Start Drinking Cabbage Juice Now – This Is Why
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We are often told that the herbivorous clan amongst us is relatively deprived of essential nutrients. But, guess what, dear vegetarian folks, you have more than paneer and potato to boast of. The humble cruciferous vegetable, cabbage is not just an excellent source of vitamin C but also a powerhouse of glutamine, antioxidants, vitamin K, vitamin B6, dietary fiber, potassium, folate, copper, and the list goes on (1). Red, green or purple cabbage, this vegetable has multiple health benefits and here’s why you should juice it up and drink it regularly to derive its medicinal benefits. (If you want to miss the gyaan and want to know how to make the juice, scroll to the last and read the simple procedure).
1. Helps In Weight Loss
This super healthy juice can be your secret weapon to lose weight. Its low-calorie content makes it a healthy weight-loss beverage. Cabbage juice resets your hormones for faster weight loss. It’s time you ditch those aerated beverages and other fruit beverages and switch to cabbage juice. It helps you feel fuller for longer and prevents hunger pangs. Its rich dietary fiber helps in improving digestion. Cabbage juice works wonders to improve your bowel movements and detoxify the liver (2).
2. It Can Do Wonders For Your Skin
This superfood is rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals that are the holy grail of skin nutrition. Additionally, it’s also rich in vitamin C, a common ingredient in skincare products. If your skin is dry and stiff, you’re probably lacking vitamin C. Drinking cabbage juice will strengthen your skin, increase its elasticity, and heal it.
3. Safe Cure For Ulcers
Cabbage juice is a safe and medically acclaimed cure for ulcers. It has natural sources that can protect the digestive tract by healing the mucous membrane lining. A study published by the Western Journal of Medicine reveals that 13 patients were cured of ulcers at a rather faster pace than by regular treatment by drinking cabbage juice (3). Medical experts have found that cabbage juice has vitamin U, an anti-peptic ulcer vitamin that prevents the formation of histamine-induced peptic ulcers.
4. Can Prevent Cancer
We would all like to live in a time when cancer is just another zodiac sign, but today, unfortunately, cancer has become one of the most fatal diseases. To prevent the occurrence of it in our lives, we should aim to include healthy foods like cabbage in our diet. A diet that’s rich in cabbage can reduce the possibility of breast cancer significantly. Studies have found that eating cabbage or drinking the juice at least once a week can reduce the risk of oral, colorectal, esophagus, kidney, and breast cancers (4).
5. Reduces Bad Cholesterol
Studies have found that cabbage is also rich in polyphenols that reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases by lowering the LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels, controlling the blood pressure, and preventing the platelet build up (5). Cabbage also helps in binding the bile acids to lower the bad cholesterol levels.
How To Juice The Cabbage
Well, this might seem like a no-brainer, but juicing a cabbage isn’t just about putting the cabbage leaves in the mixer. There’s a little prep that goes on before that step. First, soak the cabbage in a mixture of warm water and apple cider vinegar. By doing this, you will be ridding the cabbage of any pesticides and chemicals if present. Next, you should chop the cabbage into half and slowly add smaller chunks of it into the juicer. We know that cabbage can taste awful in its raw, juiced form, so if you want to acquire the taste for it gradually, combine celery and carrots with it. It’s three Cs to do the trick-Cabbage, Celery, and Carrots.
If you wish to level up the benefits of raw cabbage juice, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of salt to the juice to make fermented cabbage juice. While this might sound weird you would be surprised to know that it’s actually dubbed as a superfood. Here’s how to make fermented cabbage juice.
Ingredients:
3 cups of chopped cabbage
3/4th cups of water
1 tablespoon of sea salt/ regular salt
Directions:
Fill the blender with chopped cabbage, salt, and water. Blend this mixture on slow speed to get small pieces. Don’t make a puree. Pour this blended mixture in a glass jar and ensure there’s enough room for expansion. Let this mixture sit for three days at room temperature. Post that, strain the mixture to separate the pulp and the juice. Keep the fermented juice in the fridge and drink half a cup of the juice with equal parts of water. However, if you suffer from a thyroid condition consult your doctor before you consume the juice as it might affect you adversely.
How To Select And Store Cabbage
Now that you know how beneficial this cruciferous vegetable is, you would definitely be making a trip to grocery store to fetch some cabbage. Before you go, make sure you know how you get the fresh cabbage. Choose cabbage heads that are firm. Refrain from buying cabbage that has cracks, blemishes, bruises or wilted leaves. Go for cabbage that has dense, shiny, and crisp leaves.
Once you’ve got the right cabbage, store it in a plastic bag in the crisper of your fridge. Red and green cabbage will last for 2 weeks if stored in this manner, whereas savoy cabbage can make it up to a week. If you’re storing a cut cabbage head, wrap it tightly and consume it soon. The vitamin C content of the cabbage diminishes rapidly once it has been cut.
Would you try this juice? Let us know in the comments below.
