Can cabbage be juiced?
Juicing vegetables and fruits has become an increasingly popular way to get more nutrients into your diet. While leafy greens like kale, spinach, and chard are common ingredients in green juices, what about cabbage? Cabbage is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. But is it an appropriate veggie to juice? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of juicing cabbage.
The Potential Benefits of Cabbage Juice
Cabbage is part of the cruciferous vegetable family, which also includes broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and Brussels sprouts. These veggies contain glucosinolates, which are plant compounds that have cancer-fighting properties. Cabbage is especially high in vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, potassium, and manganese.
When cabbage is juiced, these nutrients become very easy for your body to absorb quickly. Juicing extracts the juice from the cabbage, leaving behind the insoluble fiber. This allows you to take in a concentrated dose of cabbage nutrients.
In particular, cabbage juice may provide these benefits:
- Aids digestion – Cabbage juice contains insoluble fiber, which promotes gut health.
- Boosts immunity – The high vitamin C content in cabbage juice supports immune function.
- Anti-inflammatory – Cabbage contains antioxidants and phytochemicals that reduce inflammation.
- Detoxification – Sulfur-containing compounds in cabbage may support liver detoxification.
Cabbage juice is especially popular as a traditional remedy for stomach ulcers. The juice is thought to contain compounds that help build the mucosal lining of the stomach. Cabbage juice has also been used to treat certain cardiovascular conditions.
Potential Downsides of Cabbage Juice
While cabbage juice does provide important nutrients, there are some potential disadvantages to consider as well:
- Gas and bloating – The high sulfur content in cabbage can cause unpleasant gas and abdominal discomfort.
- Goitrogens – Compounds in cruciferous veggies may impact thyroid function if consumed in extremely high amounts.
- Low in fiber – Juicing cabbage removes the insoluble fiber, an important part of cabbage’s nutritional value.
- Nutrient loss – Some nutrients like vitamin C degrade rapidly when cabbage is juiced and exposed to air.
If you have thyroid issues, you may want to avoid drinking large amounts of cabbage juice. And to get the most nutritional bang, drink your cabbage juice right after making it.
Tips for Juicing Cabbage
If you want to give cabbage juicing a try, here are some tips:
- Use green cabbage rather than red – Green cabbage has a milder flavor.
- Combine it with other produce – Mix cabbage juice with carrots, apples, spinach, or celery.
- Drink immediately – Consume cabbage juice right after making it.
- Start slow – Introduce small amounts of cabbage juice to avoid gas and bloating.
You can make cabbage juice in both centrifugal and masticating juicers. A masticating juicer like a vertical auger juicer may extract slightly more juice from cabbage leaves. But both types will get the job done.
Cabbage Juice Recipes
Here are a few nutritious cabbage juice recipes to try:
Detox Green Juice
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Green cabbage | 2 cups chopped |
| Celery stalks | 2 |
| Cucumber | 1 small |
| Lemon | 1/2 fruit |
| Ginger | 1-inch knob |
| Apple | 1 |
Juice all ingredients and stir. Drink immediately. This green cabbage juice is packed with detoxifying compounds to cleanse your body.
Anti-Inflammatory Purple Cabbage Juice
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Purple cabbage | 3 cups chopped |
| Carrots | 3 large |
| Orange | 1 fruit |
| Ginger | 1-inch knob |
Juice ingredients together. The antioxidants in purple cabbage and carrots make this an anti-inflammatory powerhouse drink.
Cabbage Digestive Aid Juice
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Green cabbage | 2 cups chopped |
| Fennel bulb | 1 small |
| Ginger | 1-inch knob |
| Pear | 1 |
| Apple | 1 |
Juice all ingredients together. The combination of cabbage, fennel, and ginger makes this juice perfect for promoting digestion.
The Bottom Line
Cabbage juice can provide important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The sulfur compounds may have anti-ulcer effects, and cabbage juice is traditionally used to treat certain digestive conditions. However, juicing also removes the insoluble fiber from cabbage. To get the most benefits from cabbage, it may be better to eat it raw or lightly cooked.
If you want to juice cabbage, choose green cabbage over red for milder flavor. Combine cabbage with fruits like apples or carrots and greens like spinach to increase the phytonutrient content. Introduce cabbage juice in small amounts at first to see how your body handles it. Overall, juicing cabbage in moderation can add variety and nutrients to your juicing routine.