Cabbages
Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, bok choy and even cauliflower, you're sure to quickly find the varieties you and your whole family will love! We've been growing cabbage for ages. It is delicious and really good for you!
Varieties
Bok-Choy
Flavour : crunchy stems with a mild, sweet, refreshing flavour, and leaves that are slightly less sweet
How to choose ?Look for cabbages with compact, firm, fresh stems. The leaves can be softer, however, particularly if they will be used for cooking.
Collard greens
Leaf type : smooth, thick and veined
Flavour : strong, almost spicy
How to choose ?Choose collard greens with firm, brightly coloured, relatively small leaves.
Brussels sprouts
Leaf type : miniature heads
Flavour : bitter and strong
How to choose ?Choose firm, compact, shiny green Brussels sprouts with no yellowed leaves.
Cauliflower
Leaf type : white, green, orange or crimson florets
Flavour : mild
How to choose ?Choose cauliflower with a firm, compact head and leaves that are still a lovely green.
Kale
Leaf type : large, curly and fibrous
Flavour : strong
How to choose ?Look for kale that has firm leaves with good colour.
Napa cabbage
Flavour : more delicate and sweeter than regular cabbage
How to choose ?Look for cabbages with compact, firm, fresh stems. The leaves can be softer, however, particularly if they will be used for cooking.
Kholrabi
Flavour : sweet, but also spicy, reminiscent of turnip
How to choose ?Choose smooth bulbs with no spots. The leaves should be firm and quite green.
Red cabbage
Leaf type : thick, veined and very crunchy
Flavour : mildly spicy
How to choose ?Select heavy, compact cabbages with shiny leaves.
Savoy cabbage
Leaf type : curly and crunchy
Flavour : mild and delicate
How to choose ?Select heavy, compact cabbages with shiny leaves.
Green cabbage
Leaf type : crunchy and curly
Flavour : delicate and slightly sweet
How to choose ?Select heavy, compact cabbages with shiny leaves.
Health Properties
A vegetable known for having its head on straight!
Cabbage is one of the healthiest vegetables there ever was! So we have everything to gain from eating it regularly.
What's all this about antioxidants?
Antioxidants are today's major stars in terms of health properties. This is good news, because cabbage has plenty!
And the winner is...red cabbage!
It has the most antioxidants, about twice the amount as other cabbage varieties. Its bright red colour in fact comes from flavonoids, antioxidants it contains in great quantities.
Cabbage: a veritable goldmine of nutrition
Although cabbage varieties are outstanding anticancer foods, we should never overlook the many nutrients they also contain. Cabbage is bursting with vitamins and minerals in amounts that vary according to the variety. Leading nutrients include vitamin C, vitamin K, iron, manganese and certain B vitamins.
Did you know?
The many varieties of cabbage are "heavyweights in the ring when it comes to effectively stopping the spread of cancer."
From Foods that Fight Cancer: Preventing Cancer Through Diet, by Richard Béliveau Ph.D. and Denis Gingras Ph.D., (McClelland & Stewart, 2006), p. 81.
To preserve its fascinating health properties, cabbage must not be cooked in too much water.
Glucosinolates, the molecules that help restrict cancer development, are water soluble, meaning that they dissolve in water. Cabbage can be eaten raw, lightly cooked in a bit of water or sautéed in a pan.