Unknown facts about red cabbage – its vitamins and benefits

No vegetable has attracted as much attention to itself as cabbage. History has left true information about whole treatises about this wonderful vegetable. The benefits and harms to the body, use in different areas, why red cabbage is blue cabbage, and also which cabbage is more useful I will tell below.

• Red cabbage in the garden

Description of red cabbage

Cabbage (Brássica olerácea) is a biennial agricultural plant of the Cruciferous family.

The biological name of the red-headed vegetable is the same as the white relative:

• Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. rubra – redhead;
• Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. dawn – white cabbage.

From a biological point of view, both plants are varieties of the same species – all differences are due to “skin color”.

The vegetable was not brought to the territory of Europe – it has been growing here since ancient times and was the main food product before the discovery of America.

• General view of the plant
• Harvesting Cabbage, by Tacuinum Sanitatis, 15th century

There are written records that the cabbage vegetable was cultivated in the Mediterranean more than 4500 years ago. One of the myths says that beads of sweat rolled down from the face of a tired Jupiter, while unraveling the words of the oracle. Falling to the ground, they became a head of cabbage. The ancient Romans revered this vegetable, the word “cabbage” itself comes from the ancient Roman “kaputum” – head.

The homeland of origin has not been established to this day.

• Swiss botanist A. Decandol (1806 – 1893) believed that the ancient relatives of the plant lived on the coasts of England, Ireland, the western part of northern France, Helgoland, Denmark, the northern part of the Mediterranean coast: Genoa, Nice, Lucca.
• Soviet botanist E.N. Sinskaya (1889 – 1965) believed that the garden resident comes from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea,
• and some Georgian scientist suggests data confirming the origin of the plant from the Colchis lowland (Georgia), where wild kezhera is found – a similar wild cabbage.
• There is a version that Roman soldiers brought the vegetable to England. Be that as it may, today the area of ​​its growth has spread from the tropics to the circumpolar regions.

The loggerhead came to the territory of our country from the Black Sea colonies of Greek settlers during the V-IV century BC. The first source where the plant is mentioned in our culture is “Izbornik” of Prince Svyatoslav (1073). Later chronicles report that in the year 1150 the Smolensk prince gave Manuel a skit – a vegetable garden where the plant was grown. Such beds were very common. The Dutch traveler Cornelius de Bouin, who visited Muscovy in 1702, depicted abundant plantations of heads of cabbage, which are harvested in large barrels and “commoners eat twice a day.” Here’s a purple cabbage.

Blue cabbage plantation

Purple cabbage was artificially bred in the fields of Western Europe as a variety of white cabbage in the XNUMXth century. A hundred years later, came to the territory of our country under the name “blue cabbage”. This is the name I knew her from childhood. As I got older, I wondered why they write “redhead” on the seed packages. If you are also interested, read on.

The first mention of the “blue cabbage” contains the handwritten “Cool Helicopter” – a Russian translation of the German medical book “Hortus amoenus”, which was made by the clerk of the Zemsky Prikaz Andrei Nikiforov of the year 1672. It was recommended for the treatment of lung diseases, boils. As a vegetable plant, they began to grow a century later in St. Petersburg and Moscow – it was served as a delicacy snack on the tables of restaurants.

Chemical composition and calorific value

Red cabbage is low in calories but has an amazing nutrient profile.

BJU per 100 g of product:

• proteins – 1,4 g;
• fat – 0,2 g;
• carbohydrates – 7
• Energy value 31-34 kcal.

Everyone knows what vitamins the body needs in the first place. So, 100 g of lettuce, consisting of purple cabbage, contains half the daily intake of vitamin C, a third of the norm of vitamin K, about 15% of the daily intake of B6, 7% of vitamin A, 5% of potassium, thiamine, riboflavin,

Despite its “artificial” origin, red is much richer than its white variety. To understand how much, I had to tabulate the data from the English Wikipedia:

of red
White-washed
The nutritional value 100 g of product, calories 31 25
Fats
0,2 g 0,1 g
Polyunsaturated fatty acids
0,1 g 0
Cholesterol
0 0
Sodium
27 mg 18 mg
potassium
243 mg 170 mg
Calcium
45 mg 40 mg
Magnesium
16 mg 12mg
Carbohydrates
7 g 6 g
Alimentary fiber
2,1 g 2,5 g
Sugar
3,8 g 3,2 g
Proteins
1,4 g 1,3 g
Vitamin A
0,6695 mg 0,0588 mg
Vitamin V6
0,2 mg 0,1mg
Vitamin C
57 mg 36,6 mg
Hardware
0,8 mg 0,5mg

Note: Plants do not contain vitamins in pure form. So vitamin A is present in the form of β-carotene (the elixir of youth and beauty).

