(Riya Saha, Intern Journalist)A recent study published in the Clinical and Translational Allergy Journal linked cabbage, cucumbers, and fermented cabbage and cucumbers to differences in death rates of European countries.
Note-This study in no way proves that cabbage beats COVID-19, the study hasn’t been peer-reviewed and its results are observational at best, so for right now it’s just good food for thought.
However, it does highlight that eating cabbage, cucumbers and vegetables, in general, provides our bodies with powerful nutrients that are known to support the immune system which is what we need to stay healthy. What we eat is one thing we can control in the fight against this virus.
Cabbage contains phytochemicals such as sulforaphane, which gives it its distinct smell and has powerful health benefits. Cucumbers, cabbage, and other dark leafy greens contain vitamin A, C, E, potassium, lutein, and zeaxanthin which are also powerful antioxidants that promote good eye health, support a healthy immune system and decrease chronic inflammation which can damages cells and hinders immune function.
The compounds found in cabbage along with fermentation in foods such as kimchi, coleslaw, pickles, and sauerkraut give you a double dose of goodness! Fermented vegetables are a great source of probiotic bacteria which is essential for good gut health and a strong immune system but the vegetable also gives you a great source of prebiotic fiber which feeds those bacteria and keeps them healthy and growing. The health benefits of the combination of fermentation and nutrients in veggies can’t be beaten.
Thus, add cabbage in your diet a few times a week, such as in soups and stews, add to salads or tacos in place of lettuce, eat it roasted as a side dish, as well as trying your hand at making your own fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut or fermented pickles.
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