It's time for...cruciferous and leafy vegetables
Are you running out of
ideas to prepare healthy, affordable meals? Try something new: add
different varieties of cabbage to your menu.
Cruciferous vegetables are so-called because their small
four-petal flowers form a cross. They, along with thousands of
varieties of leafy vegetables, are part of the brassica family of
edible plants. It is impossible to overlook the impressive
nutritional qualities of these vegetables and the health benefits
they provide.
You already know many varieties of brassica vegetables. Here are a
few examples:
- Swiss chard
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Brussels sprout
- Cauliflower
- Watercress
- Radish
- Rapini
- Rocket (arugula)
- Spinach
- Turnip (rutabaga)
- And many leafy vegetables typically used in Chinese cuisine such as Bok choy (or pak choi) and Chinese cabbage.
Staggering virtues
Scientists now refer to brassica vegetables as “functional
foods” because they are known to help in the prevention of
many types of cancer, particular of the lung and digestive
system.
Like all vegetables, their anti-oxydant properties also help
prevent cardiovascular disease by keeping the heart healthy.
Because of the high bioavailability of the calcium contained in
these vegetables, one cup of cooked broccoli or bok choy provides
the same amount of calcium as one glass of milk.
Raw of cooked?
It is true that cooking vegetables somewhat reduces the amount of
nutrients they contain.
In cruciferous vegetables, cooking actually increases the
bioavailability (the quantity absorbed by the body) of their
anti-oxydants.
So, raw or cooked, eating them is good for you!
Eating cruciferous vegetables is not complicated
The strong taste of cruciferous vegetables can initially turn
people off. Here are a few tips to make them more appealing to your
family:
- Remove the lid from the pot as soon as the water begins to boil and continue cooking for five minutes. The escaping steam will take with it the strong taste of the vegetables.
- Serve them raw with some dip or in a salad.
- Add a little salt and lemon juice to the water before cooking.
Cabbage on the menu
Chinese cabbage
Chinese cabbage has a slightly spicy flavour that enhances any
vegetable dish.
Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi lies somewhere between an apple and a cabbage,
with a much lighter taste.
Bok choy
Bok choy is similar to Swiss chard and has a delicate
flavour.
Discover all our recipes with cabbage
Now that you know how good cruciferous vegetables are for you, why cross them off your list?