Cabbage Benefits and Diet

Cabbage Nutrition
Cabbage, one of the oldest vegetables, continues to be a dietary staple
and an inexpensive food. It is easy to grow, tolerates the cold, and
keeps well. And, it tastes good. Cabbage provides multiple health
benefits. Cabbage is rich in Vitamin C (an antioxidant) and fiber and is
also a member of the cruciferous vegetable family. People who frequently
eat cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables may help reduce their risk
of certain cancers such as colon and rectal cancer. Serving size of 84 g of
cabbage has 15 calories, 0 g of fat, 10 mg of sodium, 2 g of
carbohydrate, 1 g of dietary fiber, 1 g of sugars and 1 g of protein.
Cabbage is also a good source of calcium, vitamins A and C.

Selection
Look for solid, heavy heads of cabbage. Avoid cabbage that has
discolored veins or worm damage. Do not buy precut cabbage, the
leaves may have already lost their vitamin C. Look for stems that are
healthy looking, closely trimmed, and are not dry or split.

Storage
Keep cabbage cold. This helps it retain its vitamin C content. Place the
whole head of cabbage in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator.
Once the head has been cut, place the remainder in plastic bags and
place in the refrigerator. Try to use the remaining cabbage in the next
day or two.

Preparation
Do not wash cabbage until you are ready to use it. Avoid slicing or
shredding cabbage in advance. This will cause it to lose some of its
vitamin C content. If you must prepare it an hour or more in advance
before cooking, place it in a plastic bag, seal tightly, and refrigerate.

Varieties
There are at least a hundred different types of cabbage grown
throughout the world, but the most common types in the United States
are the Green, Red, and Savoy varieties. Chinese varieties are also
available. The two most common types of Chinese cabbage are Bok Choy
and Napa cabbage. Chinese cabbage cooks in less time than standard U.
S. types, but can be prepared in the same ways. Cabbage can be
steamed, boiled, braised, microwaved, stuffed, or stir-fried.

Health Benefits of Cabbage
In 1983, Albert-Puleo M claimed the possible health benefits of cabbage
on cancer in his review article. [1] He reported that dietary cabbage may
enhance the aromatic hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) microsomal
enzyme system and increase the rate of metabolism of certain drugs and
carcinogens and to affect chemically induced tumor formation. [1]

Cabbage Soup Diet
Cabbage Soup Diet is claimed to be a fat-burning soup that contains
negligible calories. It is a low-fat, high-fiber diet. It allows people to drink
as much Cabbage Soup as they want each day, which should sound
appealing to dieters.  This soup diet relies on a very restricted set of food
choices. Because of the limited calories intake, it may be effective to lose
a few pounds temporarily. However, this diet may not be nutritious
enough for long-term weight loss. Thus, the duration of cabbage soup
diet is only seven days. And, the practitioners should take multivitamin
tablets during the diet course. It is also recommended that the
practitioners should consult with their doctors before the diet:

First Day: Drink only the cabbage diet soup, unsweetened teas,
cranberry juice and water and eat fruits, except bananas.
Second Day: Continue to drink the soup and eat vegetables except
beans, peas and corn. Do not eat fruits.
Third Day: Continue to drink the soup, eat mainly fruits and vegetables
but no baked potato.
Fourth Day: Eat bananas. Drink skim milk and the soup.
Fifth Day: Eat only small amounts of chicken or beef and up to six fresh
tomatoes. Drink a least 6-8 glasses of water. Remember to drink the
soup. Sixth Day: Eat an appropriate amount of beef and vegetable but
no baked potato. Remember to drink the soup.
Seventh Day: Eat brown rice and vegetable. Remember to drink the
cabbage diet soup.

Cabbage Soup Recipe
Ingredients 1-4 large onions, 1-2 large green pepper, 1-2 head celery, 2-
4 tomatoes, 0.5-1 head cabbage, and a soup base [1 pack of onion soup
mix, V8 or 1 can of chicken broth]

Cut all vegetables into small pieces. Place the chopped vegetables in a
saucepan with the rest of ingredients, cover with water, season (with a
small amount of salt and pepper) and simmer until vegetables are soft.

Cabbage Recipes

Chutney—Pineapple Slaw
Serves 4.

Ingredients
2 Tbsp chutney
1/2 tsp grated orange peel
2 Tbsp fresh orange juice
2 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 cup coarsely fresh pineapple or one 8 oz pineapple tidbits
1/4 cup raisins

In a large bowl, combine chutney, orange peel, and orange juice. Mix
well. Add shredded cabbage and carrot, pineapple, and raisins; toss to
mix. Serve immediately or cover and chill until serving time.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 94.5, Fat 0.5g, Calories from Fat
4%, Carbohydrate 23.6g, Protein 1.7g, Fiber 3.3g, Sodium 37.4mg.

