Erika Femrite

I’ve been eating a lot of red cabbage this week, which I have to admit has been a struggle. First I tried putting it in a coleslaw, but I had to plug my nose, and I gagged the whole way through it. I’ve been putting it in salads, which is ok if I have a very big salad with lots of other flavors. Sautéed in a stir fry with green curry it’s good, but when it’s cooked you don’t get the body cleansing effects. At one point I even mixed it with quinoa and extra hot salsa. Whatever works. Why am I so adamant about incorporating red cabbage into my diet?

1. Great Skin: It’s a great source of Vitamin C which helps with anti-oxidation and delayed the aging process. The outer leaves have lots of Vitamin E, which makes your skin glow. As an added bonus, the Vitamin A in it asks like a natural moisturizer.

2. Boosts Immunity: Red cabbage has tons of Vitamin E, which helps immunity building and the metabolic processes. If you have an autoimmune deficiency like me, you need all the help you can get producing healthy antibodies.

3. Cleanses the Body: Red cabbage contains large quantities of sulfur, and other minerals that work as cleansing agents for the digestive system, but like I said, you don’t get the full benefit when you cook it. It has a long-lasting effect because it has a ton of glucosinolates, which are an “indirect antioxidant. They trigger your body to send out it’s own natural detoxification enzymes. This can last for days.

4. No To Cancer: There have been 36 different anti-cancer chemicals found in this veggie. Since it has such a high content of anthocyanins, it’s world-class at cancer prevention. Also, in red cabbage you’ll find indoles that may reduce the risk of breast cancer by changing estrogen metabolism.

5. Strong Bones and Teeth: Tons of calcium. No osteoporosis!

6. Reduces Alzheimer Risk: This has been a big concern for me since it runs in my family. The main cause of Alzheimer’s is a building up of certain plaques in the brain. A study was done with eating red cabbage where it noticeably reduced the formation of the plaques. If you eat red cabbage (instead of other kinds) you get a high dose of anthocyanins, which protect against dementia.

Of course, I had to write this over lunch to both keep my mind off the cabbage mixed in my salad, and to remind me why I’m eating it in the first place.

Source: Green Parenthood, Live Strong