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FOOD OF THE WEEK
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Cruciferous veggie - Cabbage family

As a grade schooler, in Peoria, Arizona, we lived out in the country between Peoria and Glendale and had to walk over a mile from the bus home each afternoon. Kids are hungry after school and we were no exception. Nice for us was that we had to walk pass a field that was full of cabbages part of the year, so we simply would jump the irrigation ditch and pull one up, pull off the outer leaves and roots and start eating. We would devour a head each before getting home. Little did I know how great that was for us.  Great start in life!

Members of the cruciferous family seems to be rich in anti-oxidants and are in the first line of defense against cancer.  Cabbage is one of the vegetables that is highly promoted by the American Cancer Society.  That doesn't make it any greater than the other cruciferous veggies, just thought you should know.

There are three major varieties of cabbage;

green,
red

and Savoy. 

The red variety has more nutrients because of its redish purple pigmentation making for a lot of antioxidants and beta carotene.  Both the red and green cabbages have smooth textured leaves, whereas the Savoy is more ruffled and yellowish green in color.

Nutritional Benefits

This particular vegetable is nutrient-packed and low in calorie.  It is impressive with its high content levels of calcium, iron, iodine, potassium, sulfur, and phosphorus.  In the vitamins department, it is loaded with vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, E, K and folic acid.

This humble vegetable is a rich source of a number of phytonutrients which help boost our defense mechanisms, blocks the reaction of cancer-causing substances, detoxifies and eliminates harmful toxins and hormones, and stimulates production of antibodies to fight cancer.

Health Benefits

The anti-cancer properties in cabbage makes it a powerfully healing food in combating the much feared disease, cancer.  Study after study have shown that fresh cabbage juice has been effective in the treatment of a number of cancers and ulceration in the digestive tracts.

Anemia: The super healing effect of the superior chlorophyll in cabbage has been found to be good for blood building.

Breast engorgement in pregnant or nursing mothers:  Peel off the outer layers of cabbage, run it slightly under the rolling pin and cap it over the breasts as close to the skin as possible, to soothe breasts engorgement.  Wear your maternity brassiere over the cabbage and leave till the cabbage leaves wither.  A preferred natural and cheaper alternative over taking health compromising side-effect drugs.

Cancer:  Daily and frequent consumption of cabbage juice has shown to be effective in preventing and treating cancers of the breast, colon, liver, lung and ovarian. A compound in cabbage, sulforaphane, also helps protect cells from invasion of carcinogens.

Constipation:  The slightly laxative effect of cabbage makes it effective in stimulating bowel movement.  Eat the uncooked cabbage, either by itself, or juiced.

Digestive system:  The amino acid glutamine in cabbage juice is totally gentle and cleansing on the digestive system, detoxifying, repairing ulcers, healing and regenerating.  The juice is to be taken in small amounts of about 100 ml (2.5 ounces), three times a day on an empty stomach.

Immune systems:  A compound called histidine in cabbage is found to be useful in treating allergies and regulating the T-cells in our immune systems.

Skin wounds:  Flatten layers of cabbage leaves with a rolling pin, and wrap it around affected areas of wound, blisters, sores, skin eruptions (as in psoriasis), burns and ulcers.  Keep in place with a bandage, until the leaves turn yellow then change the leaves and repeat till wounds heal.  In between changes, clean and dry wounds.

Stomach and intestinal tracts:  The high sulphur, naturally occurring chlorine and iodine content in cabbage have the significant ability in cleansing the mucus membranes in the tracts.

Weight loss:  A substance in cabbage inhibits the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat, definitely a painless way of dieting. 

When buying cabbage, choose the smaller variety, they taste better.

Cabbage is easier to digest in its raw fresh form than when cooked.  The longer it is cooked, the less digestible it becomes.  Cabbage sprouts are delicate and easier to digest, and they also contain higher levels of nutrients.

Avoid buying precut cabbage that are either halved or shredded.  The moment the cabbage is cut, it begins to lose its nutrient contents.  To store, keep the vegetable refrigerated in a perforated plastic bag to prevent loss of its vitamin C.

Caution

Raw cabbage juice does not taste good at all, to most.  The taste is bitter and may be difficult to drink, although the benefits of its raw state is immense. To make it easier on the taste buds, mix your cabbage juice with other juices like celery, pineapple, tomato or a citrus fruit.  You may also try it with a little honey.  Add a bit of ginger root when juicing this will give it an altogether different taste and great for the stomach.

