Savoy cabbage is a variety of cabbage called Brassica Oleracea and it belongs to the cruciferous family like all the other cabbages but also mustard and rocket.
Harvesting usually begins with the end of autumn from October until the beginning of spring towards the month of April.
La savoy cabbage it is a vegetable that loves the cold and tolerates winter frosts well.
In the cultivated fields you can find cabbage even under a blanket of snow and it will be possible to collect it by cutting the stem at the base.
Its shape is spherical like a ball made up of many leaves which seems to open like a flower. The color is bright green with lighter tones in the center and towards the heart of the ball.
The leaves are thick and wrinkled and they also change slightly depending on the variety of cabbage both in color and as a more or less smooth or wrinkled surface of the leaf.
Nutritional composition of cabbage
Cabbage is rich in vitamins such as vitamin A, C, D, K and many B vitamins.
All these substances give it beneficial properties to make our immune system efficient, to keep the skin healthy and to make the eyes and sight function properly. They also help blood clotting and many other physiological functions of our body.
In addition to vitamins, it also contains many mineral salts such as potassium, iron, calcium, phosphorus, manganese, sulfur and zinc.
La cabbage is obviously rich in chlorophyll which becomes an excellent ally for correct cellular respiration as it helps the oxygen process and the cleansing of waste substances in the body.
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In addition, the cabbage is rich in fiber which helps intestinal transit and balances the sugars and cholesterol circulating in the blood. The presence of fiber also allows a good cleaning from the body's waste and being low in calories, the cabbage becomes excellent for helping in low-calorie and therefore more slimming diets.
Savoy cabbage also contains essential fatty acids such as omega 3 and 6 which are used to keep the membranes of our body healthy and also to give elasticity to you tendons, tissues and cartilages.
The skin also needs omega 3 and 6 to stay healthy and be toned and hydrated. One serving of cabbage contains more than one hundred milligrams of omega 3 and about 90 milligrams of omega 6.
Finally, the cabbage has a high satiating power which makes it an excellent one food to feel full and satisfied after a meal without weighing down on refined fats or carbohydrates.
Cabbage is therefore a satiating food and also rich in many properties nutritional and beneficial for the body.
Properties of cabbage
Natural anti-inflammatory
Savoy cabbage is a natural anti-inflammatory that can help the body to flare up and reverse the inflammatory processes taking place in the body.
In case of inflammatory problems such as hemorrhoids, arthrosis, cystitis, arthritis but also heart and autoimmune diseases, cabbage is able to soothe inflammation and help the healing process.
The use of cabbage in one's diet therefore helps prevent and relieve inflammatory problems and maintains the body's pH towards basicity thus ensuring an unfavorable terrain for the development of pathologies of inflammatory origin.
Anti-aging
Cabbage is rich in antioxidants and therefore has a strong anti-aging power given not only by vitamins A and C present but also by special active ingredients such as flavonoids, indoles, carotenoids, sulforans and polyphenols.
All these substances counteract body oxidation due to the presence of free radicals circulating in our body. Its purifying and detoxifying power of cabbage also increases this anti-aging effect and is above all effective on the skin.
In fact, once upon a time compresses were applied with cabbage leaves to heal rashes and skin irritations as well as in cases of acne or insect bites. Finally, in the cabbage there are isothiocyanates that counteract the degeneration of cellular DNA especially in the area of ​​the respiratory system and therefore are excellent for increasing the anti-aging effect.
Remineralizing
Antianemic thanks to the presence of iron but also mineralizing for the conspicuous quantity of mineral salts which it supplies to the body. In case of debilitation, for example after a flu or for sportsmen or even for the elderly, cabbage is indicated to increase the reserve of mineral salts.
For those with osteoporosis or fragility of the skeletal system but also for hair and nails that break, cabbage becomes an excellent natural supplement to be included in your diet.
Remember that if it is cooked in water, many mineral salts and active ingredients will pass into the water and therefore it will be important to consume this cooking water as well in order not to lose these precious benefits.
Protective for the cardiovascular system
Cabbage, thanks to the presence of substances such as glutaminic acid, has a direct effect on blood pressure helping her stay in standard regimes. Furthermore, the presence of sulforane helps to counteract the onset of accumulations of fat along the blood vessels thus preventing cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack, stroke, angina and arteriosclerosis.
antitumor
Cabbage is an anticancer food as are other types of cabbage whether they are broccoli, cauliflower or Brussels sprouts. In particular in the cabbage this presence of sulforaphane it also gives the ability to inhibit the growth of cancer cells thanks to an effect of enhancing the genes that help repair damaged DNA and also counteract the reproduction of diseased cells.
The effect of this cellular repair also has positive consequences in other areas of the body such as the cardiovascular system because it acts on the blood vessels and even in cases of diabetes because it repairs and protects the arteries from the damage of the plaque formation caused by hyperglycemia.
Also in the cabbage there are other substances such as phytoestrogens which are capable of counteracting the onset of tumors especially those that form in the prostate and breast which are often caused by a malfunction of hormonal activity.
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