The benefits and harms of white cabbage
White cabbage is a biennial culture from the cruciferous family. The root system of the plant is powerful, well-branched. Stems are erect or semi-erect, short or elongated (depending on the variety). In the first year, a head of cabbage grows, which is a highly overgrown apical bud. The lower leaves are alternate, petiolate, spreading, often forming a rosette, the upper ones are sessile. The sheets are large, with thick veins, their surface is smooth or wrinkled.
The homeland of white cabbage is the Mediterranean coast, in Ancient Greece it was cultivated as early as 300 BC, as can be judged by the mentions of Theophrastus. But in Russia, cabbage began to be grown much later - for the first time descriptions of cabbage are found in ancient manuscripts from 1073. At the same time, cabbage grew well throughout the territory of Kievan Rus, often appeared on the tables of ordinary peasants and nobility, and it was the Slavs who first tried to ferment cabbage to ensure its safety in winter.
Sauerkraut not only has a pleasant taste and does not spoil, but also retains all the beneficial properties of a fresh vegetable, while being more easily absorbed by the body. Lactic acid bacteria, under the influence of which sugars from cabbage juice are converted into lactic acid, have a beneficial effect on the condition of the intestines, prevent dysbiosis and putrefactive processes.
By consuming 200 grams of cabbage daily, you can avoid vitamin C deficiency, prevent colds and get the daily intake of fiber that stimulates digestion. Other useful substances in cabbage are phosphorus, calcium, potassium, chlorine, phosphorus and sulfur, as well as phytoncides and vitamins, among which vitamin U deserves special attention, which cannot be synthesized in the body on its own.
Content:
- Composition and calorie content
- The benefits of white cabbage for the body
- Harm of cabbage
- Calorie content of cabbage
- Cabbage kvass
- Cabbage juice
- Contraindications to the use of cabbage
Composition and calorie content
- Fats: 0.1 g
- Proteins: 1.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Water: 91.5 g
- Ash: 0.6 g
- Cellulose: 2 g
Vitamins (per 100 g): |
amount |
% RDA |
| Vitamin K | 76 μg | 63% |
| Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) | 25.5-62 mg | 55% |
| Vitamin B9 (folic acid) | 42-125 mcg | 24% |
| Methylmethionine sulfonium (vitamin U) | 16.4-20.7 mg | 9.5% |
Minerals (in 100 g): |
amount |
% RDA |
| Boron | 200 mcg | 286% |
| Silicon | 53 mg | 177% |
| Cobalt | 3 μg | thirty% |
| Molybdenum | 10 mcg | fourteen% |
| Potassium | 175-320 mg | 12% |
| Manganese | 110-360 mcg | eleven% |
| Chromium | 5 μg | ten% |
| Calcium | 42-57 mg | 6% |
Other important connections:
- Purines - 13 mg (10% of the RDI)
- Oxalic acid - 1 mg (0.3% of the RDI)
Complete chemical composition ➤
The benefits of white cabbage for the body
Not everyone loves white cabbage, and even more so only a few eat it raw. And just the latter get the maximum benefit, because they know about its hidden beneficial properties. So what is the use of cabbage?
- The outer green leaves of white cabbage are rich in folate, which is essential for the normal course of pregnancy. White cabbage leaves improve blood quality and help prevent atherosclerosis.
- Cabbage supplies the body with vitamin C, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the immune system, which is especially important in the autumn-winter time for the prevention of colds. Ascorbic acid in cabbage is found in the form of ascorbigen, which has anti-tumor properties. In addition, cabbage contains pure ascorbic acid, the concentration of which can be increased by heat treatment of the vegetable - under the influence of heat, ascorbigen is converted into ascorbic acid.
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The anti-sclerotic properties of cabbage are provided by tartonic acid in its composition - it slows down the conversion of carbohydrates into fats and prevents cholesterol from settling on the walls of blood vessels. However, this substance is destroyed by thermal effects, so it is not recommended to boil, stew and fry cabbage - this way it loses some of its useful properties. High temperatures also destroy vitamin C, but short-term exposure to heat helps increase the amount in cabbage.
- Cabbage helps to remove excess fluid from the body, as it contains more potassium than sodium. But sauerkraut, due to its high salt content, has the opposite effect.
- Cabbage is useful for losing weight; it is recommended to include it in the diet more often for overweight people. Choline in cabbage helps to normalize fat metabolism, and fiber cleanses the intestines of toxins and normalizes stool. In addition, cabbage is a low-calorie product, 100 g contains only 28 Kcal, which allows you to eat it in large quantities without fear of gaining weight.
- Cabbage juice is an excellent base for fresh vegetable juices, it can be used with beetroot and carrot juice. Cabbage juice is useful to drink to stimulate the digestive processes, it has a neutral pH.
