Red cabbage is a type of cabbage belonging to the Cruciferae family, and is a vegetable known to be native to the western and southern coastal regions of Europe and the Mediterranean region. Unlike green cabbage, red cabbage, which is characterized by a purple color, is called by various names such as red cabbage, red cauliflower, red cabbage, and Ruribol. With its crispy texture and unique purple color, it is used as an ingredient in sandwiches or hamburgers, or in various forms such as salads, green juice, bibimbap, and gimbap. In particular, the purple color unique to red cabbage is widely used as a decoration to make food stand out.
In addition, red cabbage contains a large amount of cabbage, which is rich in vitamin U, and is known to contain more nutrients such as vegetable protein and vitamin C compared to normal cabbage, so it has various beneficial effects on the body. Now, let’s take a look at the main effects of red cabbage and the side effects to be aware of when ingesting them one by one.
The main effects of red cabbage
1. Stomach Health
Red cabbage, like ordinary cabbage, contains a large amount of vitamin U. This vitamin U component protects the stomach wall from gastric acid and other stimuli, and at the same time helps the production of prastaglandin, a physiologically active substance secreted from the gastric mucosa, and has a beneficial effect on gastric health.
In addition, it is not only excellent in preventing gastritis caused by the formation of inflammation of the gastric mucosa, but is also known to be effective in preventing gastric and duodenal ulcers and improving symptoms based on its excellent anti-ulcer action. In addition, red cabbage is known to have beneficial effects in reducing the risk of gastric cancer caused by adenocarcinoma cells formed in the gastric mucosa.
2. Antioxidant action
If red cabbage is the most distinguishing ingredient from ordinary cabbage, it can be said that it is an antioxidant, anthocyanin. The unique purple color of red cabbage is due to the anthocyanin component. Based on the excellent antioxidant power of the anthocyanin component, it causes cell damage and at the same time has an excellent antioxidant effect that neutralizes free radicals, the main culprit that disturbs the immune system, the body’s defense barrier. It is said to perform. Based on this antioxidant action, it has been known to help stabilize the immune system and to be effective in slowing down the aging process. In addition to these anthocyanin components, red cabbage is known to contain a high content of vitamin C, so it is said to have a beneficial effect on preventing skin aging and enhancing skin elasticity based on its excellent antioxidant action.
3. Liver function improvement
The liver, located in the right upper part of the abdomen under the diaphragm, not only helps the body’s various metabolic processes such as carbohydrates, amino acids, fats, and proteins, but also has important functions such as the production of bile acids and hormones, immune function, and detoxification of various toxins and harmful substances. I’m in charge. Red cabbage has a high content of selenium, an essential trace mineral, which helps to activate liver cells and is known to have an excellent effect on liver function improvement and recovery by detoxification of toxins and harmful substances accumulated in the liver. In addition, selenium helps to reduce the damage caused by UV rays and radiation, and to minimize the risk of various liver diseases by preventing poisoning of heavy metals such as mercury.
4. Bone Health
Red cabbage is rich in calcium, a mineral that is a component of bones. In addition, red cabbage is rich in vitamin K as well as calcium. This vitamin K component helps the synthesis of proteins that make up bones, and this action is said to have an excellent effect in increasing the absorption rate of calcium. In addition, the complex action of calcium and vitamin K helps prevent bone diseases such as osteoporosis by inhibiting bone loss and weakening bone density.
5. Gut Health
Red cabbage is said to be excellent in helping to improve the intestinal environment by helping to regulate the ideal ratio of beneficial and harmful bacteria in the intestine due to the abundance of dietary fiber. In addition, these rich dietary fibers are excellent in promoting intestinal peristalsis, and regular consumption of red cabbage has been known to be effective in preventing and relieving symptoms of constipation, as well as eliminating succulents due to the activation of intestinal motility.
Other benefits and side effects
The calorie of red cabbage is very low, about 29Kcal per 100g, and it is said that it helps a lot in dieting by maintaining a feeling of satiety as long as possible due to its rich dietary fiber. It is also said to have a beneficial effect on maintaining normal blood pressure by helping the discharge of sodium and waste products from the blood vessels due to its rich potassium content. It is also known to have beneficial effects in relieving eye fatigue and protecting eyesight due to its abundant anthocyanin components.
Although red cabbage has several benefits introduced above, there are also side effects to be aware of when consumed. It is recommended to consume an appropriate amount as it is not good for people who have a cold body or who often have diarrhea due to poor digestion.