Various reference sites provide various data on the content of trace elements and vitamins in red cabbage, its calorie content. They depend on the regions, natural conditions, agricultural technology.

Little attention is paid to the vitamin prototype, conventionally named vitamin U (S-methylmethionine, methylmegionine sulfonium, methylmethionine sulfonium chloride –(CH₃)₂S⁺CH₂CH₂CHCO₂) – after all, it is the presence of sulfur that gives cabbage a specific aroma. Redhead has a higher sulfur content.

Common varieties

All varieties of red cabbage are divided according to the ripening period:

• early – the growing season is 70-130 days;
• average – from the moment of emergence to technical ripeness 125-175 days;
• later – the growing season is 153-245 days.

The plant is demanding on light, with a lack of light, the heads of cabbage stop tying. The yield is lower than that of the white-headed relative: medium-sized heads – 1,5-2,5 kg.

Red cabbage has many varieties suitable for cultivation in the vast territory of our country. It is more resistant to temperature drops to zero. But it does not tolerate heat well, the optimum temperature for growth is + 18-24 degrees (summer in England). Three varieties are zoned for cultivation on an industrial scale. All of them have an average ripening period:

• Михневская – with a very dense head of cabbage of purple color with a reddish tint. Has high taste, good transportability, keeping quality up to 5 months;
• Stone head 447 – has a small, dense head of cabbage with a purple cut. Delicate, juicy taste, shelf life up to 4 months;
• Gako 741 – later variety (135-150 days), productive, resistant to high temperatures. The head of cabbage is rounded, dense, does not crack. Stored up to 5 months.

For cultivation in personal plots or summer cottages, you can try seeds that are not included in the register.

Early grades

• Example F1 – a Dutch hybrid with a round head of a rich purple color, medium-sized fruits – up to 1,2 kg, retain marketable qualities for a long time.

Other varieties are recommended:

• Red Jewel,
• Kyoto,
• Nurima,
• Romanov.

Average growing season

• Lyudmila – grade with a perfectly round head up to 2 kg. The color is purple. Harvest up to 5 kg per square meter. High resistance to diseases, used fresh or for processing.

Gardeners have also tried:

• Mars,
• Varna,
• Kalibos,
• Red heart.

Late varieties

Milan – a product of German selection (Satimex firm), high-yielding, resistant to cracking, suitable for long-term storage.

Grown in summer cottages:

• Rodima,
• Guarantees,
• Palette,
• Langedeiker late,
• Juno.

Some varieties can be used as decorative ones.

Differences between red cabbage and white cabbage

The difference between red cabbage and white cabbage lies not only in external signs. The purple color indicates the presence of anthocyanins – substances with powerful antioxidant properties that reduce the risk of developing cancer cells, diseases of the cardiovascular system. A red-headed vegetable has 4,5 times more of these compounds than a white one.

Red and white cabbage garden crops – two varieties of the same species

The red-headed vegetable has a more pronounced taste that not everyone likes. If we analyze the chemical composition, we will see that the redhead has a higher content of elements: one and a half times more sodium, potassium, iron, magnesium and vitamin C. Twice as much fat, 11 times more vitamin A.

Head color is another vegetable phenomenon.

It turns out that the color of a head of cabbage is influenced not only by the variety or climatic conditions. The intensity of coloring, the spectral color depends on the acidity of the soil: the less acidity, the more blue the plant will be. Our vegetable garden had alkaline soil, the head of cabbage had a pronounced blue color. The red cabbage plant is a natural indicator of soil acidity, for which in the old days it was called the “devil’s vegetable”.

The price for a colored vegetable is higher. In my opinion, this situation is justified by the lower yield and mental attitude: the white-headed plant has long been considered a product of commoners. Having received a red appearance, they served it as a delicacy.

The fruits of the white appearance are looser, the leaves of the head of cabbage are more tender than those of the red sister.

The color of the head depends on the variety, natural conditions, agricultural technology and soil acidity.

Application and useful properties

The red-headed vegetable has not found such widespread use as the white sister. Such inattention is undeserved, if we consider the benefits for the human body. It can be administered daily for all ages of both sexes. This refers to the anticancer effect of anthocyanins, the presence of vitamin U, discovered in 1948-1950 by the biologist Chinei, in cabbage juice, a substance that takes part in the healing of wounds and intestinal ulcers.

Red cabbage is not only eaten, it is treated, used for cosmetic procedures.

Blue cabbage juice is good for all ages of both sexes

For men, women and children

The benefits of red cabbage are enormous. Colored cabbage has medicinal properties, has antioxidant, lipotropic, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory effects.

