Winter has been knocking at our doors for last few weeks. It comes with various crops and vegetables. Interesting thing is winter gives us higher variety of crops and vegetables rather than any other season. And today we are presenting here two common vegetables which carry the sign of winter.
A leafy vegetable from the wide family of brassicas, yes it's the Cabbage, grown annually and we eat its dense green or purple leaves in many different dishes. In Bengali it's called 'Bandhakopi', scientific name 'Brassica oleracea var capitata'. Head of cabbage can grow from 0.5 to 4 kilograms, is rich in vitamins and minerals, has almost no fat and is very rich in fiber which makes it very healthy to eat. We don't know for certain where cabbage appeared for the first time because many plants belong to the family of brassicas, they grow around the world and today's cabbage descends from them. In Bangladesh during winter all most everywhere of the plain territory cabbage is cultivated. Interesting thing is some of our northern districts are produce cabbage before early winter. Told that in western Europe some 3,000 years ago from its wild predecessors that had thick leaves that retained water which allowed them to survive in colder places with less water. In the East, cabbage is used since the 4,000 BC and was cultivated in North China. These variants were nonheading cabbages and were domesticated by Celts of central and western Europe. Mesopotamia also knew about cabbages while the ancient Egyptians didn't cultivate cabbages until the times of the Ptolemaic dynasty.
Health benefits of cabbage
* Helps detoxify the body: Cabbage is packed with vitamin C and sulphur, both of which remove toxins such as free radicals and uric acid from the body. Free radicals cause per oxidization of tissue stores, which may lead to the proliferation of malignant cells. Flushing out free radicals does a great deal to reduce the cell-damaging toxins in your body.
* Lowers blood pressure: Cabbage is rich in potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure by counteracting the harmful effects of excess sodium in your body.
* Regulates blood sugar: Ever wonder what the difference is between red cabbage and the green varieties? Red cabbage is colored by battalions, a natural red pigment that gives cabbage and beets their distinctive color. It also lowers blood sugar levels and aids in insulin production.
* Antioxidant: Red cabbage has polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants that are good for the brain and heart health. They also have gulcuosinolates, which are cancer-fighting antioxidants.
* Promotes brain health: Cabbage is rich in iodine which improves brain function and keeps the nervous system running. Iodine also helps prevent and treat neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.
* Weight loss: Cabbage is packed full of beneficial vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients and low in calories. If you eat a whole pile of cabbage you will feel full and get plenty of your required nutrients, but not gain many calories. It is also cheap, so it is a great food for eating healthy on a budget.
"A cauliflower is nothing but a cabbage with a college education." -Mark Twain
Cauliflower isn't young; you can easily imagine that as Mark Twain spear some words for this popular vegetable. Its history and ancestry traces to the wild cabbage and has similarities in appearance with kale or collards. This vegetable is believed to have originated in ancient Asia Minor and has undergone a lot of transformations. In our country Cauliflowers is called 'Phulkopi', scientific name 'Brassica oleracea var botrytis. Winter is the ideal season for it's extensive availability. As generally ours is a plain land country and thus we can say that almost everywhere Cauliflowers is cultivated in winter. It was popular in Europe, specifically in France in the 16th century and was first introduced in North America in the late 1600s.
Health benefits of cauliflower
1. High in anti-oxidants: Cauliflower contains a ton of vitamin C and manganese, as well as carotenoids. This floret packs a punch in fighting free-radicals.
2. Anti-inflammatory properties: Due to its high vitamin K content, cauliflower helps to reduce inflammation. It also has omega-3 fatty acids, the same healthy fats found in salmon and flax seeds, but with the added bonus of practically no calories.
3. Fiber: The average daily recommendation for fiber exceeds 25 grams. Eat some cauliflower and you'll be contributing over 3 grams to your daily total, helping cleanse your digestive tract.
4. Increased blood flow: Decrease chronic ailments such as atherosclerosis, a leading cause of heart attack and stroke. Cauliflower can help keep your blood flowing to essential organs of the body!
5. Vitamin packed: Cauliflower boasts a cornucopia of B vitamins: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 9 to be exact. That includes folic acid, so if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, be sure to add this vegetable to your weekly consumption.
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