While cabbage water may sound like a very unusual beverage to consume, surprisingly, it may be one of the best things you can do for your body. This true “superfood” is known as such thanks to its incredible medicinal properties.
Why is cabbage water so beneficial? It’s loaded with polyphenols, rich in calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, and iodine, as well as containing vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, K and folic acid.
Powerful Nutrients In Cabbage Water
Cabbage stands out when it comes to antioxidants known as polyphenols, which are said by experts to be the primary factor in its overall antioxidant capacity. The high level of antioxidants in cabbage are what helps it to lower the risk of developing cancer by battling chronic oxidative stress.
Polyphenols play a key role in maintaining overall health and wellness. As a group, antioxidants help to protect the body’s cells from free radical damage, which in turn controls the rate at which one ages. If the body is not protected adequately, an over abundance of free radicals occur which causes the cells to perform poorly, eventually leading to tissue degradation. That, according to renowned health expert Dr. Mercola, then ups the risk of developing things like cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
Calcium, magnesium, and potassium
Cabbage, along with all cruciferous vegetables, is an excellent source of minerals, including calcium, magnesium, and potassium. These essential minerals are a very important part in helping to protect the bones from degrading, as well as the onset of diseases like osteoporosis. The presence of potassium also helps to lower the risk of high blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
The sulfur compounds found in cabbage are particularly noted for help to prevent and even battle some types of cancer. A study published in the August 2003 issue of the International Journal of Cancer suggested that consuming a lot of cruciferous vegetables, like cabbage, may increase the odds of survival for women who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer, considered to be one of the most aggressive cancers, killing some 14,000 American women every year. Their research found that 49% of those who ate nearly a serving a day were still alive after five years, compared to 42% who ate half a serving of cruciferous veggies.
Vitamin A is essential for bone growth, as well as for our reproduction and immune system health. It helps the skin and mucous membranes fight off bacteria and viruses more effectively and plays an important role when it comes to vision health. It may also slow declining retinal function in those with retinitis pigmentosa.
5 Reasons To Save Cabbage Water
There are a number of ways to take advantage of cabbage water to improve your health, including these.
1. As an alcohol detox
When you consume too much alcohol, it interferes with the digestive system. If you’ve ever over-imbibed, you’ve probably experienced that horrible morning after feeling that often includes an upset stomach, or worse. That’s because alcohol destroys a large amount of good bacteria in the gut, which can inhibit the body’s ability to absorb essential vitamins and minerals.
Cabbage water, as discussed on Women’s Health Talk, can help cleanse the digestive system and aid in detoxifying the body, thanks to its wealth of nutrients. Experts recommend starting out by drinking one glass of cabbage water a day, taken in the morning on an empty stomach, and gradually increasing that to twice each day.
2. Treat stomach ulcers
Thanks to its high level of phytonutrients, cabbage water can even treat stomach ulcers. The duodenal ulcers of patients who were fed cabbage healed in one-third the usual time. Research conducted on 45 inmates at California’s San Quentin Prison found that 93 percent of the ulcers in prisoners healed after taking cabbage water concentrate in capsules for just three weeks. The experts believe it works by helping to strengthen the stomach lining’s resistance to acid attacks.