The Benefits Of Purple Cabbage
The saying goes, “a rose is a rose is a rose", but is a purple cabbage just a cabbage? Is it any different from a green cabbage? There is a difference. Many nutritionists agree, that for a well balanced diet, one that contains a little of everything we need, it's important that we select fruits and vegetables of varying colors. The antioxidant powers of purple fruits such as the blueberry and huckleberry are well known and established. An argument can also be made for the special benefits provided by several of the purple vegetables, including purple cabbage. Like purple fruits, purple vegetables also pack an antioxidant punch. Antioxidants are important elements in the fight against various cancers. Eating purple cabbage won't cure cancer, and is not guaranteed to prevent it, but provides the body with a little extra ammunition to help keep the disease at bay. Darker colored vegetables are often more nutritious than their paler counterparts, and purple cabbage is no exception. Both red cabbage and purple cabbage are considered to be nutritionally superior to green cabbage. For some a distinction is made between purple and red cabbage, for others the two are considered to be one and the same. In northern Europe, cooked purple cabbage is often served as a holiday side dish with duck or goose, though it is invariably referred to as “red” cabbage.
In reading some of the reports on the benefits of purple cabbage, and any cabbage plant for that matter, one can almost become a bit skeptical. It seems like cabbage fights all kinds of dread diseases. Reading between the lines, and the claims however, it soon becomes apparent that there are many elements in this vegetable that are very, very good for our well-being and purple cabbage is a healthy food indeed.
A Cup Of Nutrition - Just what do you get in a cup of purple cabbage? For starters, a cup will provide just over 90% of the daily requirement for Vitamin K, and 50% of the daily requirement for Vitamin C, hence an excellent source of these two vitamins. Purple cabbage is also fairly rich in Vitamin B1 or thiamine, and B2, riboflavin, providing around 5% of our daily need for these two vitamins, and nearly 9% of the Vitamin B6 we need. A cup of purple cabbage is also rich in dietary fiber, providing around 15% of the daily requirement. Purple cabbage is also considered a good source of several important minerals, specifically calcium, potassium, and magnesium, and also is a good source of protein and Vitamin A.
Purple cabbage is often mixed with apple and cooked in wine. This dish can even be served to children as the alcohol will dissipate during the cooking process. Cabbage cooked in such a manner has a slightly sweet, yet tangy taste. Shredded purple cabbage also provides an excellent base for coleslaw, or to use in a sandwich. Cabbage should not be cut or shredded until just before it is to be cooked or eaten raw to preserve the Vitamin C content. The more beneficial properties of this vegetable tend to be preserved when eaten raw or lightly cooked. When used in stews or soups, in other words when cooked over a longer period of time, many of the benefits of the vegetable are lost.
Plant Some Today - Purple cabbage, or red cabbage for that matter, is not difficult to grow though will do best in cooler climates. When the next growing season rolls around consider purchasing a few young plants for transplanting (better than planting from seed if you want a head start). A half dozen may suffice, a dozen may give you enough cabbage to share with the neighbors. Besides the nutritional factor, it’s a nice change to see a little purple in an otherwise mostly green vegetable garden.