Medium-sized and very dense forks of red cabbage always stand out in the garden or on the counter. In addition to the bright color, this variety of the famous culture is endowed with excellent taste. The article will discuss the benefits that the use of purple heads of cabbage brings to the human body and what harm it does. Recipes of dishes will allow you to get to know the vegetable even closer.
Some information about the variety
Cabbage with purple leaves came to us from the Mediterranean coast at the end of the 17th century, but still has not managed to gain a well-deserved popularity. It is more resistant to cold and less affected by disease, but despite these characteristics, purple plants are not often found both in beds and on tables. The bluish color of the leaves is due to a special substance - anthocyanin. The same component is responsible for the spicy taste. The variation in color depends entirely on the acidity of the soil on which the crop was grown. For example, on alkaline soils, they are more blue, and on acid soils they acquire reddish hues.
Attention! Red cabbage keeps well for a long time. Without any processing, it remains fresh and juicy throughout the winter.
In cooking, fresh purple heads are most often used. They make delicious salads. In terms of fiber content, the variety surpasses its relatives, which is manifested by high leaf rigidity. They solve this problem simply - scald the crushed product with boiling water.
Suitable vegetable for pickling, pickling, stewing and frying. True, it takes a little longer to cook it than the white sister.
Useful properties and harm
Lilac cabbage, due to its composition, is undoubtedly useful for humans. The leaves contain:
- cellulose;
- proteins;
- minerals;
- vitamins;
Separately, I would like to highlight the high content of vitamin C, which enhances the body's immunity, makes the walls of blood vessels strong and maintains normal mental health. Moreover, in the red variety it contains 2 times more than in the white.
The substance that stains the leaves (anthocyanin) is endowed with the ability to destroy free radicals and neutralize toxins and toxins, therefore, a culture with a red head is recommended for people living in areas of high radioactivity.
The introduction of a vegetable into the diet will help stabilize the level of cholesterol in the blood and strengthen the walls of blood vessels, which has a beneficial effect with a regular increase in blood pressure. Red cabbage is also able to positively influence metabolic processes, so it is good to use it for people with their noticeable disorders.
Attention! Heat treatment has a destructive effect on the constituents of cabbage. For example, the amount of vitamin C after immersion in boiling water is reduced by half.
Another advantage of purple leaves is the high content of vitamin K. It is he who affects specific proteins that prevent calcium from “washing out” of the bones. The inclusion of a healthy vegetable in the menu significantly reduces the risk of osteoporosis. For the same reason, nutritionists recommend eating cabbage for women during menopause. At this time, their calcium especially quickly leaves the bones.
Cabbage salads are very healthy
It is highly undesirable to use a purple vegetable for people suffering from any disorders in the gastrointestinal tract. This is due to the fact that it contains a lot of carbohydrate called raffinose, which is poorly digested and causes increased gas formation.
With various deviations in the functioning of the thyroid gland, it is also not recommended to use forks with purple leaves for food. If there is not enough iodine in the body, some substances contained in them accelerate the development of diseases.
Dish recipes
Red and white cabbage salad. For cooking you will need:
- half a fork of red cabbage;
- half a fork of white cabbage;
- a bunch of spinach;
- olive oil;
- lemon juice;
- nuts;
- salt, pepper, Dijon mustard.
Prepare this delicious and healthy salad like this:
- White and red cabbage are shredded.
- Drizzle with lemon juice and season with salt.
- Add chopped spinach.
- Topped with a dressing of oil and spices.
- Sprinkle with toasted nuts.
This salad is served immediately after being mixed with butter. In addition to excellent taste, the dish looks great both on the table and in the photo.
Advice. Mayonnaise can be used as a salad dressing. The taste will only benefit from this.
Braised cabbage. This recipe will need:
- 1 red cabbage;
- 1-2 large onions;
- 1-2 medium-sized carrots;
- 0.5 st. tomato juice;
- 1-2 apples with pronounced sourness;
- animal fat for frying;
- sugar, salt, pepper.
Stew purple cabbage as follows:
- Onions are chopped in half rings and fried.
- Coarsely grated carrots are also added there.
- Everything is mixed with cabbage, cut into squares and placed in a thick-walled bowl for stewing.
- In the middle of cooking add grated apples, tomato and spices.
Mashed potatoes and sausages are perfect for serving this dish.
Of course, eating red cabbage can do more good than harm. The introduction of this vegetable into the diet will not only allow you to enjoy delicious dishes, but also help the body cope with certain problems.
Stewed cabbage recipe: video
The chemical composition per 100 g of red cabbage is as follows:
- Calorie content 26 kcal.