The main beneficial properties are not only the prevention of cancer. Redhead has a positive effect on cleansing blood vessels, improving vision, preventing tuberculosis, osteoporosis. Red cabbage juice has a diuretic, antibacterial effect. It is used for feeling unwell, insomnia.

For men… The main thing is the prevention of the prostate. Helps in the treatment of the genitourinary sphere, cleanses the lungs of smokers, rejuvenates the body. Vegetable juice well eliminates hangover syndrome. When engaging in heavy physical labor, during sports activities – red cabbage salad relieves muscle soreness.

For women… In addition to the rejuvenating effect, it helps to eliminate pelvic inflammatory processes, delays the onset of menopause. Sheets are recommended to be applied to a woman’s breast as compresses for benign formations.

For children. For little kids mashed potatoes are made from redheads. The dish is introduced very gradually, monitoring the reaction. Fresh purple vegetables begin to be given after three years, when the digestive system is strengthened.

For the elderly… Potassium and calcium prevent the disease of old age – osteoporosis. For elderly people, red head salad will be useful for the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, preserve brain function for a longer period. In addition to strengthening the immune system, it cleans blood vessels, preventing the risks of strokes, heart attacks.

Cabbage and apple juice for expectant mothers.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding

Purple cabbage salad is very useful for the body of the expectant mother. The content of unsaturated fats, calcium with potassium will favorably affect the development of the fetus, create conditions for the normal development of the neural tube. It will allow a pregnant woman to replenish the loss of calcium, strengthen teeth and bones.

It is not always possible for women in labor to use cabbage plants for food, due to their specific effect on breast milk. You cannot completely abandon them, but always consult a doctor.

But in the early stages of the postpartum period for a nursing mother, vegetable sheets will be very useful. They are used to relieve pain, swelling, and inflammation of the breasts due to incoming milk.

The presence of cabbage in the diet will allow not to use dietary supplements of chemical origin

In dietetics and weight loss

Low calorie content, rich mineral composition make a dietary product necessary for a person when losing weight and unloading nutrition. The presence of fiber saturates the stomach, prevents obesity, colon cancer. They contribute to the loss of excess weight, can lower blood pressure by up to 10%.

The presence of a vegetable in the diet will allow not to use dietary supplements of chemical origin.

Trace elements, vitamins of plants are more assimilable than drugs. Nutritionists believe that the most useful salad is a fresh vegetable salad …

Note! When you go on a diet, follow the recommendations of experts for a balanced diet.

In cosmetology

A red-headed vegetable, like white cabbage, is useful not only for food.

Juice lotion will get rid of pigmentation, freckles, keep the face fresh. The skin will look healthy.

Masks made from cabbage leaves help relieve irritation. To do this, wash a large sheet well, make slits for the eyes, pour boiling water for a few seconds. We take out the semi-soft sheet, let the water drain, apply it warm on the surface of the face. We hold for 20 minutes.

• Anti-aging red cabbage sheet mask
• 

Skin irritations or rashes are removed from cabbage brine baths: 1 glass per 10 liters of water.

In folk medicine

Despite its spread, today there is not enough laboratory confirmed information on the medicinal properties of cabbage, studied in humans. Although the ancient Greek philosopher Chryssippos (280-205 BC) described the effect of a vegetable on human organs. The Romans and Greeks considered the big-headed one to be a cure for all diseases: headaches, deafness, insomnia, and internal diseases were treated with it. Dioscorides, Catanus, Scribonius, Pliny the Elder studied the vegetable as a remedy. Avicenna supplemented the knowledge of the ancient Greeks and Romans, revised their ideas about the healing properties of juice, writing the “Canon of Medicine”

• Traditional medicine treats cabbage leaves gout, juice – deposits bile stones, atherosclerosis.
• The anti-inflammatory effect of the juice is used for healing purulent wounds, ulcers.
• Fresh stalk is effective against gastritis, enterocolitis, constipation, with increased peristalsis, intestinal spasms.

There are very few scientific publications on the benefits of red cabbage.

• There are data from laboratory studies of the human intestine, indicating a decrease in markers of inflammation by 22-40% under the influence of certain types of red-headed vegetables.
• Experiments with the use of cabbage leaves once a day in patients with arthritis indicate a decrease in pain after a month of research. However, the effect of the vegetable was significantly less than that of the pain-relieving gel.

Enhance immunity.

The juice of red cabbage and beets is mixed in equal proportions, 1 glass is taken once a day for a month. Condition – the juice must be freshly prepared.

Oncological diseases.