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Cabbage is used in the diet of people with gastric and intestinal ulcers as a natural source of vitamin U and PP, which promote healing of mucous membranes and normalize the secretory activity of the digestive glands.
- Cabbage juice is recommended to drink for people with gastrointestinal diseases, its expectorant properties make it possible to quickly cure coughs and colds. Cabbage prevents fatty degeneration of the liver and normalizes metabolism.
The benefits of vitamin U in cabbage
Vitamin U was first discovered and described in the 40s of the twentieth century during the study of the components of the composition of cabbage juice. The name "U" is an abbreviation for ulcus, which means "ulcer" - reflects one of the main beneficial properties of this substance. Vitamin U regenerates the mucous membrane of the digestive tract after damage caused by a stomach ulcer. But this is not its only function in the body - this vitamin is involved in a number of biochemical processes, participates in the synthesis of vitamin B4 and other biologically active substances.
Another name for this vitamin is S-methylmethionine, it contains the amino acid methionine and, when isolated, is a yellowish or white crystalline powder that dissolves well in water and has a sweetish taste. S-methylmethionine is able to recognize foreign compounds and remove them.
The daily intake is considered to be 100-200 mg; vitamin U can only be obtained from food, since it is not synthesized in the body. White cabbage variety is the second record holder for the content of this vitamin - up to 21 mg per 100 g, therefore, including it in the diet, you prevent a gastric ulcer. Despite the fact that vitamin U is found in many vegetables, many people are deficient - people who abuse alcohol and smokers are at risk. Lack of this substance leads to ulcerative erosion of the mucous membrane, depletion of the body, and impaired digestibility of food.
Interesting fact. Back in 1949, a study was conducted in which participants took 1 liter of cabbage juice per day, as a result, their ulcer healed in 7 days, which is 6 times faster than with conventional treatment.
Asparagus is the absolute record holder for vitamin U content - up to 250 mg per 100 g of product.
It is impossible to get an overdose of vitamin U, so there are no restrictions on the amount of cabbage and other fresh vegetables that are sources of this substance. S-methylmethionine is also found in asparagus and spinach, milk, onions, egg yolks, parsley, and bananas. It is preferable to obtain it from plant sources. Under the influence of high temperatures, the vitamin is destroyed, therefore, vegetables, fruits and herbs are recommended to be consumed raw.
Harm of cabbage
Despite the fact that such types of cabbage as Brussels sprouts, white cabbage, broccoli and others are considered an integral part of a healthy diet, the dangers of cabbage are practically not mentioned anywhere.
Even if some sources mention the harm of cabbage to health, the following facts are cited in confirmation without any arguments:
- Cabbage is bad for the thyroid gland;
- It is not recommended for those who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome;
- People with liver disease should not include cabbage in their diet.
Cabbage belongs to the cruciferous family. In addition to broccoli, white cabbage and Brussels sprouts, this family includes cauliflower, red cabbage and Chinese cabbage, as well as related crops: turnips, wasabi, arugula, horseradish, South American poppies, rutabagas, and many other vegetables.
Harm of goitrogens in cabbage
Raw cabbage contains goitrogens - "strumogenic" substances formed in the intestine under the influence of its microflora.
Goitrogen properties:
- Increase the need for iodine, causing thyroid pathology.
- They penetrate the placental barrier from mother to child.
- They increase the concentration of iodine in breast milk, which can cause cretinism and hypothyroidism in a child.
- The concentration of these substances in the intestine is extremely individual, as it depends on the composition of the microflora of this organ.
- The enzymatic activity of the body opposes the negative effect of goitrogens, this feature is directly related to the human genome.
The influence of cabbage on the formation of goiter was first proved in 1929 by researchers working at the University of D. Hopkins. In experimental rabbits that ate exclusively cabbage, an increase in the thyroid gland and the formation of nodes in its structure were recorded.
Goiter is characterized by a deficiency of thyroid hormones, which is extremely dangerous for both adults and children, including the period of intrauterine development. Lack of hormones leads to cretinism - physiologically caused mental fatigue, as well as hyper- and hypothyroidism, as well as thyroiditis and oncological degeneration of the thyroid gland.
The goitrogens found in cruciferous vegetables interfere with the absorption of iodine by the thyroid gland. The consequences of a low concentration of goitrogens are corrected by the introduction of iodine preparations into food. The increased content of goitrogens leads to iodine deficiency.
This can be confirmed by the results of scientific research carried out in various countries of the world. An outbreak of goiter recorded in Finland in 1969, according to scientists, is associated with the use of milk from cows that feed on plants of the cruciferous family.
Researchers have identified areas of the world that are endemic for childhood cretinism, and linked this phenomenon to the traditional use of cassava as a strumogenic vegetable. Associating the use of goitrogens with their negative impact on the health of poultry and cattle, the doctrine in the 80s bred varieties of forage crops with a low content of this substance.
