Hint: it reduces inflammation.
Isabelle Rozenbaum/Getty Images
If youve overlooked cabbage at the grocery store, youre not alone.
However, cabbage deserves a chance to shine, as its chock-full of essential nutrients.
Photo:Isabelle Rozenbaum/Getty Images
Health Benefits of Cabbage
It pumps the brakes on oxidative stress.
Nosh on cabbage and youll get plenty ofantioxidants, aka compounds that protect cells from oxidative stress.
Thats where cabbage comes in.
The cruciferous vegetable is teeming with antioxidants, particularly polyphenols and glucosinolates.
According to Iu, these antioxidants work to neutralize free radicals, ultimately defending the body against oxidative stress.
It reduces inflammation.
As the antioxidants in cabbage fight oxidative stress, they also quell inflammation.
Thats becauseoxidative stress and inflammation are connected, meaning they fuel each other.
Whats more, sulforaphanea compound found in cabbagereduces inflammationby acting on pro-inflammatory pathwaysin the body.
Research has also shown that sulforaphane may regulate anti-inflammatory genes and lower pre-inflammatory proteins.
It contains immune-boosting nutrients.
For a natural way tosupport your immunity, add more cabbage to your plate.
Cabbage also contains other vital nutrients for the immune system, includingvitamin A and zinc.
It keeps your eyes healthy.
As a source of lutein and zeaxanthin, cabbage is excellent for your eyes.
It contains fiber for a healthy gut.
Cabbage is a stellar source of fiber, an essential nutrient for top-notch digestion.
Specifically, this includes bothsoluble and insoluble fiber, which are both needed for optimal gut health.
Together, both fibers pave the way for more comfortable number twos and a healthier gut microbiome.
It’s good for the heart.
When it comes to heart-healthy foods, cabbage gets the green light.
For starters, it containssoluble fiber, a nutrient that helps your body excrete cholesterol.
Cabbage also contains potassium, an essential mineral that regulates blood pressure, says Iu.
This can stave offhigh blood pressure, another heart disease risk factor.
It strengthens the bones.
Another cabbage health benefit involves the bones.
It has key nutrients for pregnant people.
Thanks to its high content offolate, also known as vitamin B9, cabbage can support healthy pregnancies.
Thats because the nutrient is needed to make red and white blood cells, as well as DNA.
If youre unsure, chat with your doctor before adding it to your plate.
Some people might also have a hard time digesting cabbage, especially when its raw, says Iu.
It might also help to cook cabbage first, which is easier to digest.
