The history of origin and the first mention of cabbage. Botanical characteristics, culinary traditions, properties. TOP-23 facts about white cabbage, which you did not know.
White cabbage is a healthy vegetable widely used in cooking. It is also used for medicinal purposes, as it has numerous properties valuable for health. Despite the fact that cabbage is a familiar part of our diet, it can surprise. If you dig a little into its history, you will find that it is not as simple as it seems. Further 23 unusual facts about white cabbage.
The mysterious origin of white cabbage
By the way, people have been preparing dishes from white cabbage since time immemorial. Ancient chronicles testify to this. Mentions of such a vegetable were found during archaeological excavations, and they lead no less to the Stone and Bronze Age.
But, the most interesting thing is that it is still unknown where such a miracle plant comes from. Scientists only put forward the assumption that it is rooted in Asia. However, there is no exact confirmation of the speculation. It looks like the cabbage came out of nowhere. And then she began to appear on the table in different dishes. Equally interesting is the fact about cabbage that it is completely unclear where it grew wild. That is, in ancient sources, only a cultivated plant is mentioned.
Well, some countries did not fail to start controversy over this. Today, three states at once claim the title of the homeland of the vegetable - that is, the place from where the cultivation of white cabbage began. For several centuries Georgia, Greece and Italy have not been able to divide it among themselves.
7 facts about the spread of cabbage around the globe:
- In the 15th century BC, fresh white cabbage was held in high esteem by the Egyptians. They discovered the vegetable not only from the point of view of cooking - the massive use of white heads began to treat a variety of ailments. The doctors at the court of the pharaoh strongly recommended feeding the children with cabbage and starting it as early as possible for the health of the younger generation.
- The first botanical descriptions of cabbage were made in Ancient Greece by the naturalist Theophrastus between 372-287. BC. The great healer and philosopher Hippocrates also mentioned the vegetable.
- In the VII-V centuries. BC. the vegetable has already been used for food in the Caucasus.
- Europeans knew exactly about the delicious fruits of the earth in the 8-9 century AD. This is evidenced by the decree of the Frankish king Charlemagne, who lived from 742 to 781.
- The product reached the Slavic peoples in the 9th century. It is believed that the vegetable got here thanks to the Greco-Roman colonists who settled in the Black Sea region.
- The first mention and description of white cabbage by the chroniclers of Ancient Russia dates back to 1073. She came from Europe, very quickly became widespread, since the cool climate suited her perfectly.
- Since no one knows where the seeds of white cabbage came from, how man bred it, the ancient Romans sincerely believed in the divine origin of the vegetable. They believed that round heads of cabbage are nothing more than drops of sweat that once rolled off the head of the god Jupiter. It is from here that the name of white cabbage comes from: the word comes from the ancient Roman "kaputum", which means "head". Well, the shape of the beloved fruit really resembles a head.
Interesting botanical characteristics of cabbage
Even children will not hesitate to call cabbage a vegetable. But if we speak in terms of botany, it is fundamentally wrong to call heads of cabbage "fruits". This word means that which develops from the ovary of a flower. Another difference between the fruit is the presence of seeds in it.
If white cabbage is not a fruit, then what? She will endlessly surprise you with this! After all, in fact, we eat nothing more than … a kidney. The part that people call the stump is actually a kind of stem.
3 interesting facts about cabbage varieties and its closest relatives
- A Greek philosopher, physician and mathematician named Evdem, who lived in the 4th-3rd century BC, in his "Treatise on Herbs" named as many as three varieties of cabbage. That is, the ancient Greeks not only cultivated the plant, but also engaged in selection with might and main.
- In Russia, the State Register of Plants Permitted for Use contains more than 400 varieties and hybrids of white cabbage.
- The so-called garden cabbage is grown not only in order to cook borscht from it and put it on the table - it is a popular garden plant. It is especially loved in Japan, where unique decorative varieties come from. They are appreciated for the fact that bright vegetation adorns flower beds until severe frosts. Moreover, color saturation occurs just with a cooling down to -10 degrees. Ornamental cabbage differs from white cabbage in the shade of leaves: they are green and white, red-purple. When leaves with fringed edges are folded into a rosette, they are much closer to flowers than to the heads of cabbage we are used to.
