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Bok Choy and Other Cabbages
Speed ulcer healing and improve digestive health
Help prevent cataracts
Cut risk of birth defects
May reduce risk of cancer
May lower risk of heart disease and stroke
Cabbage is a nutritional king. A member of the cancer-fighting cruciferous family, it's loaded with protective compounds and useful nutrients. If you only eat it as mayo-drenched coleslaw at the family picnic, you're missing out on a bonanza of healing benefits.
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F.Y.I.
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With its high vitamin C content, cabbage improves resistance to infections.
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Raw cabbage juice is a traditional ulcer remedy, and studies have validated its effectiveness. Researchers think a substance called gefarnate may be responsible; it stimulates cells to produce a layer of mucus that protects the stomach from acid.
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A one-cup serving of bok choy contains as much calcium as one-half cup of milk, making it a good food for building and maintaining strong bones and teeth. And it's the richest leafy green source of boron, which also helps preserve bone density.
The Best of the Best
While all cabbages are good for you, some are even better.
Frequently used in stir-fries and other Asian dishes, bok choy, or Chinese cabbage, is higher in nutrients than regular cabbage. One cup of chopped bok choy contains almost the entire RDA for the antioxidant beta-carotene; it's also high in vitamin C and potassium, all of which are crucial to maintaining normal blood pressure and heart health.
Savoy cabbage is another standout; it, too, is high in disease-fighting beta-carotene, as well as in vitamin C.
Cancer Fighters
Like other cruciferous vegetables, cabbage contains indoles, phytonutrients that seem to deactivate powerful estrogens that stimulate the growth

 
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