Cabbage
Year-Round
Health Benefits
Cabbage is very rich in vitamin C, so much so that it was used heavily by ships doctors on long voyages to prevent scurvy. It's also chock full of fiber, aiding in digestion. Red cabbages are known to also have an antioxidant called anthocyanin, a compound known to protect against cancer and suppress inflammation.
History
Cabbages were widely cultivated in Northern China, Rome, ancient Egypt, and finally in England where the first round-headed cabbages gained popularity. Cabbage was first brought to America in the 1500s by Jacques Cartier from France. Cabbage was full of wonderful nutrients and easy to grow, so it was primarily eaten by families of lower classes, while nobles often turned up their noses at the smell.
Recipes to Try
How to Store
Keep cabbages in a cold and humid place. Store unwashed and unpeeled cabbages in the refrigerator for best keeping. Cabbage heads with tight leaves will keep for three to four weeks. Loose leaf cabbages like Pac Choi or Bok Choi wilt sooner.
How to Prepare
Remove the wilted or discolored outer leaves of the cabbage. Cut the cabbage from top to roots in half, and then again into quarters. Place each quarter flat side down and cut diagonally to remove the tough core and stem. Chop, slice, or peel apart.
Ways to Enjoy
Cabbages can be chopped or shredded for salads or tacos, boiled into soups, casseroles, or meat wraps, or sauteed into a stir fry.
Health Benefits
Cabbage is very rich in vitamin C, so much so that it was used heavily by ships doctors on long voyages to prevent scurvy. It's also chock full of fiber, aiding in digestion. Red cabbages are known to also have an antioxidant called anthocyanin, a compound known to protect against cancer and suppress inflammation.