Cabbage in culinary traditions
How many interesting cabbage salads exist today, amazing dishes - both hearty, healthy, and nutritious! Probably, they are countless if you collect recipes in all countries of the world. Respectful attitude to the product has been laid for millennia. However, they did not always happily put it on the table.
While white cabbage was planted at a high rate in Hellas, neither the rich nor the famous disdained it, the inhabitants of Ancient Rome were much more picky. For example, the real gourmet Lucullus publicly declared that in no decent house a head of cabbage dish would simply not be put on the table. Of course, at the same time, ordinary people willingly crunched cabbage leaves. Moreover, ordinary peasants often contented themselves with that: they chopped off a head, added salt and caraway seeds, and hardly saw any other food.
By the way, if Lucullus disdained even the most interesting cabbage dishes, another great personality - Horace, the poet of the Golden Age of Roman literature - appreciated its taste. Until our time, evidence has been preserved that he simply adored such a vegetable. Most of all, Horace loved to dine on cabbage with fatter pork.
TOP 4 facts about cabbage in the cuisines of different countries
- Although each state has its own ways of preparing dishes from heads of cabbage, there is also something that unites the inhabitants of almost all civilized countries. Yes, we are talking about sauerkraut. Just think, in honor of her, in fact, national celebrations are held not only in different countries - on several continents. After all, such festivals, where people are generously treated to sauerkraut, are held in November in Russia - in Cheboksary and Veliky Ustyug. In the same month, they organize something similar in Korea. True, they prefer their own analogue - kimchi cabbage. In October, festivals dedicated to sauerkraut are held in Switzerland, in the American Ohio, in France, in various localities of Germany - we are talking about the acclaimed Oktoberfest throughout the world.
- Even if the love for sauerkraut unites countries and continents, they make it in completely different ways. We can say that every nation has its own secrets. For example, if in Russia, during the preparation of white cabbage for salting, it is customary to crumple it with your hands, in Poland it is trampled underfoot. Yes, yes, as the brilliant Celentano in the film "The Taming of the Shrew" trampled grapes.
- Really interesting is the fact about white cabbage, that people even learned to make … wine from it. The inventive Japanese have come up with this. True, life itself pushed them to experiments. In Yamanashi Prefecture, the city of Narusawa grows an excellent harvest of white cabbage. But in one year, residents were simply shocked by the volume of vegetable reserves. So it was decided to try to put heads on wine. The result pleased the Japanese! The result is a dark yellow drink with a strong alcoholic smell, while it contains only about 13%. The uniqueness of the wine is that it took the best of the taste properties of the juice of white cabbage. That is, the taster highlights cabbage notes, but they are moderate, so the drink is very pleasant.
By the way, the legendary cabbage soup is only in the understanding of our contemporaries exclusively soup. But before the twentieth century, this word was called … a drink. In fact, this is nothing more than a kind of kvass. And only closer to our era, a hearty and interesting dish of white cabbage appeared under the same name.
Interesting properties of white cabbage
Maybe our distant ancestors did not like white cabbage in its raw form or in the form of dishes with its taste, but no one dared to doubt its benefits. For example, the well-known Pythagoras is credited with the words that cabbage represents supports vigor and cheerful mood. And it's easy to believe in them, if you remember that he was not only a mathematician, but also an Olympic champion, a master of fist fighting! Modern scientists have proven that fresh white cabbage contains vitamins that will really energize and help maintain good spirits.
Also in historical documents it is written that the philosopher Diogenes was, in fact, on a cabbage diet. True, not for the sake of losing weight, as contemporaries do, dreaming of getting rid of fat - the great man appreciated the benefits of white cabbage. Moreover, except for a vegetable, Diogenes did not eat anything. The philosopher just did not forget to drink clean water: perhaps, thanks to her and the heads of cabbage, he lived to be 90 years old. For that era, it was a real record.