Few associate the harm from eating cruciferous vegetables with goiter or thyroid cancer. There is evidence of a study carried out at one of the universities in Calcutta. Scientists investigated a diet that consisted of 30% radish and did not contain goitrin. However, the test subjects still developed cretinism. At the same time, the radish was cooked, and the subjects received an additional portion of iodine.
For a long time, researchers could not agree on how much cabbage should be considered an excess of the norm in the daily diet. They took as a basis the proposal of Japanese scientists - to consider the introduction of more than 1 portion of any cabbage into the diet as an excess. It turned out that 8.5 servings of cabbage per week, consumed for a long time, increased the risk of thyroid cancer by more than 56%.
Strumogenic factors appear only in raw cabbage. Fermentation and heat treatment of cabbage reduces the concentration of goitrogens by 90%!
The harm of nitriles contained in cabbage
The harm of cabbage does not end there. Nitriles are compounds that stimulate toxins such as cyanide to enter the body. According to researchers in Japan, it is impossible to get a critical dose of nitriles from food.
In 1991, Dutch scientists came to the following conclusions:
- 10% of the diet accounted for by Brussels sprouts lead to a growth retardation in experimental animals, the appearance of renal failure in them.
- 5% of Brussels sprouts provokes the development of hepatomegaly (enlarged liver).
- 2.5% of cabbage from the menu changes the blood formula, increasing its coagulability.
- In Brussels sprouts, the concentration of nitriles is 10-30 times higher than in white cabbage, 5-10 times higher than in broccoli, 70 times higher than in sauerkraut.
A study of two groups of volunteers, one of whom took a placebo, and the other - 12-50 g of seedlings of seeds of plants from the cruciferous family, showed that the latter had an increased content of liver enzymes after a week.
Harm of fermented and culinary cabbage
There are a great many recipes for cooking different dishes and preparations using cabbage in the arsenal of culinary specialists around the world. Some cooking methods neutralize goitrogens completely or partially. For example, sauerkraut neutralizes goitrogens and halves the nitrile content. However, the remaining amount of nitrile can lead to iodine deficiency.
A small amount of a snack such as sauerkraut will not do any harm. If consumed in large quantities, it can harm both the kidneys and the liver.
How the methods of cooking cabbage work on its strumogenic effect:
- Frying - 2 times;
- Steam cooking - 3 times;
- Boil watercress - 10%
- A five-minute boil of cabbage washes out goitrogens by 35%, a 40-minute boil - by 87%.
Cabbage harm and cancer
Healthy eating advocates claim that adding plenty of cruciferous vegetables to the diet protects against cancer. This feature is associated with the presence of the same goitrogens in them.
A hypothesis proving the carcinogenic effect of chemical compounds:
- The enzyme system is stimulated by goitrogens. She works actively to detoxify drugs after chemotherapy, speeding it up.
- Certain compounds in cabbage serve as chemotherapeutic agents that kill cancer cells.
- Studies by scientists on dietary habits have shown a direct relationship between cruciferous vegetables and a reduced risk of cancer.
In contrast to these claims, there is evidence that there is no connection between these phenomena, as well as an increased risk of bowel cancer in those who often consume cabbage dishes.
Most likely, such conflicting data point to a link between response to toxins and human genotype. In people with weakened immunity, goitrins stimulate enzymatic processes that have a positive effect on metabolism.
Cruciferous vegetables are contraindicated for those with a history of thyroid and gastrointestinal diseases.
Calorie content of cabbage
| Fats, g. | Proteins, g. | Carbohydrates, g. | ||
| White cabbage | 28 | 0.13 | 1.67 | 6.71 |
| Stewed white cabbage | 76 | 2.97 | 1.98 | 10.12 |
| Sauerkraut | 20 | 0.12 | 1.77 | 54.21 |
| Fried white cabbage | 49 | 2.81 | 1.82 | 4.23 |
| Boiled cabbage | 26 | 0.10 | 1.65 | 6.65 |
| Pickled cabbage | 90 | 5.38 | 1.45 | 9.51 |
| Broccoli | 29 | 0.27 | 2.89 | 5.43 |
| Brussels sprouts | 44 | 4.58 | 7.82 | |
| Kohlrabi cabbage | 41 | 2.57 | 10.51 | |
| Cabbage | 13 | 0.12 | 1.42 | 3.43 |
| Red cabbage | 23 | 0.64 | 7.75 | |
| Cauliflower | 29 | 0.28 | 2.32 | 5.23 |
| Chinese cabbage | fourteen | 0.15 | 1.21 | 2.25 |
| Sea cabbage | 45 | 4.69 | 0.88 |
Cabbage kvass
Cabbage kvass is a typical fermented drink. In terms of taste, it resembles ordinary bread or malt kvass with a cabbage flavor, but in composition it is much richer, since all useful substances from a fresh vegetable enter and remain in the solution.
