Red Cabbage Benefits – The Cruciferous Vegetable

A powerhouse of vitamins and minerals, red cabbage benefits extend to your skin and body promoting overall health. Originally from Europe, the vegetable is also known as purple cabbage or red kraut and forms part of many dishes like cooked stews and salads. Though, you can get the maximum advantages by eating it raw in a salad. Red cabbage has a red or purple coloring with a bitter flavor with peppery undertones. In many countries, people pickle it into sauerkraut, kimchi, or coleslaw, and eat it as a side with their meals. White and green cabbage also belong to the same family and may have crinkled or smooth leaves.

Read ahead for a quick overview of the many red cabbage benefits you can avail of.

Keeps Your Skin Looking Young and Ageless

Red cabbage contains a high amount of fiber and antioxidants like sulfur compounds and polyphenols. These compounds fight against the unstable free radicals that damage the collagen and elastin in your skin. As a result of this damage, you develop signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles. Aside from preventing the damage, the antioxidants also work to repair the skin and protect it from the damaging effects of the UV rays of the sun. Red cabbage also contains vitamins A and C, both of which help you gain young, ageless skin that glows with health.

Builds Immunity Against Diseases

In addition to acting as an anti-aging agent, the antioxidants in red cabbage along with the vitamin C work to build your immune system. Thus, your body is better equipped to fight off invading pathogens. In addition, the antioxidants lower inflammation levels in your body that can ultimately lead to other issues like rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, and heart problems. Some of the most important antioxidants red cabbage contains include kaempferol and sulforaphane.

Strengthens Your Bones

Your bones need several vitamins and minerals to remain healthy, many of which are contained in red cabbage. Like, for instance, vitamin K lowers the risk of osteoporosis by raising the levels of protein essential for maintaining calcium in the bones. Other essential minerals include manganese, magnesium, and calcium among others.

Promotes Weight Loss and Improves Digestion

The high insoluble fiber content in red cabbage benefits your weight loss efforts. That’s because you’ll feel fuller after eating the salad which is low in calories. The fiber also adds bulk to your food and facilitates easy bowel movements keeping your colon clean. People who often have stomach ulcers will find that eating red cabbage regularly helps lower the pain and irritation. That’s because the vegetable contains glutamine, a kind of amino acid. Red cabbage also contributes to your gut flora like Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria that are essential for digesting your food.

Keeps Your Heart Healthy

The anthocyanins belonging to the flavonoid group present in red cabbage help lower the risk of heart attacks. These compounds also help in lowering blood pressure that often leads to stroke. Further, the vegetable contains potassium that helps maintain the right balance with sodium in your body to protect your heart. Red cabbage may also help prevent high levels of bad LDL cholesterol thanks to the soluble fiber and plant sterols or phytosterols it contains.

Additional Red Cabbage Benefits

Arthritis is a painful condition of the joints characterized by swelling and difficulty in movement. The phytonutrients in red cabbage along with anthocyanine lower inflammation in the joints and help give you relief from the symptoms. The vegetable also contains rich concentrations of vitamin A, zeaxanthin, lutein, and beta-carotene that improve vision and prevent the development of cataracts. Further, the anthocyanins content in red cabbage improve cognitive function and the formation of plaque in the brain. This plaque can eventually lead to Alzheimer’s Disease.

These are only some of the many red cabbage benefits. Add the vegetable to your regular diet and watch your health improve.

 

References:

9 Impressive Health Benefits of Cabbage

Antioxidant Properties of Raw and Processed Cabbage

Matrix Effects on the Stability and Antioxidant Activity of Red Cabbage Anthocyanins under Simulated Gastrointestinal Digestion