Ho-Ho-Ho: Healthy Veggie Cabbage Making a Comeback

Cabbage is hot stuff.

The Jolly Green Giant was usually the go-to guy when it came to convincing kids to eat more vegetables. But now science may be doing a better job of selling cabbage to foodies than the Leo Burnett-inspired advertising mascot. With Spring in bloom and multiple versions of green leaves headed to market, a column in the Washington Post has just named cabbage as one of its top vegetables of the year.

No surprise, says the writer, Yale School of Medicine culinary medicine expert Nate Wood. “Cabbage is an affordable, versatile, delicious and hearty” vegetable. It also offers impressive benefits for the trillions of bacteria and other microbes that populate the human digestive tract.

Cabbage contains both insoluble and soluble dietary fiber, slightly more than 2 grams per cup. That may sound small, but for folks who have a hard time meeting the recommended 28 grams a day, every little bit helps.

As Dr Wood writes, the insoluble fiber keeps a body “regular” and a stomach feeling fuller longer. Soluble fiber combines with liquid in the intestines to lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, the latter a special benefit for those with Types 1 & 2 diabetes.

Last but by no means least, some of the fiber in cabbage is prebiotic. It nurtures the beneficial bacteria that keep the intestinal lining tip=top, aids in digestion, and improves the absorption of vitamins and minerals. For the record, in addition to that 2 grams of fiber, one cup of raw cabbage has about 36 milligrams of vitamin C, which is nearly half the recommended daily intake for women (75 milligrams) and about 40 percent of the recommended daily intake for men (90 milligrams). Add to that vitamin K, vitamin B6 and folate, and cabbage certainly pays its micronutrient way to the menu.

There’s more. Like other plant-based foods, cabbage contains antioxidants, natural chemicals that help protect cells against damage. Although the current research remains inconclusive, antioxidants have also been linked to lower inflammation and a reduced risk of multiple health issues including certain cancers, stroke, macular degeneration, heart disease and cognitive decline. No wonder diet people plan more testing.

Cabbage is also highly fermentable, an 11-letter word for the chemical breakdown of substances (like sugar) by bacteria, yeast, or microorganisms that produces alcohol, acid, or gases. As a result, fermented cabbage–think sauerkraut and kimchi—is a great source of healthful probiotic bacteria.

For foodies, cabbage works well in a wide variety of dishes, meals and recipes. Perhaps the most commonly known is coleslaw, finely chopped cabbage dressed with vinegar and salt. Its name, according to the website etymology online dates back at least as far as the mid-18^th century, defining it as “a partial translation of Dutch koolsla, literally ‘cabbage salad,’ from kool ‘cabbage’ + sla ‘salad.’”

Fresh raw shredded cabbage subs perfectly for other greens in simple salads. Wedges drizzled with olive or plated with onions and tomatoes and popped in the oven for roasting cooks up as a tasty side dish.

Of course, as with any good food, cabbage come with some cautions: “If you’re not used to it, it can still lead to digestive issues like bloating, so you should increase your intake gradually,” warns wellness guru and New York dietician Maddie Pasquariello. Her recommendation: if you feel gassy when eating cabbage, simply consider eating smaller portions, and, if all goes well, adding bit by bit as you go.