National Cabbage Day

Cabbage has been cultivated for more than 4,000 years and domesticated for over 2,500 years. Although cabbage is often connected to the Irish, the Celts brought cabbage to Europe from Asia around 600 B.C.E. Since cabbage grows well in cool climates, yields large harvests, and stores well during winter, it soon became a major crop in Europe. Early cabbage was not the full-bodied head we take for granted today, but rather a more loose-leaf variety. The head variety was developed during the Middle Ages by northern European farmers. It was French navigator Jacques Cartier who brought cabbage to the Americas in 1536.

Cabbage cousins include Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, kohlrabi, and cauliflower. The world’s largest cabbage is credited to William Collingwood of County Durham, England, whose prized cabbage in 1865 weighed in at 123 pounds.

Five Fun Facts:

Because cabbage requires only three months of growing time, one acre of cabbage will yield more edible vegetables than any other plant. This makes Cabbage a money saving food!
Cabbage is considered Russia’s national food. Russians eat about seven times as much cabbage as the average North American.
Babe Ruth used to wear a cabbage leaf under his hat during games. He would switch out for a fresh leaf halfway through each game.
Uncooked Cabbage is high in glutamine, an amino acid that is essential for intestinal health.
Red cabbage is a good source of flavonoids, a powerful antioxidant that can help protect your body against serious illnesses like cancer.

Five Cabbage Recipes:

Israeli Cabbage Salad – Shredded, bagged cabbage makes preparation of this delicious salad effortless.
Hot & Sour Slaw – You’ll soon be sweet for this Hot & Sour Slaw!
Un-stuffed Cabbage Soup– A classic, Cabbage Soup recipe that will even have teenagers asking for more.
Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup– When winter nights get cold and bleak, warm yourself over a steaming bowl of this rich and vibrant soup.
Sweet and Sour Cabbage Rolls – Hearty sweet and sour cabbage rolls are perfect for feeding a crowd. Serve them as an appetizer, side dish or as a main course.

Click for more cabbage recipes.

Nutritional Information for half a cup home prepared coleslaw:

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