Chefs are promoting the next gastronomic and nutritional hit that has supplanted Brussels sprouts as the new “it” vegetable: cabbage.
A scroll through culinary channels on social media will show countless clips of chefs from around the world singing its praises, as it is a very versatile vegetable that brilliantly takes on the flavors used to marinate and cook it.
Before you head to the grocery store to pick up essentials for your Memorial Day cookout, consider adding the season’s spiciest vegetable to your shopping list: cabbage.
This leafy vegetable, when grilled, takes on what chefs and dieticians call a meaty texture and charred flavor that can be enhanced with a wide variety of marinades and dressings.
But in addition to being fashionable, cabbage has a great nutritional contribution.
It contains fiber, half the daily amount of vitamin K, one-third of the daily amount of vitamin C and ten percent of the day’s folate.
This leafy vegetable also contains traces of manganese, vitamin B6, calcium, potassium, vitamin A, iron and riboflavin.
When grilled, cabbage takes on what chefs and dietitians call a meaty texture and charred flavor that can be enhanced with a wide variety of marinades and dressings.
Cabbage contains fiber, half the daily amount of vitamin K, one-third of the daily amount of vitamin C, and ten percent of the day’s folate.
Cabbage belongs to the cruciferous family, along with broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and kale.
They all contain cancer-fighting compounds and the power to keep inflammation under control, reducing the risk of heart problems.
The trend is good news for farmers. The total amount of collards harvested in 2020 was 58,600 acres, the estimated gross value per fresh market acre is $8,630 per acre.
Seventy-eight percent of the country’s cabbage is produced in just five states: California, Wisconsin, New York, Florida and Texas.
Cabbage color can vary from green to red and purple, and the leaves can be smooth or wrinkled.
According ChefIQ: ‘Cabbage can sometimes get a bad reputation. This is mainly because when overcooked, it can give off an unpleasant sulfur smell.
“However, when cooked correctly, like in some of our favorite Smart Cooker recipes, this vegetable can add delicious variety to your meals.”
In addition to reducing inflammation, cabbage contains heart-healthy anthocyanins, which belong to the flavinoid family.
In a 2013 study in the journal Circulation involving 93,600 women, researchers found that those with a higher intake of anthocyanin-rich foods had a lower risk of having a heart attack.
It can also reduce levels of a fatty substance that can block arteries called cholesterol.
Soluble fiber helps reduce bad cholesterol by binding to the substance in the intestine and preventing it from being absorbed into the blood.
It’s worth noting that eating too many cruciferous vegetables can cause bloating and flatulence thanks to their high fiber content.
Dietitian and chef Laura Geraty told Axios that the vegetable is “really versatile” and called it a “meaty vegetable that can be cut into a ‘steak’ as a main dish.”
Grill it and add garnishes, such as creamy labneh or tangy lemon juice or herbs. The most popular way to eat cabbage is coleslaw, a staple for outdoor cooking.
About two cups are equivalent to a single serving and contain relatively few calories, depending on how it is served.
