Cabbage Family Provides Antioxidant Protection
You have heard a lot about antioxidants such
as vitamins C and E and beta-carotene, which help ward off disease by mopping
up harmful oxygen molecules called free radicals that naturally accumulate in
the body. Free radicals damage healthy tissues throughout the body, causing
changes that can lead to heart disease, cancer, and other serious conditions.
• Members of the cabbage family are packed
with these nutritious compounds. Particularly good are cabbages like bok choy
and Savoy, which are super sources of beta-carotene, a nutrient that other
cabbages don't have in abundance. High blood levels of beta-carotene are
related to lower incidences of heart attacks, certain types of cancers, and
cataracts.
• Not only are these cabbages high in
beta-carotene; they are also a good source of vitamin C, which has been shown
to boost immunity as well as reduce blood pressure and fight heart disease.
• A half-cup serving of raw bok choy provides
16 milligrams of vitamin C, 27 percent of the Daily Value (DV), while the
Same amount of raw Savoy cabbage supplies 11
milligrams, 18 percent of the DV.
• Both bok choy and Savoy cabbage are also
decent sources of folate, with a half-cup of either providing about 35
micrograms, or 9 percent of the DV. Your body uses folate for normal tissue
growth. Studies show that folate also may pro-tea against cancer, heart
disease, and birth defects.
• Research shows that women are at high risk
for folate deficiency, especially if they take birth control pills.
• Keep a cool head. Boiling cabbage removes
about half the valuable Indoles. To preserve these compounds at maximum levels,
experts advise eating cabbage raw-mixed in with a green salad, for example, or
concentrated in coleslaw.
• Enjoy the variety. To get the healing
benefits of cabbage several times a week without getting bored, explore the
different varieties. Green, red, and Savoy cabbages, along with bok choy, all
are high in protective compounds. They can be eaten raw in coleslaw,
slow-cooked in soup, or wrapped around your favorite filling.
• Stock up. We often avoid stocking up on
fresh produce because it can go bad so quickly. Never fear with cabbage. A head
of cabbage will keep for up to 10 days in the crisper drawer, making it easy to
eat a little bit each day without worrying about it spoiling.
• As produce goes, cabbage is a cook's best
friend. It is versatile, inexpensive, readily available, and easy to prepare.
Long cooking times release more of the strong-smelling sulfur compounds.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Muhd_Asif_Raza/355418
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