Eat more Cabbage

I cannot believe that it's December 1st! Holy, this year flew by. Maybe it has something to do with it being jam-packed with changes, but this year went by too fast. Maybe I am inspired by it being the end of a year - the whole resolution thing. Wait, I don't do resolutions. Ok, maybe it's just a coincidence but I am really trying to make an effort to eat more of a variety. Along with the variety thing is eating more raw. First on my list is CABBAGE.



Cabbage is part of the Brassica family and is also a cruciferous vegetable. Cruciferous basically means it's an edible Brassica. Whatever you call it, it's classification is the granddaddy of all anti-oxidants. These anti-oxidants work at the DNA level to rid our bodies of toxins. This is why they are said to be so good at fighting off certain types of cancers, like colon and breast.

Raw is best in order to get the benefits of cabbage. Cabbage provides glucosinolates, which are formed by the activity of myrosinase enzymes that are released when cabbage is sliced or chopped. Cooking denatures the myrosinase enzyme, which prohibits the glucosinolates. Sound confusing? The rule with all veggies is to try and eat raw when you can, or steam them when you can't.

Cabbage is also high in Vitamin C. Red cabbages is six to eight times higher in Vitamin C than white cabbage. When cabbage is cut, it begins to loose it's Vitamin C content, so avoid buying pre-cut or pre-shredded cabbage. This also means that it's best to use up your cabbage within a few days of cutting into it.

Have I convinced you? A great way to get some raw cabbage in you is this salad. I made a bowl and ate the whole darn thing.

PURPLE CABBAGE SALAD

Half a purple cabbage, shredded
One medium beet, grated (optional)
About ½ cup feta cheese
1 tbsp apple juice
1 and 1/2 tbsp of sesame oil
salt and pepper


Mix it all up in a bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or flax seeds, depending on what you have/feel like.

Dee-lish!