Oriental Super Slaw
Makes 4 servings.
This is an official 5 A Day recipe.

Ingredients
8 oz green cabbage, shredded
4 oz Napa cabbage, shredded
2 oz raw carrot, grated
2 oz red cabbage, shredded
1/3 cup rice wine or white wine vinegar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp smooth peanut butter
10 oz raw or 8 ounces cooked lean beef top round

Broil or grill beef until desired doneness, slice into thin slivers. Mix
dressing ingredients: vinegar, sugar, peanut butter, and ginger in
blender of food processor until smooth. Toss dressing, vegetables, and
beef strips. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 215, Fat 5 g, Calories from Fat
21%, Cholesterol 45 mg, Fiber 3g, Sodium 73mg
.
Warm Red Cabbage Bacon Salad
Makes 4  1¼ cup servings.
5 A Day servings: 4

Ingredients
3 slices reduced-fat turkey bacon
1½ tbsps. oilive oil
½ large onion, peeled and chopped
3 large stalks celery, sliced
1/3 cup cider vinegar
½ large red cabbage, shredded to yield about 6 cups*
3 tbsps. sugar
½ tsp. celery seed
salt and pepper, optional**
2 tbsps. chopped parsley, garnish

Cut bacon slices into 1-inch pieces and sauté over MEDIUM-LOW heat
in a very large, deep skillet until crisp but not overdone. Remove to
absorbent paper and reserve. Drain off all bacon fat and replace with
olive oil.

Heat oil in skillet over HIGH heat. Add onion and celery and sauté
briefly. Add vinegar, sugar, and celery seed. Heat until boiling;
immediately add cabbage and bacon pieces, all at once. Stir and toss for
about 1 minute, or until the cabbage is warm, not cooked. Season with
salt and pepper if desired.
Serve immediately while very warm with garnish of chopped parsley.

*Chef's Note: The convenience of buying pre-shredded cabbage, carrots,
and bagged salad makes this salad even easier for a busy cook.
**Optional ingredients are not included in dietary analysis.

Nutrition information per serving: Calories 190, Calories from Fat 15%,
Cholesterol 15mg, Dietary Fiber 5g, Total Fat 7g, Protein 6g,
Carbohydrates 22g, Sodium 300mg.

Mandarin Stir-Fry Beef
Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients
8 oz Beef top sirloin or top round steak, cut into bite-sized strips
Juice from 1 to 2 tangerines (1/4 cup)
2 T Hoisin or oyster sauce
1 T Salt-reduced soy sauce
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 c Low sodium chicken or beef broth
1 1/2 c Broccoli flowerets
1/3 c Green onion, sliced
4 c Chinese or Napa cabbage, sliced
1 can (8 oz) Sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 Tangerines, peeled, segmented

Hot cooked rice
Remove any excess fat from steak strips; place in shallow non-metal
dish. In small bowl stir together tangerine juice, hoisin sauce, soy sauce,
and garlic. Pour mixture over meat; toss to coat. Cover and chill 30
minutes to several hours. Drain meat, reserving marinade. In a wok or
large skillet over high heat, place 3 Tbsps. broth. Stir-fry broccoli 3
minutes. Remove from wok. Add more broth if needed; stir-fry onion and
cabbage for 2 minutes. Remove from wok. Add more broth if needed; stir-
fry water chestnuts and tangerines for 1 minute. Add meat and cooked
vegetables back to wok, along with reserved marinade. Toss well; cover
and heat 1 minute. Serve with hot rice, cooked in unsalted water.

Nutrition information per serving: Calories 290, Fat 3g, Calories from Fat
9%, Cholesterol 38mg, Fiber 4g, Sodium 246mg.

DO NOT COPY THIS ARTICLE TO OTHER WEBSITES OR BLOGS OR OTHER TYPES OF
PUBLICATIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2008 THIS ARTICLE IS NOT A MEDICAL
ADVISE. PLEASE CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE TAKING ANY DIET,
SUPPLEMENT AND DRUGS.

MAIN SOURCE 5 A Day: Vegetable of the Month: Cabbage CDC Online
Publication, January 6, 2006.

REFERENCE [1] Physiological effects of cabbage with reference to its
potential as a dietary cancer-inhibitor and its use in ancient medicine. J
Ethnopharmacol. 1983 Dec;9(2-3):261-72.
Cabbage Benefits and Diet,
Cabbage Nutrition
A lot of people like cabbage.