- Proteins 0.8 g.
- Fats 0.6 g
- Carbohydrates 5.1 g
- 91% is represented by water.
The chemical composition of cabbage is rich and diverse, which speaks of its health benefits. Cabbage contains such macroelements as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, microelements such as iron. Red cabbage is a source of vitamins A, B1 B2, B5, B6, B9, C, E, biotin, PP.
How is it good for health?
Useful properties of red cabbage for the body:
Cabbage is a safe product. It can cause harm only in case of individual intolerance, with abuse in the amount of food eaten, while ignoring personal recommendations on nutrition.
Prohibition and restriction
What can be prepared from it?
Where is this vegetable used? with red cabbage differ little from recipes with white cabbage. It is mainly used for salads, side dishes. Also pickled cabbage.
Salad with mushrooms
Ingredients:
- 300 g cabbage;
- 300 g mushrooms;
- 2 medium pickles;
- 200 g sour cream;
- bulb;
- salt and sugar to taste;
- greens.
Prepare like this:
- To prepare the salad, you need to finely chop the cabbage, lightly salt, mix, rub hard with your hands until juice is formed.
- Then cut the boiled mushrooms into strips. It can be porcini mushrooms or champignons.
- Next, you need to chop the pickled cucumbers and a fresh onion head.
- Mix all products, season with sour cream, salt, add sugar to taste, garnish with herbs.
Pickling
Ingredients for 10 kg shredded cabbage: 200 g finely ground salt.
For filling:
- 400 g of water;
- 20 g of salt;
- 40 g of sugar;
- 500 g of vinegar.
Spices for 1 jar:
- 5 black peppercorns;
- 5 peas of allspice;
- a piece of cinnamon;
- 3 cloves;
- 1 bay leaf.
Such a recipe will attract housewives, because it is very easy to use.
For pickling, the Stone Head variety is most suitable.
- It is necessary to choose the most dense, healthy heads of cabbage for pickling, clean them from the top withered leaves, carefully cut out the stalk.
- Then you can start shredding cabbage.
- In an enameled basin, carefully grind the salt with cabbage and leave for 2 hours.
- Then take well-washed jars, put spices on the bottom and tightly pack the cabbage in them.
- After that, the marinade filling is poured into the jars, and vegetable oil on top.
- Store in a cool place: in a cellar or underground.
Purple cabbage heads attract the eye and surprise with a spicy taste. When this vegetable appears in the kitchen, it is important to know everything about it.
How to cook, what can be useful and not useful.
Botanical features of red cabbage and its benefits for dietary nutrition
Red cabbage is not far from white cabbage - these are related species that are similar both in appearance (except for color) and in origin - somewhere in the Mediterranean, cabbage varieties were bred already in the 8th century, but purple cabbage is still undeservedly unpopular with all its merits.
And the first thing that catches your eye is the color of all variations of shades in the palette of red-violet and bluish-lilac, moreover, white layers are also visible on the cut of the head.
From a culinary standpoint, one of the main advantages of purple cabbage is its interchangeability with white cabbage in recipes. So soups, side dishes, main dishes, fillings in pies are also prepared with it, pickled and cut into salads.
Another plus is the extraordinary color that is preserved during heat treatment.
But the taste during heat treatment, in raw cabbage, is rather spicy and bitter, but on the whole it is very similar to the taste of white cabbage, it softens. The best taste, aroma and juiciness (90% consists of water) are small cabbages, which, by the way, are perfectly stored fresh for many months.
Purple cabbage juice is a coloring agent for sauces, eggs for salad, mashed potatoes and dough - from pasta to bread and sweet pastries.
The color, specificity of taste and many useful properties of red cabbage are due to the content of anthocyanin flavonoids in it.
Being a powerful antioxidant, these substances contribute to the removal of harmful substances from the body - toxins, salts of heavy metals.
And poisonous decay products of alcohol, which is why it can be recommended to start a feast with an abundance of intoxicating drink with a red cabbage snack, which weakens and delays its inevitable, far from positive effect.
Anthocyanins protect the body from radiation, causing it incomparable harm. Red cabbage is also able to regulate the level of leukocytes in the blood, strengthen blood vessels and increase their elasticity. The latter prevents the risk of stroke and heart attack.
Cabbage and glucosinolates, sulfur-containing substances with anticarcinogenic properties, give a special taste of bitterness. Able to suppress the unhealthy activity of cell division, they resist the emergence and development of cancer.
