9 benefits that will convince you to put more cabbage in your diet

9 benefits that will convince you to put more cabbage in your diet
Cabbage is a vegetable belonging to the cruciferous family, as are broccoli and kale. You may have heard about the numerous benefits of these vegetables, which are considered functional foods.

And the cabbage is no different! With just 43 calories per cup, this food so common offers a number of advantages to our health. Know the main ones:

1. Cabbage is an excellent source of nutrients
Even with very few calories, cabbage is a powerful source of various nutrients. In just one cup of the white variety, you find 85% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin K and 54% of vitamin C.

Other nutrients that stand out are folate, manganese, vitamin B6, calcium, potassium, and magnesium.

2. It helps fight inflammatory processes
Inflammation is a natural process in our body to defend us from infectious agents. However, chronic inflammation over a long period is associated with heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease.

Cabbage, like other cruciferous vegetables, has a large amount of antioxidants such as sulforaphane, which help reduce inflammation and reduce the risk of these diseases.

3. Cabbage is rich in vitamin C
Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin C, especially if it is of the purple variety: a cup provides 85% of the recommended daily intake of that nutrient, the same amount found in a small orange.

Vitamin C is a collagen-stimulating agent that prevents the appearance of wrinkles and sagging skin and is critical to the health of bones, muscles and blood vessels. In addition, it has antioxidant power, which gives cabbage properties against various types of cancer and other chronic diseases.

4. Benefits for digestion
Because it is rich in insoluble fibers (a type of carbohydrate that our body can not process), cabbage facilitates digestion by increasing stool volume and regulating bowel movements.

In addition, its high soluble fiber content is an excellent food for the good bacteria in our intestines, known as probiotics. These microorganisms protect the immune system and are capable of producing important nutrients such as vitamin K2 and B12.

5. Cabbage is good for the heart
The vibrant color of purple cabbage is a result of the presence of anthocyanins, plant pigments belonging to the flavonoid family (found mainly in dark-colored grapes).

These pigments have already been related to a reduction in the risk of infarction and coronary artery disease and the reduction of blood pressure. In addition, the anti-inflammatory properties of cabbage also help protect the health of the heart.

6. Helps regulate blood pressure
Those who suffer from high blood pressure or hypertension know that it is necessary to reduce their sodium intake by eating. However, some studies have shown that increasing potassium intake, which is present especially in purple cabbage, is as important as decreasing salt.

This is because this mineral stimulates the body to eliminate sodium through the urine and relaxes the walls of blood vessels, helping to reduce pressure. Two cups of cabbage offer 12% of the recommended daily intake of potassium.

7. Cabbage can reduce cholesterol levels
Cabbage acts on the regulation of cholesterol levels in two ways. The first of these is due to its content of soluble fibers, which bind to the bad cholesterol (LDL) molecules in the intestine and prevent them from being absorbed by the body.

The second form happens thanks to the presence of phytosterols. These substances have a chemical structure very similar to LDL, so they are able to bind to the channels that absorb bad cholesterol, blocking the passage and facilitating its elimination.

8. It is an excellent source of vitamin K1
One cup of cabbage provides 85% of the daily needs of vitamin K1, which acts as a cofactor of the enzymes responsible for blood clotting.

If this vitamin is missing, the body is subject to bleeding gums and increase the risk of bleeding.

9. Cabbage is versatile and affordable
In addition to offering so many health benefits, cabbage is still a very easy food to be included in the diet. It can be eaten raw or cooked in dishes such as salads.

And best of all: cabbage is easily found in the market and supermarkets and is usually quite affordable. It is worth to include this vegetable in your diet.

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