Cabbage Facts
A Few Cabbage Facts To Munch On
Here's a small selection of cabbage facts to better acquaint you with this widely used vegetable. Cabbage is readily available, widely used, and relatively inexpensive. On top of that it is very nutritious, while being low in calories. Cabbage has probably been cultivated for as long as any other vegetable, though the familiar cabbage head came on the scene more recently. In ancient times, the cabbage plant more closely resembled another member of the cabbage family, kale.
Any listing of cabbage facts should address cabbage's nutritional and beneficial values. It is rich in vitamins, especially vitamin C. Vitamin C is a known fat burner in addition to promoting a healthy immune system. Cabbage, being low in calories to begin with, is an excellent choice to build a weight reducing diet around. Vitamins A and E promote healthy skin, with vitamin A being particularity beneficial for the eyes. The vitamin B in the plant is essential in the functioning of our nervous system, and boosts metabolism as well. Juiced cabbage is often recommended as a remedy for stomach problems, including ulcers, with the fiber in cabbage benefiting the intestinal tract and the colon.
People with thyroid problems should not eat cabbage, at least in large amounts, as it interferes with the ability to supply the thyroid gland with needed iodine.
Cabbage is believed to have been either cultivated, or harvested in the wild, in China for over 6,000 years. In Europe, the earliest documents pertaining to cabbage are from ancient Greece, where cabbage even played a role in Greek mythology. Cabbage was a common ingredient in soups and stews in medieval Europe, and being a cold season crop, was popular in Germany, Poland, and Russia, as well as in Hungary. Mariners knew from cabbage facts, that in its salted or pickled form, it could be a staple on sailing ships, providing needed nutrition to ships' crews throughout long voyages.
At some point in the Middle Ages, head cabbage first entered the scene, although exactly when, or by whom, is unknown. The Dutch are credited with creating coleslaw, consisting of shredded cabbage with mayonnaise and seasoning, while the Germans, French, and English fermented and salted chopped cabbage, yielding sauerkraut. Fermenting and seasoning was done as a preservative process, the hot dog not being known as an important use for sauerkraut at the time. Cabbage can be boiled, baked, stir-fried, and even covered with milk and flour and deep fried if you want a cabbage-based french fry.
Cabbage in its raw state does not store for a long time, but will usually keep for at least two weeks when refrigerated. Wilted leaves, or the outer leaves of a head of cabbage, should be discarded before preparing the vegetable for the table. A cookbook of vegetable recipes will likely provide a good number of delicious dishes, or one can go online and find even more, complete with taste test reviews. For future meal planning keep cabbage in mind. If you haven't tried it, you will not be disappointed.