Red cabbage is a dietary product in all respects:
- in 100 grams only 26 kcal;
- the proportional content of saturated fat is only 1%;
- high content of coarse fiber fibers allows you to feel full for a long time;
- fiber also helps to cleanse the gastrointestinal tract, which, coupled with increased intestinal motility, helps speed up the metabolism;
being involved in the synthesis of the hormones leptin and adiponectin, purple cabbage thus activates the breakdown of fats in the body and, again, reduces the feeling of hunger.
How are the composition and benefits of red cabbage interrelated?
Ascorbic acid from purple cabbage is absorbed and distributed by the body according to its needs by almost one hundred percent.
Indispensable for the immune system, carbohydrate and fat metabolism, ascorbic acid is also in demand to prevent seasonal beriberi.
- folic acid (B9) is involved in the production of serotonin, known as the "hormone of joy", the deficiency of which is fraught with depressive states;
- riboflavin (B2) supports the absorption of iron, accelerates metabolism and the removal of sugars from the body;
- pyridoxine (B6) minimizes the symptoms of motion sickness, heals the skin with dermatological diseases and helps nerve cells absorb glucose (which again has a positive effect on mood);
- retinol (A) protects the oral mucosa from the effects of dental diseases;
- selenium is responsible for supplying cells with oxygen, supports the functioning of the thyroid gland;
- Zinc increases endurance to physical exertion, can improve performance in sports and relieve the symptoms of rheumatism.
Also worth noting in the composition of this cabbage are phytoncides - biologically active substances that play the role of antibiotics, as a result of which the human body is not captured by pathogens of various diseases, sometimes very serious ones. Phytoncides from red cabbage are ways to resist even tuberculosis pathogens.
Red cabbage, and especially its concentrate in juice form, is recommended for the dietary table for gastric ulcers, and as a means of accelerating the regeneration of wounds and various injuries (including bruises and sprains).
In part, these properties are explained by the content of rare vitamin U, which, in principle, is not synthesized by the human body.
The benefits of red cabbage are also great as a source of vitamin K, which is responsible for normal blood clotting, the formation and restoration of bone tissue, and functioning at the optimal limits of the biological capabilities of the kidneys.
Other Benefits of Red Cabbage
Regular consumption of red cabbage evens and refreshes the complexion, gives the skin velvety tenderness, smoothes wrinkles, and also strengthens teeth and nails, adds shine to hair and eliminates yellowness and redness from the whites of the eyes.
The benefits of purple cabbage are also great for many other areas:
- normalization and maintenance of a stable level of cholesterol in the blood;
- cleansing the bile ducts and liver;
- kidney treatment when a mild diuretic effect is required;
- treatment of diseases of the upper respiratory tract, from coughing with colds to chronic bronchitis and asthma.
Due to the minimum content of carbohydrates and a pronounced property to improve the condition of blood vessels, red cabbage is recommended to be added to the diet table for type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
What can be harmful from red cabbage
Since the leaves of the vegetable are quite tough, with diseases of the stomach and duodenum, the harm of red cabbage is unambiguous. But only if you eat it raw. Heat treatment solves the problem. It is undesirable to include purple cabbage in the diet after food poisoning and with pancreatitis.
Despite the fact that this cabbage is definitely useful for pregnant women, for the period of lactation, dishes with it should be included in the diet very moderately, in order to avoid the occurrence of colic in a baby who is sensitive to the mother's nutrition.
The harm of red cabbage can also occur when taking medications prescribed to thin the blood - there is evidence that it reduces their effectiveness.
From a cabbage head, you should not eat the upper (outer) leaves and stalk - both of which are the concentration of nitrates that somehow get into the vegetable, unless it is grown exclusively on an eco-farm.
Otherwise, red cabbage is one of the most harmless vegetables in the world.
red cabbage- a plant of the cabbage family. The heads of this vegetable are small and rather dense, while they are painted in purple-red color (see photo).
This plant appeared on the Mediterranean coast, and then spread to many other countries.
Beneficial features
The vitamin and mineral composition of red cabbage is quite extensive, and therefore it is not surprising that this vegetable has a lot of useful properties.
If we compare red cabbage with white cabbage, we can conclude that there is 4 times more beta-carotene in the former.
The unusual color of cabbage is due to the content of anthocyanins, which also strengthen capillaries and improve their elasticity. Given this, we can say that red cabbage good to eat in diseases of the heart and blood vessels. In addition, anthocyanins normalize the state of collagen not only in skin tissues, but also in the whole body. Thanks to this, this type of cabbage can rightly be considered a source of youth. Another useful property of anthocyanins is that they can improve vision and cure various eye diseases, and they also prevent the effects of radiation on the body. Still this substance prevents the development of leukemia.
