Corned beef and cabbage, which many of us think of as a traditional Irish dish, may actually have originated with the English. The Irish, though, popularized the dish through exporting corned beef. This dish has nothing to do with corn, despite its name; the "corned" part of corned beef and cabbage refers to the rock salt traditionally used to make it, which was called "corns of salt." It offers a wide range of nutritional value.
Basic Nutrition
A meal consisting of 5 oz. of corned beef and 1 cup of cooked cabbage provides 340 calories and 15 g of fat. Monitor your fat intake to ensure you do not ingest too much -- eating 20 to 35 percent of your calories each day from fat should be your limit. Forty percent of the calories in a serving of corned beef and cabbage come from fat. Much of the fat in corned beef and cabbage is the dangerous type of fat; 5 g are saturated fat and 1 g is trans fat, or hydrogenated fatty acids. Both of these can increase your risk of heart disease. A serving of this dish also provides you with 10 g of carbohydrates and 19 g of protein.
Vitamins
Whether you eat corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day -- the time of year when this dish is traditionally served -- or on some other day, you'll get a boost in your vitamin A intake. Each serving of corned beef and cabbage contains 80 percent of the daily recommended intake of this vitamin. Vitamin A provides antioxidant benefits, preventing free radical damage to your cells, tissues and organs, and it promotes the health of your eyes. Vitamin C, another antioxidant, is also found in significant amounts in corned beef and cabbage. One serving contains 40 percent of the amount you need each day. Your body requires this vitamin to make collagen, a compound found in your ligaments, tendons, blood vessels, skin and cartilage. Without enough of this vitamin, you may experience slower wound healing.
Minerals
Corned beef and cabbage is a good source of iron. This mineral helps make up red blood cells in your body, which help you get oxygen to your limbs and organs. It also becomes part of the enzymes and proteins your body uses to function correctly. Because corned beef and cabbage contains high levels of vitamin C, your body's iron absorption is increased. You also get a small amount of calcium in corned beef and cabbage; one portion contains 8 percent of the daily recommended intake.
Considerations
Due to the way corned beef is prepared, a serving of corned beef and cabbage is very high in sodium -- one serving contains almost the entire daily limit. A portion of this dish has 1,110 mg of sodium, although this amount may vary if you use lower-sodium corned beef. You may also make this dish at home, substituting a different type of beef to cut down on your sodium intake. Consuming more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day regularly can have negative health consequences.
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