Cabbage is an inexpensive and long-lasting vegetable that is common in many cuisines, including Asian, Irish, Polish and German cooking.
Green and purple cabbages are the most common but many other varieties of cabbage are available. Napa cabbage is longer and more cylindrical in shape than a typical round green or purple cabbage. Savoy cabbage looks like regular cabbage except for its crinkled outer leaves. Napa cabbage is sweeter than green cabbage and Savoy cabbage is milder. Both can be used in place of regular cabbage in recipes.
In a 1/2 cup serving, cabbage has only about 45 calories, less than 1 g of protein, around 2 g of carbohydrates and only trace amounts of fat. It has relatively low levels of nutrients, except that one serving contains about 15 percent of the recommended intake for vitamin C. Nevertheless, cabbage is a low calorie ingredient that complements many flavors.
To prepare a quick cabbage dish, simply remove the loose outer leaves, cut the globe in half and thinly slice each half to produce shredded cabbage. Mix the shreds with a vinegar and mayonnaise dressing for a quick coleslaw, add to any soup, or saute with onions and soy sauce for a fast side dish.
What to Look for
Heads of cabbage usually have a few loose darker green leaves on the outside and tightly packed leaves in the core. Choose cabbage heads that are large and dense, without blemishes or light spots.
For the best flavor, enjoy cabbage during its peak season in the late fall and winter. Instead of sticking to green cabbage, choose from among the many different varieties of cabbage. Each contains different levels and types of phytonutrients. For instance, purple cabbage contains more of the red-pigmented anthocyanins and savoy cabbage contains more beta carotene and lutein than green cabbage.
Common Pitfalls
Some common preparations for cabbage, like sauerkraut, can be very high in sodium. Also, as with any dressed salad, the fat content becomes high from oil or mayonnaise used in the dressing.
You may come across the cabbage soup diet, a week-long diet based on eating a low calorie cabbage soup for quick weight loss. Of course, a restrictive diet such as this is not a good idea, especially when commonly reported side effects of the diet are being light-headed, weak and dizzy.
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