White cabbage benefits and harms, medicinal properties, composition and use

White cabbage is a traditional product for our country. This plant grows on almost the entire planet, even on non-black earth lands. There is an opinion that cabbage comes from Russia, although it came to our country from the Mediterranean.

White cabbage beneficial properties

We have known about the medicinal properties of cabbage since early childhood.
Vegetable leaves were applied to sore spots, compresses helped to cope with swelling. Cabbage stimulates the production of gastric juice and activates the work of the heart muscle. Vitamin C has a general strengthening effect. An interesting fact is that the content of this vitamin increases after heat treatment. However, tartronic acid is destroyed after heat treatment, and it is an effective remedy for fat deposits and the appearance of sclerosis.

Folic acid helps normalize metabolic processes; it is especially useful during pregnancy.

Potassium salts allow you to remove excess fluid, so it is recommended to use cabbage if you have kidney problems. Potassium has an expectorant effect, so cabbage helps to cope with colds faster.

When cooked, cabbage strengthens, and when fresh it has a laxative effect.

Of course, the traditional way to get rid of a hangover is sauerkraut.

Improved brain activity

Including probiotics in sauerkraut and brine improves intestinal microflora.

Evidence-based medicine confirms the connection between dietary intake of beneficial microorganisms and mood, brain function, and mental health (depression, anxiety).

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), used in medical practice, are used against a variety of mental conditions, including depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.

For these disorders, sauerkraut and brine should be strictly limited, which is confirmed by the study.

In Ancient Rus' it was believed that sauerkraut brine helped with epilepsy.

The benefits of cabbage for women

For the weaker half of humanity, cabbage is useful because it has a positive effect on reproductive function, helps speed up metabolism and eliminates inflammation.

Cabbage has a positive effect not only on the gastrointestinal tract, but also improves appearance. Regular consumption of vegetables improves the structure of skin and hair. It helps get rid of swelling and remove harmful toxins from the body.

The vegetable helps strengthen blood vessels, therefore, it is a preventive measure against the development of varicose veins.

The benefits of cabbage for men

Cabbage is useful for the male body because it contains a large amount of vitamin B 9, which has a positive effect on sperm production. Cabbage is an effective remedy against the development of prostate cancer.

Cabbage relieves sore throat and is recommended for use during regular sports or physical activity. It allows you to fill your body with energy for the whole day.

Thanks to cabbage, men can get rid of diseases of the genitourinary system. The vegetable improves kidney and bladder function. Cabbage strengthens bones and prevents their fragility.

The vegetable allows you to improve the functioning of the nervous system and improve brain activity. With regular use, men can cope with stress more easily and prevent depression. Cabbage has these properties due to the presence of vitamin K and anthocyanin in it.

Colored

Cauliflower is quickly digested, easily absorbed by the body, and is suitable for baby food. It is also suitable for people with digestive problems. The product is allowed to be used for peptic ulcers of the intestines and stomach. Thanks to its sulfur content, cauliflower prevents the development of cancerous tumors in the rectum and colon.

A large amount of vitamin A promotes active cell growth. This is especially important for children and adolescents. Carotene stimulates the activity of the liver and epithelial cells, normalizes the functioning of the pancreas. The vegetable is rich in protein, mineral salts, B vitamins and vitamins, which allows it to be included in the diet.

Cauliflower has 2 times more vitamin C than citrus fruits.

Ascorbic acid is needed for low immunity. It is also involved in oxidative and reduction processes.

Eating cabbage during pregnancy

Doctors strongly recommend including cabbage in the diet of expectant mothers. You can use it in any form. Cabbage will help you get rid of nausea and flatulence. The vegetable gently cleanses the intestines and saturates the body with folic acid.

Regular consumption of cabbage will prevent the occurrence of all kinds of fetal pathologies. It is responsible for the proper development of the nervous system. When sauerkraut is used, it is an excellent preventative against cancer.

In addition, cabbage quickly eliminates the feeling of hunger. And coarse fibers prevent you from gaining excess weight.

Antitumor activity

The high content of ascorbic acid, as well as ascorbigen and glucosinolates in sauerkraut reduces DNA damage and the frequency of cell mutations in cancer patients.

Fermentation conditions determine a lot. For example, reducing the amount of salt increases the content of ascorbigen.

Currently, the evidence base for the use of sauerkraut for the treatment of cancer is inconclusive.

Separate studies have shown that consuming fresh and sauerkraut significantly reduces the incidence of breast cancer.

There were similar results about sauerkraut preventing the risk of prostate cancer.

How to take cabbage for medicinal purposes

In the presence of vitamin deficiency and as a prophylactic against the appearance of ulcers, cabbage juice is used. It is recommended to drink the drink for 30 days, half a glass 3 times a day. The juice is also used for decreased secretory function.

If you add a little sugar to the juice, it will be an excellent expectorant and anti-inflammatory agent.

The seeds of the vegetable are used as an anthelmintic.

If there are pathologies of the gallbladder or liver, it is recommended to use sauerkraut brine.

For gout, use fresh cabbage leaves. If wet eczema or scrofula is observed, then the leaves of the vegetable are boiled in milk and mixed with bran. The mixed components are used as compresses.

Raw juice allows you to get rid of stomatitis and warts.