The most striking healing effect, which is felt after the first consumption of cabbage kvass, is the normalization of the intestinal microflora composition (stopping bloating, accelerating peristalsis), as well as improving the digestive process by increasing the acidity of gastric juice and accelerating absorption due to bubbles. In the long term, this drink improves the condition of the skin and its derivatives (hair, nails), as well as strengthens the immune system by constantly replenishing the reserves of vitamins C and B group, as well as various trace elements (zinc, phosphorus, iron, calcium, manganese).
A visual demonstration of the preparation of cabbage kvass:
Cabbage juice
Cabbage is a unique product with exceptional health benefits. But not everyone is able to eat it regularly and in sufficient quantities to provide the body with the necessary substances. Health does not allow some of this, some simply do not want to add it to dishes due to rather poor taste (but simply “for the mass” it is better not to do this - you can spoil the dish and disrupt normal digestion). This is especially true for boiled dishes, since cabbage loses the lion's share of its beneficial properties during cooking.
Cabbage juice is a kind of "essence" of all the healing that cabbage can give. Cabbage differs from other vegetables and fruits in that it contains almost all useful components in the cell juice, and cabbage pulp is the main source of fiber, and nothing more. Thus, scientists have calculated that 300 ml of cabbage juice contains as many active ingredients the body needs daily as it gets from 50 kg of thermally processed cabbage.
The benefits of using cabbage juice are undeniable - in order to get valuable and vital substances, you just need to drink a glass of this wonderful drink a day, which will save the gastrointestinal tract from digesting excess fiber, and the hostess from a long fuss in the kitchen.
The benefits of cabbage juice
Cabbage juice is rich in many perfectly digestible microelements, among which the most are: calcium, magnesium, sodium, silicon, chlorine, phosphorus, iron and iodine. Among the vitamins in cabbage juice, there is a wealth of ascorbic acid and, in particular, ascorbigen (the most stable form of vitamin C), as well as vitamins B1, B2, PP and others.
Everyone can afford cabbage juice, even if ordinary cabbage cannot be eaten due to problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
The effect of taking the juice can be greatly enhanced with various supplements:
- Lemon and pomegranate juices;
- Honey;
- Kislitsa;
- Red pepper;
- Berries;
- In the spring-summer period - dandelion juice.
[Video] Vitaly Ostrovsky talks about the benefits of cabbage juice:
The harm of cabbage juice
Cabbage juice can be hazardous to health if it is made from cabbage, which is high in nitrates. Therefore, keep an eye on the quality of the heads of cabbage that you choose on the market - cabbage leaves should not have black spots and spots. This problem disappears if you grow cabbage on your own plot.
With gastritis of high acidity, cabbage should be consumed with caution, and cabbage juice should be drunk only in small quantities mixed with other juices or abandoned altogether. Pancreatitis, liver disease, the acute stage of peptic ulcer disease are conditions in which one should refrain from drinking cabbage juice.
Increased gas formation, which can provoke cabbage juice, is undesirable during the rehabilitation period after abdominal surgery. Flatulence after cabbage juice is the reason why its use in nursing mothers should be limited so as not to provoke colic and bloating in the baby.
How to drink cabbage juice?
Prepare cabbage juice just before use - chop the cabbage head and load it into a juicer. Drink the resulting drink in small sips before eating. In no case should cabbage juice be salted - so it loses its beneficial properties and even becomes harmful to health. You can store the juice for about a day at a temperature not exceeding two degrees Celsius, but it is recommended to drink it immediately after preparation.
For tangible results, it is recommended to drink cabbage juice in an amount of at least two glasses a day. It goes well with carrot juice, which enhances its cleansing properties and strengthens the defense against infections. It is useful to drink such a drink for inflammation of the gums and for the prevention of colds, tonsillitis, tonsillitis.
The combination of beetroot, carrot and cabbage juice supplies the body with vitamins, fills with energy, helps to adapt to climate change and normalize metabolism. This juice mixture is recommended for weight loss and for increasing blood hemoglobin levels.
Contraindications to the use of cabbage
Nutritionists do not recommend cabbage for colitis, enteritis, diarrhea, myocardial infarction. This is due to the fact that it contains a lot of coarse plant fiber, which can cause bloating. You should not eat cabbage with increased acidity of the stomach, as it stimulates the secretion of the gastric glands. In all other cases, cabbage will be not only low-calorie, but also a healthy dish in any form.
The author of the article: Kuzmina Vera Valerievna | Endocrinologist, nutritionist
Education: Diploma of the Russian State Medical University named after NI Pirogov with a degree in General Medicine (2004). Residency at Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, diploma in Endocrinology (2006).
