Cabbage Cancer & Flatulence
Although the medicinal properties of cabbage are well-known, many people do not make it a part of their regular diet. Studies suggest that cabbage should be on our table two to three times a week. However, because flatulence can be a problem, many people stay away from this beneficial vegetable.
Did you know that in the middle ages this vegetable was called the “poor man’s medicine”? Few vegetables provide as many benefits for our health as does cabbage, unfortunately in today’s society, people prefer relying on medications rather than nutrition. I am not suggesting that you should throw away your medications, far from it, only that in some case cabbage could really help.
There are many ways to eat cabbage, one of the easiest is to make cabbage soup.
The primary benefit of cabbage is its ability to reduce the incidence of colon cancer. Studies have shown that people in countries where cabbage is a common nutriment there is little incidence of colon cancer. This is due to the high fiber content of cabbage and to its chemical composition. Fiber is a natural cleanser for our intestines. Cabbage is also the carrier of chemical products that inhibit tumor growth and protect cells from free radicals.
Colon cancer is not the only cancer affected by cabbage. It is generally thought by scientists that some substance in cabbage accelerates the estrogen production rate, and thus reduce breast cancer, ovarian, and uterine cancer incidence as well.
Vitamin C and Beta carotene are two anti-oxidants found in cabbage. Anti-oxidants are valuable assistants in fighting free radicals, and are also known to reduce the risks of cataracts.
Caution : Cabbage can reduce the absorption of iodine. If you suffer from thyroid problems, it is highly recommended that you get the proper amount of iodine should you eat cabbage more than two or three times a week.
With all the benefits and advantages that we can derive from eating cabbage we only need to find a way to reduce flatulence, to improve our consumption. Flatulence causes are often tied to the content of sulfur in the cabbage.
Avoiding flatulence is easy! Add a few grains of cumin or fennel to your cabbage while it is cooking. Two benefits will be gained: first you will not have the pervasive odor that cabbage gives when cooking, secondly, the cabbage will be digested more easily.
Another way to reduce flatulence is to eat cauliflower instead of cabbage, as it is easier to digest. There are over 200 varieties of cabbage to choose from, some more digestible than others. These include broccoli, cauliflower, red cabbage, white cabbage, Chine cabbage.
For easier digestibility you can cook cabbage quickly in two steps, first blanch the cabbage in boiling water for about 10 minutes, discard this water (and with it much of the sulfur that has been expelled in the water), then finish cooking the cabbage in another pot of boiling water until it is tender. Easier to digest means lower flatulence.
