benefits and medical properties of Red Cabbage

In European traditional folk medicine, cabbage leaves were used for hundreds of years as remedy against various inflammations. Red cabbage leaves were wrapped directly on the place of infection or inflammation, and because cabbage contains large amounts of amino acid called glutamine, which has anti inflammatory properties, it would bring relief to inflamed spot. Also women used cabbage leaves for relieving pain in cases of engorged breasts in breastfeeding.

Also red cabbage is source of indol-3 carbinol, or I3C, which is a compound helpful in treatment of human papilloma virus disease called respiratory papillomatosis, which caused growth in the airways.

Red color in red cabbage is product of plant pigment called anthocyanin, which is part of the group of healthy compounds that are very beneficial for our health. Red cabbage has more then 36 types of anthocyanins in it. Studies are conducted in order to establish ways and quantities of healthy compounds absorption into human body.

Already there are scientific evidences that anthocyanins in red cabbage help and provide protection against cancer, promote heath health and improve brain functions. Many physiologist, nutritionists and chemists and plant physiologist are researching and finding methods to measure and identify various phytonutrients in vegetables and fruits, and there health impact on human body.

Also some other studies are shown that anthocyanins, antioxidants found in red cabbage and other fruits and vegetables, have a twice the antioxidant power than same amount found in vitamin C.

Red cabbage and its healthy compounds are absorbed much better in the body than other food and supplements that are also the source of the same compounds, up to 80%; that makes red cabbage healthier in smaller quantities intake than other foods. These measurements are conducted by measuring level of absorption of anthocyanins in the ingested quantity of red cabbage that reaches the blood stream. Anthocyanins from red cabbage were four times more present in the blood streams of test subjects, than from other foods.