Cabbage has been
in use for 4,000 years. It has been cultivated since 500 BC
when it was brought to Europe by the Celts. Cabbage grows
well in cool climates. It is a high yielding vegetable and
it stores well. It soon became a major crop of Europe.
The original
cabbage plant was lose leafed and did not have the dense
head as we know it now. Cabbage as we know it to be now was
developed during the middle ages. Cabbage has been credited
with many healing powers, including preventing a hangover
from too much consumption of alcohol.
Cabbage comes in
hundreds of varieties, including red, white and purple and
with loose or tightly formed heads. Cabbage may be preserved
by pickling in brine. Sauerkraut is made at home by filling
a crock to the top with shredded cabbage, pouring a generous
amount of salt over it, placing an inverted dinner plate
over the contents and placing a weight on top. The weight is
often a carefully washed rock of suitable size. The crock is
left in a cool dark place for several weeks while the
fermentation takes place.
Cabbage juice
deteriorates rapidly, losing its essential nutrients, so
should be consumed within a minute after it is made. Cabbage
has no cholesterol or fat. It is rich in vitamin C and has
20mg of sodium, 5g of carbohydrate, 2 g of dietary fiber, 3g
sugars, 1g protein, calcium and iron.
