Posted on Tuesday, January 14, 2025

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by AMAC, D.J. Wilson

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Cabbage is a healthy food. While it has a stronger taste and texture as compared to regular lettuce, it offers many health benefits. Ease into good eating habits for the new year by adding cabbage to your food repertoire.

What’s new in cabbage?

If you’re over 50, it’s likely that during your childhood, iceberg lettuce was the main base of garden salads eaten at home. Per Smithsonian Magazine, iceberg lettuce was mainly popular back in the day because it was the only variety of lettuce that could survive cross-country travel without spoiling. Lucky for us, times have changed. Now consumers have access to specialty lettuce such as red leaf, green leaf, and romaine. Back in the day, cabbage was also available in markets due to its long shelf life and reasonable cost. However, it was often chosen for cooked dishes like stuffed cabbage rather than being eaten raw. In recent times, chefs have been increasingly experimenting with cabbage – using it in fermented foods and expanding its use in raw salads.

Iceberg lettuce vs. green cabbage

While mild-tasting iceberg lettuce produces a crisp salad texture, it is not as nutritious as green cabbage. Though the two look similar and both are salad worthy and crunchy, there are remarkable differences. Not only do they yield from different families of vegetables, but their flavors are dissimilar. Cabbage is more pungent and peppery, whereas iceberg has a mild and less pungent taste. However, if you’re seeking a crispy salad, and want something more nutritious than iceberg lettuce, choose green or red cabbage. Healthline explains some health benefits. Cabbage is… “higher in minerals than iceberg lettuce. It contains more calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese. It also contains more fiber, a nutrient essential to digestive health.” From this, one may conclude that cabbage is generally healthier than iceberg lettuce.

Picking cabbage

When selecting cabbage, choose those that are firm, compact, unblemished, and with a bright and fresh look. Also, select those that are under 2 lbs. and feel heavy for their size. To learn more about selecting the best of all vegetables and storing them, visit Whole Foods Market free Guide to Vegetables.

Putting it in a salad

Cabbage should be thoroughly washed just before use. Remove and discard the outer leaves and tough core, then cut the cabbage head into wedges. Thoroughly rinse the wedges under cold running water in a colander. Shake and pat the cabbage dry to remove excess moisture.

Interested in serving cabbage in salad form? Check out this easy green cabbage side salad recipe:

Easy green cabbage side salad

Serves 6 to 8

For salad base, combine:

• 6 cups fresh green cabbage, finely shredded
• 1 cup craisins (dried cranberries) or 1 cup raisins
• ⅓ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 3 green onions, finely sliced

For dressing, combine:

• ⅓ cup high-quality olive oil
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon dried mint
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced

Optional topping (add just before serving):

• 4 slices crispy cooked bacon, crumbled

Instructions: Drizzle the desired amount of dressing over the salad base to coat. Gently toss. Let salad sit covered in the fridge for two to four hours before serving. Gently toss again and add the optional bacon topping before serving.

Tips for meat-free recipe: Want to keep this recipe meat free? Skip the bacon and add croutons for a topping instead. Or offer the cooked bacon on the side.

Note: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a medical resource. People are encouraged to talk to their doctors before trying new foods.