5 health benefits of white cabbage
- The composition of the vegetable is surprisingly harmonious. It contains almost all vitamins necessary for health. This is a set of elements capable of ensuring the normal functioning of the body. So it is not surprising that white cabbage is ideal for weight loss: it supplies everything a person needs for strength, but not an ounce of excess.
- Heads of cabbage contain a large amount of vitamin C. In terms of the content of this element, the vegetable is quite capable of competing with oranges and lemons. So don't underestimate its importance in the cold and flu season. It is useful to know that there is more vitamin C in the early varieties of white cabbage, but in the later varieties it lasts longer.
- It was in cabbage that the so-called antiulcer factor, also called vitamin U, was identified at one time. It is extremely valuable, since it is not synthesized in the body, it comes exclusively with food. Moreover, cabbage is called its main source. Therefore, it is important to add it to your diet. Doctors, knowing about such properties of white cabbage, even prescribe to specially drink its juice for the treatment of gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, gastritis and colitis.
- White cabbage is indispensable for diabetes. This is due to the minimal content of sucrose and starch. So the need for insulin decreases. Having a low calorie content, white cabbage also helps to accelerate metabolism. Due to this, it is especially indispensable in type II diabetes, if the patient is obese.
- The properties of white cabbage are invaluable when it comes to eliminating intestinal congestion. The fact is that its juice starts the processes of decomposition of decay products. It is because of this that gas evolution begins, which confuses people. In fact, the vegetable does the most important job of helping to get rid of toxins and toxins.
Myths and truths about white cabbage
It would be strange if for many centuries and even millennia of cultivation of this plant myths about cabbage did not arise. It is high time to debunk some of them. But there are also true, albeit extremely surprising facts about cabbage, interesting for both children and adults.
True or Fiction:
- White cabbage for women - salvation from small breasts … It has already been scientifically proven 100% that the love of heads of cabbage is completely unrelated to large mammary glands. Their size is genetically determined. So you shouldn't bother with the question: cabbage to increase the bust is a myth or reality. It's enough to think a little: if food affects our bodies so much, why doesn't a carrot grow a long, long nose?
- If a bruise or bruise appears, the chest hurts with mastitis, you must attach a cabbage leaf … Many people remember from childhood how their mother applied such a leaf to an injured knee or other place, often leaving it for the night, and in the morning, removing the faded one, she was happy, they say, the inflammation was gone. Is this really nothing more than blind faith in the miraculous properties of the plant? Is it a myth that cabbage draws out inflammation, you can figure it out by remembering its composition. Since the vegetable contains a large amount of vitamin C, it effectively helps in the fight against free radicals. They also provoke inflammation. In addition, cabbage reduces the protein that the liver makes when it responds to an irritant or injury. Understanding such mechanisms, it is already possible to scientifically substantiate the miraculous effect.
- White cabbage has the ability to remove a hangover … By the way, they talked about this back in Ancient Greece. The most interesting thing is that scientists have confirmed such an interesting information about white cabbage. The whole secret is in vitamin B. Due to the saturation of the body with oxygen, this element prevents the development of a negative scenario. That is, the consequences of drinking alcohol are minimized.
- There is a connection between cabbage and theatrical skits … One would involuntarily want to protest such a fact. But in fact, this is the most that neither is the real truth. The fact is that once every winter season the actors ended with heart-to-heart gatherings. But, since they fell on Great Lent, they had to confine themselves to meager treats. Someone came up with and made a cabbage pie according to an interesting recipe. It took root and became an irreplaceable attribute of theatrical gatherings.
Watch a video about the properties of sauerkraut:
In conclusion, it is worth recalling that there are contraindications to this product, no matter how useful it may be. Possible harm from white cabbage at high pressure, kidney and gall bladder stones, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in the acute stage. The vegetable is carefully added to the diet for people who have had a heart attack. Restrictions are inevitable after performing abdominal or chest surgery. By the way, modern pediatricians recommend giving white cabbage to a child from three years old, not earlier, in contrast to Egyptian doctors who adhered to other beliefs.
