I try and put purple cabbage into my juice every single day...but why study it? Why know and understand its nutritional value? Because I believe when we educate ourselves, this knowledge will empower us. It will compel us to get past the taste of a vegetable, if we don't like it - to jump over the hurdle of aversion and do what we need to do to reach for health.
Purple cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable, in other words, it has anti-cancer properties. When I hear, 'anti-cancer', it immediately grabs my attention. Why? Because cancer cells enter our bodies every single day. I have heard people say, "Everything causes cancer!" While that is a bit of an exaggeration, we are certainly bombarded by cancer-causing elements. How do we fight back? Being very conscious of what we put in our mouths is one way to fight back.
With that in mind, I would like to share some of the benefits of purple cabbage:
- Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable, it has anti-cancer properties.
- Purple cabbage is a blood builder (Everything red, purple or blue builds the blood)
- Cabbage, regardless of color, is excellent for the skin. Dr. Bernard Jensen relates that while in New Zealand, he spoke with the head food buyer for the army. He told Dr. Jensen that cabbage was one of the best foods for a clean, clear complexion, and that the service women insisted upon having cabbage salads for that very reason.
- Cabbage is rich in minerals, such as calcium and potassium, choline, iodine, phosphorous, sodium and sulfur. The sulfur in cabbage helps destroy ferments in the blood.
- Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamins A, B and C.
- Cabbage is an alkalizing food. It helps regulate the pH in our system.
- Raw cabbage and raw cabbage juice both relieve and heal any kind of gastrointestinal ulcer. According to research conducted at Stanford University, fresh cabbage juice was shown to both restore the gastrointestinal tract and heal ulcers in only seven days!
- Cabbage aids in digestion and elimination Cabbage can dramatically lower bad cholesterol and helps lower blood pressure.
- Agricultural scientists found 36 anthocyanins in red cabbage, which may help improve brain function, promote heart health, and provide cancer protection.
Helpful Hints
I used to peel off the outside leaves of the cabbage until I read that the outer leaves have as much as 40% more calcium than the inside leaves. I also wait until the last minute to cut the cabbage, as exposure to the air causes loss of vitamin C. The numerous benefits contained in both purple and green cabbage invite us to make it a staple ingredient in juicing!
Sources
Heinerman's Encyclopedia of Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs by John Heinerman
Healing Cancer Naturally by Dr. Richard Schulze
Juice Fasting & Detoxification by Steve Meyerowitz
The Everything Juicing Book by Carole Jacobs
Science Daily
Foods that Heal by Dr. Bernard Jensen