• For 100 g of red head, you need to take:
• 60g fondue;
• 80 g of avocado fruit (expensive avocado can be replaced with ordinary pumpkin seeds: 50 g of avocado is equal to 30 g of seeds);
• 40 g of honey.

Grind the products with a blender, add honey, mix.

Take one tablespoon before each meal for 1 month.

Red cabbage is pickled, salted, stewed.

In cooking

In ancient Rome, this vegetable was eaten with corned beef and beans. You can use the properties of the purple stump useful for humans by preparing various dishes. Fresh vegetable salads with good keeping quality. The red-headed one is pickled, salted, stewed.

When preparing salads, you can use a variety of variations.

For me, the simplest recipe is acceptable – I don’t like to combine other ingredients with a red-headed vegetable.

• Braised red cabbage
• Blue cabbage salad

Blue cabbage salad.

You will need:

• medium-sized cob,
• walnuts (two to three tablespoons of shelled kernels)

Grate the fruit with the grater you used to grate the carrots into the soup. In this way, you use the maximum amount of the vegetable and soften its leaves. Rubs red remarkably – it is very dense in structure. Add chopped nuts.

Season the salad with your favorite sauce, add seasonings. I have Himalayan salt, Greek yogurt, black pepper. You can add a little sesame seeds, mustard sauce (preferably in grains), garlic.

If you are not a strong adherent of a healthy diet, season the salad with mayonnaise.

As with any product, the red-headed vegetable has contraindications.

Possible harm and contraindications

Like all foods, purple cabbage has its own health benefits and harms or contraindications for use.

If you have a personal intolerance to a vegetable, you better refuse it altogether.

It’s important! If you have allergic reactions to food, take under medical supervision.

Harm from eating fruits can be obtained on mono-diets with uncontrolled intake.

Contraindications for the use of red cabbage vegetable will be the following diseases:

• ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract (stomach, duodenum);
• with exacerbation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys;
• dysfunction of the thyroid gland.

Excessive use of the product can lead to such undesirable consequences:

• flatulence, bloating – due to the high sulfur content;
• cramps of the intestinal walls – this is affected by magnesium, iron and potassium;
• increased blood pressure – with prolonged use of large amounts;

It’s important! It is forbidden to use red cabbage for pancreatitis.

What happens if you eat red cabbage

Why is red cabbage juice useful?

Red cabbage juice contains the maximum amount of nutrients found in fresh vegetables. To get it, you need to wash the head of cabbage well, dry it, divide it into parts, pass it through a centrifugal juicer. Consume fresh. Store in the refrigerator for no more than a day.

Red cabbage juice contains the maximum amount of nutrients found in fresh vegetables

From the times of the Roman Empire it is known that the juice has a destructive effect on the tubercle bacillus.

The juice has beneficial properties, it is used in the treatment of such diseases:

• hemorrhagic bleeding;
• fragility of capillaries;
• leukemia;
• cough, hoarse voice;
• inflammatory processes of the oral cavity;
• pneumonia, bronchitis.

Drinking juice from red cabbage promotes the removal of radionuclides, and juice diluted with red wine is used by healers when bitten by rabid animals.

• Sponge cake colored with purple cabbage juice
• Rice in rolls colored with red cabbage juice
• Eggs dyed with red cabbage juice

Freshly squeezed red cabbage juice is a natural food coloring that can be used to color boil rice, cream and cake batter, even Easter eggs. Color, concentration is regulated by adding soda or citric acid, you can get blue, green, raspberry and other colors. Conduct such experiments with children during the quarantine period – they will love it!

A head of cabbage is a huge bud.

Interesting Facts

1. A head of cabbage is a large kidney. The modified stem of the plant is the stalk.
2. The stalk contains the main content of nitrates, although everyone loves this part of the vegetable for its taste.
3. Have an interesting experience with a red sheep. Take some of its juice, or just chop some red fruit into the water. Now if you add a little vinegar to the water, it will turn raspberry, and if you add soda, it will turn blue.
4. Eating two heads of cabbage a day promotes the growth of the mammary glands.
5. Lilac cabbage is a deadly vegetable – many now dead have tried it at least once in their lifetime.

I hope you get the humor of the last two facts?

Conclusion

In the era of fast food, expensive artificial spices, why not turn your eyes to what is, quite simply, under your feet? It’s so easy to take a lilac head of cabbage, chop and season with sauce. In the meantime, you can cook it – you can bake potatoes in a village style or just boil buckwheat. Nothing complicated – and the body will receive priceless food.

Chop a lilac head of cabbage and season with sauce – what could be easier?

Like any other vegetable, red cabbage has benefits and harms, but for a balanced diet, it comes in handy.

Making a pH indicator from red cabbage