Take raw cabbage juice in small amounts initially if you are unfamiliar with drinking vegetable juice, gradually increasing.  Do not drink more than 100 ml 2.5 ounces) at any one time.

My husband grows our organic cabbage and I make a mean sauerkraut, great healthy food even if it seems to be loaded with salt.  Fermented it becomes a great probiotic.

You will need a very large crock, glass or enamel container
Minimum of 2 heads of cabbage
Kosher salt
Heavy duty food-grade plastic bags or 2 gal freezer bags
Wooden spoon

Some tips here to prevent problems with your sauerkraut:

1. Never use aluminum utensils!
2. Absolute cleanliness is necessary for a healthy brew!

I have a very old 5 gallon crock that I use to make my sauerkraut. But you can use a glass or enamel coated container. Clean and scald the container well! (I put mine in the dishwasher, but if you wish you can simply scald by pouring boiling water into the container and swishing around for no less than 30 seconds)
To prepare the cabbage, remove and discard the outer leaves. Wash and drain and then cut the cabbages into halves or quarters while removing the core in the process.

Step 1) Shred Cabbage - I use my food processor for speed and ease. If you shred by hand, make sure the shreds are no thicker than a nickel or dime!

Step 2) Mix, with wooden spoon or very clean hands, 5 pounds of shredded cabbage with 4 tablespoons of Kosher salt (pickling salt will do but changes the flavor a bit - do not use table salt) and toss and mix thoroughly until kosher salr dissolves! (You can make as much as you wish as long as you use the ratio of 5 lbs. cabbage to 4 Tbs. salt.)

NOTE: If you plan on refrigerating and not canning use 3 TBLSP of salt not 4!

Step 3) When juice starts to form on cabbage from tossing - Pack the cabbage firmly and evenly into a clean crock, glass or enamel container. Press firmly to encourage juice formation. Fill the utensil no closer than 5 inches from the top.

Step 4) Make sure juice covers the cabbage completely! (This does not always happen unless the cabbage is fresh from the garden) I prepare additional brine by putting 1 1/2 Tablespoons of kosher salt into 1 quart of boiling water. Dissolve salt and cool brine to room temperature before adding to the pot of cabbage.

Step 5) Once cabbage is immersed in brine water, place a large food grade, plastic bag filled with brine water and lay on top if cabbage... (I use 2 large bags, one inside the other   - sometimes a 2 gal freezer bag - with a couple of quarts of cooled brine water inside - this if the bag breaks it will not water down the cabbage into a tasteless mess)

The cabbage must be well sealed all around with the bag, so no air can get in and contaminate the sauerkraut with unwanted yeasts or molds!

Step 6) Now cover the container with plastic wrap, then a heavy towel or cloth and tie securely into place. Do not remove this until fermenting is complete!

Step 7) Put in an area where the temperature will not be above 75 degrees. Fermentation will begin within a day, depending upon the room temperature.

Step 8) If room temperature is 75 degrees allow 3 weeks for fermentation. If temperature is 70 degrees allow 4 weeks. If temperature is 65 degrees allow 5 weeks. If temperature is 60 degrees allow 6 weeks.

NOTE: If temperature is above 75 or 76 degrees, the sauerkraut may not ferment and could spoil!

Step 9) Once fermented taste to see if your required tartness exists. Tartness will weaken as you process in canning so make sure it is a wee bit more tart than you like!

Can be eaten immediately if you desire!

(I sometimes mix in 1/2 teaspoon caraway seed into 4 cups, enough for a couple of pints or 1 quart. This makes a tasty variation.)

NOTE: if you refrigerate only rinse and toss with cold water to attain the tartness desired!

 Cabbage consumption may cause gas in some people, especially when cooked.  Limit your cabbage intake if this is you. Or make sure you have sufficient Digest Enzymes and Probiotics in your digestive tract to eliminate that problem!

Our favorite way of eating cabbage is simply stir fried/steamed until tender-crispy with lemon juice or seasoned rice vinegar.
Lena

NOTE: Sadly food alone cannot yield all the necessary healthy nutrients - especially balance of minerals - as they did in centuries past. Because of the lack of nutrients in our soils and the pollutants added in the form of air pollution, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers in regular farming and raising of fruits and vegetable, important nutrients are almost nonexistent (organic foods grown without the chemicals have 40% to 90% more nutrients) and we know the body is not capable of producing minerals with even the healthiest of diets, as it can vitamins, and must be obtained from our foods or daily supplemented...  Click Here to understand why minerals are so important to your body's health!
 

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 HEALTH TODAY
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