5 Amazing Health Benefits Of Eating Cabbage

If you’ve been discarding that green, leafy coleslaw that came as part of your sides on your plate, then you have probably been saying no to a lot of health benefits it could offer you.

Coleslaw uses cabbage as its primary ingredient and if you didn’t know already, cabbage is a highly nutritious vegetable.

Cabbages come in different sizes, shapes, and colors – the most common being green cabbage. Other types of cabbages include red cabbage, savoy, and wombok or Chinese cabbage.

# Reduce Inflammation

Inflammation is not always a bad thing. Inflammation is your body’s response to protect the body from infections or it may be part a healing process.

However, chronic inflammation leading to health conditions like arthritis, bowel conditions, heart diseases etc. is not a healthy sign.

Certain studies have reported that consuming cruciferous vegetables, of which cabbage is a part, may help reduce inflammation.

# It May Help Fight Cancer

Consuming cabbage may also help ward off certain types of cancer like breast, prostate, colon, skin, lung, stomach, and bladder cancers.

This health benefit is because of the presence of a compound called sulforaphane present in cabbage in sufficient amounts. Studies have shown how this compound has numerous biological effects like anti-aging, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory properties.

In addition, vitamin C – present in cabbage in abundance – behaves as an antioxidant fighting free radicals that may cause cell damage and eventually fight symptoms of cancer.

Therefore, cabbage should be one of those vegetables you include every day in your diet.

# It Boosts The Immune System

Cabbage is a source rich in the antioxidant, vitamin C. 100 grams of cabbage contains about 36.6 milligrams of vitamin C, which is a high value.

Vitamin C intake has been associated with preventing or treating symptoms of common cold.

Several cells present in the human body use vitamin C to fight against disease-causing germs like bacteria and viruses. Therefore, vitamin C can improve the immune system.

Vitamin C also improves the absorption of other nutrients, especially non-heme iron (iron obtained from plant foods like quinoa, spinach, beans).

# It Aids Better Digestion

If you are frequently complaining of digestive issues, then cabbage is a healthy choice to improve your digestive health.

Cabbage is rich in fiber – 100 grams of cabbage contains 2.5 grams of fiber – and, therefore, may help in promoting regular bowel movements.

It may help with issues like constipation by adding more bulk to stools.

# It Assists In Weight Loss

Cabbage is a low-calorie vegetable that you can eat in plenty and is a healthy food for those looking to shed those extra pounds.

100 grams of the vegetable only contains 25 calories, which is very low. So, if you are hungry but don’t want to gain unnecessary weight, a few bowls of cabbage soup will not get you too worried!