What are the health benefits of eating cabbage?

Green cabbage provides the highest levels of two anticancer glucosinolates, which are converted upon consumption into compounds that may inhibit tumor growth. Research shows that one compound, allyl isothiocyanate, disrupts the cell division of colon cancer, while the other, indole-3-carbinol, may lower the risk of developing estrogen-related cancers, such as breast and ovarian cancer. Yet a third compound released with cabbage consumption may inhibit the growth of human prostate cancer cells, according to research from the University of California, Berkeley.

Red cabbage contains glucosinolates, which stimulate the body’s natural detoxification systems and may reduce the risk of developing several cancers. But, unlike its greener cousin, red cabbage also contains anthocyanins.  Both types of antioxidants can reduce the damage caused by free radicals and protect against DNA damage.

Cabbage can be a potent cancer fighter. The trick is in the prep, as Dr. Will Clower, founder of Mediterranean Wellness, explains in this video.

One of the American Cancer Society's key dietary recommendations to reduce the risk of cancer is to include cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, broccoli,Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower, in the diet on a regular basis. The cabbage family of vegetables contains more phytochemicals with demonstrable anti-cancer properties than any other vegetable family. Most of these compounds are glucosinolates. The compounds receiving the most attention are indole-3-carbinol, sulforaphane, di-indolmethane, and isothiocyanates. The anti-cancer effects of cabbage-family vegetables have been noted in population studies. Consistently, the higher the intake of cabbage-family vegetables, the lower the rates of cancer, particularly colon, prostate, lung, and breast cancer. The glucosinolates in cabbage work primarily by increasing antioxidant defense mechanisms, as well as improving the body's ability to detoxify and eliminate harmful chemicals and hormones. Specifically, indole-3- carbinole (I3C), has been shown to increase the rate at which estrogen is broken down through the liver's detoxification pathway by nearly 50 percent.

Cabbage has also been shown to be extremely effective in the treatment of peptic ulcers. The anti-ulcer component of cabbage was initially referred to as "vitamin U," but later identified as the amino acid glutamine, a critical factor in the growth and regeneration of the cells that line the gastrointestinal tract.

Cabbage isn't just a treasure trove of vitamins and minerals. It also has anthocyanins, which help keep hearts healthy. And cabbage even has special phytochemicals that may protect against both prostate and breast cancer. That's why Jonny Bowden, PhD, author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, considers the cabbage family to be one of the most important vegetable groups in the world.

But add fermentation to all that cabbage-y goodness and you end up with even more health benefits, thanks to the cancer-halting, inflammation-cooling, and immune-system-boosting probiotics that fermenting creates.

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