The composition of red cabbage includes phytoncides, which have the ability to suppress the activity of tuberculosis pathogens. The juice of this cabbage allows you to cope with acute and chronic bronchitis, as well as other respiratory problems.
It has been noticed that the regular use of this vegetable, due to the content of vegetable protein, has a positive effect on the process of hematopoiesis, as well as on the functioning of the kidneys and thyroid gland.
Due to the high content of selenium in red cabbage, the functioning of the thyroid gland improves, as well as the supply of oxygen to the cells is normalized. It also helps to remove toxins and heavy metals from the body.
Zinc, which is in this vegetable, has a positive effect on brain function.
Red cabbage is also rich in lactic acid and fiber, which has a positive effect on the state of the intestinal microflora, as well as these substances. help eliminate excess cholesterol.
This vegetable helps to lose weight, which means that it can be safely added to the list of allowed foods during the diet.
Use in cooking
Red cabbage is not used as often in cooking as other varieties, although this is completely undeserved.
The main reason for dislike for red cabbage is stiffness, which can be removed by simply pouring boiling water over the head of cabbage.
In its raw form, the vegetable is used to prepare various salads, which are perfectly combined with meat and help easy digestion of animal products.
This plant is perfect for pickling and pickling, for example, such cabbage is salted using apples and cranberries.
Healthy side dishes are prepared from red cabbage, which are ideally combined with other products of not only vegetable, but also animal origin.
Red cabbage benefits and treatment
The benefits of red cabbage will be noticeable for people suffering from hypertension, as regular consumption of vegetables will bring the pressure back to normal. Another vegetable has a diuretic effect, which is simply necessary for various chronic diseases.
In folk medicine, the treatment of red cabbage is also widely known. For example, juice with honey is used to get rid of a cough, and the leaves are applied to abrasions and bruises. Wound healing is due to anthocyanins, which strengthen the capillaries.
Another useful property of red cabbage is the ability to neutralize the effects of alcohol, so you should eat a plate of salad from this vegetable before a feast.
Harm of red cabbage and contraindications
Red cabbage can harm people who have stomach diseases and other problems of the digestive system. This vegetable is contraindicated for ulcers.
Hi all!
When it comes to red vegetables and fruits, we immediately imagine an apple, a tomato or a radish.
And I remembered another conditionally red vegetable, no less healthy and tasty.
So ... red cabbage.
Outwardly, it is absolutely identical with its white counterpart, not counting the color.
Why red cabbage is useful - this is what I want, my friends, to talk about today.
From this article you will learn:
What are the health benefits of red cabbage?
Cabbage is purple in color, and its juice has an amazing blue-green hue.
Why it is called red remains a mystery.
Thanks to the pigments that give the vegetable its color, the red head is considered the healthiest of all.
Its juice has unique properties - this "magic potion" is able to maintain health, beauty, well-being, harmony.
By the way, this vegetable was a favorite of Pythagoras.
We chop the red fork and onion, add a spoonful of olive oil and a couple of tablespoons. vinegar. We crush the mixture with our hands and a delicious, original and beautiful appetizer is ready!
- Pickled red cabbage
- 1 kg of cabbage;
- 50 g of salt (20 g for salting and 30 g for filling);
- 2 pcs. ;
- 4 things. peppercorns;
- 1 liter of water;
- 2 tbsp vinegar;
60 g sugar.We prepare the vegetable mixture: thinly cut the cabbage into strips, salt, knead with our hands and leave in a cool, dark place for at least four and a half hours.
By the time the chopped vegetable has already rested, we sterilize the jars and prepare the marinade filling.
Boil water, pour salt, pepper, sugar, parsley, vinegar and the remaining salt there.
We boil again.
We lay out the cabbage in prepared jars, fill it with our marinade, but not close to the edge. Pour hot sunflower oil on top and roll up the jars.
A beautiful cabbage in a marinade is ready for winter!
- Another Delicious Red Cabbage Salad Recipe
Contraindications to the use of red cabbage
Harm, as such, this type of cabbage does not bring. But there are some limitations. Therein lies its harm.
- A high content of magnesium, calcium, iron and sulfur can lead to bloating and flatulence in the abdomen, as well as to cramps in the intestines.
- You also need to carefully include cabbage in the menu for hypertensive patients, since this vegetable tends to increase blood pressure.
- And it is absolutely impossible to eat red cabbage, and indeed any, cabbage with pancreatitis.
While I was writing all the recipes, I wanted to urgently cook and eat everything :-) I hope that the article was interesting and useful for you too.
And I will also be grateful to you for your delicious and proven recipes with red cabbage, send me!!!
Alena Yasneva was with you, eat right and be healthy!!!
