Cabbage is a familiar vegetable to all of us, even those who don't cook often have seen it. But did you know that it is also called "Brassica oleracea var. capitata"? Different varieties of cabbage originated from the Mediterranean to the North Sea coast. The ancient Romans and Greeks cultivated cabbage as early as 4000-4500 years ago. In Northeast China, it is commonly known as "da tou cai", while in Yunnan it is called "lian hua bai".
Cabbage is cultivated in various regions and is primarily used as a vegetable and feed.
It is mainly cultivated and harvested in spring and autumn, and used fresh.
Characteristics: The stem is fleshy and short, flat round or conical, with a diameter of 10-40cm, and covered with layers of leaves. The leaves gradually decrease in size from the outer layer to the inner layer, and are round, inverted egg-shaped, or broad kidney-shaped when fresh, with wider main veins. The outer leaves are green or bluish-green, while the inner leaves are milky white. The leaves are either completely green or have shallow blunt teeth on the edges, and are thick in texture. When dried, the leaves are light yellow-brown and thin in texture. It has a mild odor and taste.
Pharmacological effects: Seed extracts have certain antibacterial effects, but the whole plant has almost no antibacterial effects. The leaves (after heat treatment) have a local stimulating effect and can relieve gallbladder pain. The volatile oil contained in the seeds of the same plant, B. oleracea L., has properties similar to mustard oil and has antibacterial effects on bacteria, fungi, and yeast. Some reports suggest that certain varieties of cabbage need to be stored at room temperature for several days to have antibacterial effects. There are also reports that the yellow solid in the fruit peel is an antibacterial component.
Processing: Take the rootless cabbage, remove any dirty outer leaves, and wash it before use.