The use of cabbage in cosmetology

Cabbage in any form is used for cosmetic purposes. For oily skin, prepare a mask according to the following recipe: chop the cabbage, mix the resulting 2 tablespoons of gruel with egg white and apply to the skin of the face. After 30 minutes, wash off the mask with warm water. You can eliminate fat content with sauerkraut juice. Wipe your face with the juice every day, in the morning. Sour cabbage juice helps get rid of freckles and age spots.

If your hair is thin and split, juice from fresh cabbage is mixed with spinach and lemon. The resulting mixture is applied to the scalp and kept for about 20 minutes, then rinsed off with warm water and washed with shampoo.

Fresh

Fresh heads of cabbage contain the maximum amount of vitamins. Many of them are destroyed after cooking the vegetable. Young cabbage is rich in a unique compound - sulforaphane. With its help, the effect of carcinogenic substances is neutralized. The presence of histidine reduces the risk of allergic reactions. The plant is useful for gastritis, arthritis, anemia and heart disease.

Fresh cabbage is rich in vitamins B (B1, B2, B3, B12), C, D, E, H, K, PP.

Young vegetables contain a lot of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, folic acid, iron, as well as amino acids (methionine, lysine, threonine). The amount of protein and fiber is much higher compared to turnips, carrots and beets.

Vegetable dishes are good for diabetics as they contain a minimum of carbohydrates. Juice from young plants stimulates the secretion of gastric juice. Its use is useful for constipation, ulcerative lesions of the intestinal and gastric walls. Fresh leaves are used to treat headaches, hemorrhoids, insomnia, rashes, burns, and skin irritations.

Benefits of cabbage juice

Cabbage juice can be called a kind of vegetable essence. The juice contains all the beneficial substances and vitamins that the vegetable has. From 300 ml of juice, the human body receives as many useful substances as could be obtained from eating 50 kg of vegetables.

Just one glass of juice a day will help you get rid of gastrointestinal diseases. You can enhance the effect of the juice with sorrel, honey and pomegranate juice. In the summer, you can make juice from dandelions and add it to cabbage juice.

But if the acidity is increased or the stomach ulcer has worsened, then it is better to stop drinking juice. You should not drink juice after abdominal surgery.

By the way, they even make kvass from cabbage. This drink has a pronounced effect of normalizing intestinal microflora. That is, it eliminates bloating and improves peristalsis.

Improved digestion

A lot of microorganisms live in the intestines. The influence of many of them on physiology has been well studied.

First of all, the metabolic activity of enzymes in sauerkraut and juice, which break down nutrients into smaller ones that are more suitable for absorption, protects and has a positive effect on the intestinal epithelium, immunity, and counteracts foreign microorganisms - sources of various diseases.

Disruption of microflora can play a role in pathologies such as inflammation or intestinal tumors.

Sauerkraut and juice contain lactic acid bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum, L. pentosus, L. brevis, L. acidophilus, L. fermentum, Leuconostoc fallax and L. mesenteroides.

Therefore, the benefits of sauerkraut juice are enhanced by fermentation, which creates conditions for the growth and development of probiotics - beneficial microorganisms. They convert the sugars contained in the vegetable into organic acids and carbon dioxide.

Probiotics contain fermented milk products - kefir or yogurt. Probiotics improve the intestines’ ability to absorb vitamins and microelements, have a beneficial effect on microflora, and cleanse the intestines of rotting products.

They protect against harmful substances and bacteria, accelerate the restoration of intestinal microflora after a course of antibiotics, prevent or reduce the manifestations of diarrhea, gas formation, bloating, and ulcerative colitis, which is confirmed by the study.

The article claims that 1g of sauerkraut contains 1000-100 million colony-forming units (CFU), and one serving can contain up to three dozen different strains.

The intake of probiotics improves the balance of “good” microorganisms in the intestines, which keeps the intestinal mucosa healthy.

A strong, viable colony of beneficial microorganisms strengthens the immune system.

Current understanding of evidence-based medicine of the interaction between the intestinal microbiota and the immune system in the development and maintenance of the intestinal barrier is presented in the review.

Evidence-based medicine supports the effectiveness of probiotics for childhood and antibiotic-associated diarrhea, Helicobacter pylori infection, inflammatory bowel disease (pre-cancer), female genitourinary infections, and surgical infections. The Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG strain has a beneficial effect on intestinal immunity, increases the level of IgA and other cells secreting immunoglobulins in the intestinal mucosa, and stimulates the local release of interferons.

Evidence-based medicine confirms that in the case of acute respiratory infections, taking foods rich in probiotics speeds recovery.

Cabbage harm and contraindications

Still, if you are trying to lose weight, you should not eat white cabbage every day.
It contains a lot of fiber, which injures the walls of the stomach and causes flatulence and bloating. It is prohibited to consume cabbage during exacerbation of gastric pathologies, with enterocolitis, gastritis, or if bleeding, intestinal or gastric, is present.

Selenium and zinc have a negative effect on thyroid hormones, therefore, you should not overuse the vegetable if you have thyroid pathologies.

What it is?

White cabbage is a round or oval leafy vegetable. It consists of soft, light green or whitish inner leaves that are covered by harder, darker green outer leaves. Helps overcome a number of diseases caused by a lack of vitamin C. Good for nutrition and available all year round.