Cabbage is a nutrient powerhouse

Cabbage has a high concentration of vitamins, fibre and antioxidants. Read more at straitstimes.com.

NEW YORK – Against all odds, the humble cabbage has become an It Vegetable. In restaurants and across the internet, it is being transformed into cabbage steaks, cabbage pasta and cabbage burgers. So much for classic coleslaw.

Whether you eat it fresh, cooked or fermented, cabbage is a nutrient powerhouse with a high concentration of vitamins, fibre and antioxidants, said Dr Andrea Krenek, a dietitian and postdoctoral research fellow at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Here is what to know.

Cabbage looks like a head of lettuce, but it is actually a cruciferous vegetable, part of the family that includes brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale and broccoli. There are hundreds of cabbage varieties, but some of the most common are green, red, napa, savoy and bok choy.

Like many cruciferous vegetables, cabbage is high in vitamin K, which promotes blood clotting, wound healing and strong bones. A standard serving of raw green cabbage (85g) contains about half the daily recommended amount of vitamin K for the average adult.

The fibre in cabbage acts as a prebiotic, feeding the good bacteria in your gut microbiome and boosting its diversity, said Dr Zhaoping Li, chief of the division of clinical nutrition at UCLA Health. Higher consumption of prebiotics has been linked to greater blood sugar control, a stronger immune system and a lower risk of colorectal cancer.