Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. Capitata ssp. Alba)

The cabbage It is the most widely used cabbage variety worldwide. We know it by this common cabbage name, but also as murcian cabbage, red cabbage, smooth cabbage, and even cheese cabbage. Its scientific name is brassica oleracea there. Capitata ssp. Sunrise. It belongs to the same family as purple cauliflower and they keep some characteristics similar to other companions of the Cruciferous family, among which we have the turnip, watercress and radish.

In this article we are going to tell you what are the main characteristics of cabbage as well as the needs it requires for its correct cultivation. Do you want to know more about cabbage? In this post you will find everything 🙂

Table of Contents

  • 1 Key features
  • 2 Cabbage benefits
  • 3 Crop requirements
  • 4 How to grow cabbage

Key features

nutritional properties of cabbage

Cabbage is a vegetable that comes from central Europe. At present, both for its properties and for its use and fame, it is cultivated throughout the world. In ancient times, great properties were attributed to this vegetable. Today it is known that thanks to it, digestion can be facilitated and the consequences of excessive alcohol intake on the body can be reduced.

It is a vegetable whose calorie content is quite low. It is ideal to fill and satisfy our appetite without adding hardly any calories to our diet. It only has 23,5 kcal per 100 grams. ANDThis is due to the fact that its highest content (as occurs in almost all vegetables) is water. The carbohydrate content is very small and, if we compare it with its high fiber content, it makes it a good food for any diet. As for proteins, it has 1,4% and fat is negligible.

When we introduce vegetables, greens and fruits, what we are looking for is to fill our deposits of minerals, vitamins and water. Thus, cabbage is a very good food due to its high content of minerals such as potassium. This mineral is the one that is found in the highest proportion, but not everything remains here, but it also has minerals that are found in quite acceptable quantities and that serve for the correct functioning of the body such as magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, zinc and iron. It is also perfect for low sodium diets, since its content is negligible.

In the part of vitamins we can observe a high content of vitamin C in addition to others such as vitamin A and folates.

Cabbage benefits

cabbage characteristics

With all the nutritional properties that we have seen, it can be said that cabbage is a perfect food to complement any type of diet and provide the body with the nutrients it needs for its proper functioning. Now we are going to analyze the benefits it can bring us if we include it in our diet once or twice a week.

  • Improves digestion. Thanks to the vitamins and minerals that we have seen previously, cabbage helps us to have a better digestion. If we eat it raw, it may be something indigestible, but the ideal is to take it cooked. It is very good for people who have intestinal problems due to its high fiber content. For those who suffer from constipation and colitis, cabbage is ideal.
  • It is perfect for people with heart problems. Thanks to its low sodium and fat content combined with its high potassium content, it is ideal for people with hypertension and some type of heart disease.
  • Helps fight obesity and diabetes. By having so few calories per 100 grams but a high satiating power, it helps control obesity and diabetes. If a person wants to lose weight, they will have to eat calories below their daily maintenance level, therefore starvation is almost inevitable. With the regular intake of cabbage, the feeling of satiety can improve our day to day so that we do not feel without energy.
  • Anti-cancer properties. Like the rest of its family, the Crucifers, have anticancer properties.

Crop requirements

cabbage requirements

For anyone who wants to have cabbage crops in their home garden, we are going to analyze the needs that we have to meet and how to grow them.

The first thing to consider is the weather. Although cabbage can be grown in almost every type of climate in the world, it does not withstand frost well. There are some varieties capable of withstanding temperatures down to -10 degrees, but it is not the most common. One of the advantages it has over other plants is that they are not affected by the sea breeze, so we can plant it in places near the sea.

It is a vegetable that needs a lot of moisture due to the width of its leaves. When they photosynthesize, cabbages lose a lot of water through their leaves, due to their large leaves. Therefore, we must water frequently but avoiding waterlogging at all times. If we water and leave a puddle of water, we can lose our crop due to suffocation of the roots and some rot.

If we want it to grow well, we must take into account its demands with regard to soil nutrients. It is necessary to compost the entire bottom with manure or a natural compost that is decomposed. Without these nutritional needs of the soil, it will not be able to grow properly.

Finally, another aspect to consider is the substrate. Although cabbages adapt quite well to almost all types of soils, it is best to have a deep soil rich in humus. If we sow the cabbages in a place close to the sea, we can even have some specimens with better quality and with a more intense color.

How to grow cabbage

cabbage cultivation

Must bury the seeds to a depth between 0,5 and 1 cm. We can sow it at the beginning both in a seedbed and directly in the ground. Wherever they are, they must be buried with a layer of soil and decomposed compost.

When about 40-50 days have passed since its sowing, we must transplant it to an area with a 50 × 50 cm frame. The central shoot should not be covered when transplanting the seedling, since it is quite fragile and we could lose the crop.

Finally, it is necessary to make an underpinning with soil on the stem so that it can support the weight of the plant when it grows more.

I hope that with this information you can learn more about cabbage.

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. Capitata ssp. Alba)

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