A whole new meaning to cabbage patch... 

Sadly, most American households wrinkle their noses at the mere mention of this valuable, all powerful and sorely misunderstood vegetable. The word cabbage is usually enough to send children to their rooms with a myraid of excuses as to why they may not wish to eat their evening meal. While cabbage is a delicious and healthful staple in other countries, it is almost foreign to Americans, with the exception of good old fashioned cole slaw. Do recognize that this American cabbage specific, mayonnaise laden dish full of hydrogenated oils and other unmentionables, absolutely ruins the reason for eating such a healthful food in the first place.

Cabbage is a sturdy, strong and abundant vegetable. Hardy and easy to grow, it is almost universally available in all countries and cultures. Cabbage belongs to the all important family of cruciferous vegetables. The members of this family of vegetables are so named for their cross shaped (crucifer) flower petals. Rich in nutrition and fiber, cabbage is an absolutely phenomenal source of Vitamin C. Even more impressive is that cabbage is famous for a specialized, naturally occurring, nitrogenous compound known as indoles. Current research indicates that indoles can lower the risk of various forms of cancer.

Cabbage was popular with the ancient Greeks and Romans. An early Roman medicinal preperation blended lard with the ashes of burnt cabbage to make an ointment for disinfecting wounds. Throughout history, the Asian diet has been rich and abundant in cabbage and its various varieties. Epidemiological studies have found that men living in China and Japan experience a much lower rate of prostate cancer than their American counterparts. Similar data has been uncovered regarding breast cancer rates among women.

It is no wonder that the lowely, plain, boring cabbage gets rave reviews from the world of nutritionists. Cabbage is relatively cheap yet one of the richest when it comes to protective vitamins. Talk about the original weight loss food! One cup of cabbage contains only around 15 calories.

Cabbage is rich in the following nutrients:

Vitamin A: responsible for the protection of your skin and eyes.

Vitamin C: an all important anti-oxidant and helps the mitochondria to burn fat.

Vitamin E: a fat soluble anti-oxidant which plays a role in skin integrity.

Vitamin B: helps maintain integrity of nerve endings and boosts energy metabolism.

Modern science has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the health benefits and therapeutic value of cabbage, which also plays a role in the inhibition of infections and ulcers. Cabbage extracts have been proven to kill certain viruses and bacteria in the laboratory setting. Cabbage boosts the immune system's ability to produce more antibodies. Cabbage provides high levels of iron and sulphur, minerals that work in part as cleansing agents for the digestive system.

There are many different varieties of cabbage, so please, be brave and innovative. Green cabbage is the most popular, common and of course the one we are most familiar with. Take a walk on the wild side with Savoy cabbage. With yellow crinkled leaves, you can use this variety of cabbage as an alternate in many recipes. Let's not forget Bok Choy, a routine addition to Chinese recipes that has a sweet, light, celery type familiarity. Red Cabbage. It goes without saying in that it simply has to be good for you given all that beautiful plant pigment where the majority of nutrition is stored. Red cabbage is good in salads and is commonly pickled. Napa cabbage has a mild sweet taste and is incredible in stir fry dishes.

Whatever your choice of cabbage may be, enjoy a serving at least once a week along with your other valuable and health promoting cruciferous vegetables. Try to cook your cabbage lightly. Steaming and quick stir fry dishes are considered to be the best methods for preserving the power packed natural nutrition given so freely by Mother Nature. Cabbage soup anyone?

(some) Fat does have its benefits
A special Thank You to Sandra Newson for providing this article. 

Researchers have identified a number of benefits from consuming omega-3 fatty acids:

• Improving inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and asthma lowering blood pressure and triglycerides

• Increasing HDL (good) cholesterol

• Reducing depression, as well as the symptoms of bipolar disorder and Alzheimer's disease.

The American Heart Association recommends we consume the following amounts of omega-3s: or people without heart disease, at least two servings each week of a fatty fish such as salmon for people with heart disease, 1 gram each of DHA and EPA (types of omega-3s) daily or people with elevated triglycerides, 2 to 4 grams each of DHA and EPA daily, in capsule form. This supplementation should be done under your doctor's supervision.

Foods that naturally contain omega-3s include fish (salmon, tuna, white fish), flaxseed, walnuts, pinto beans, and broccoli, as well as canola, soybean, and flaxseed oils. To find out how much omega-3s are in some of the foods you eat, look up particular foods in  Nutrition Data.  Enjoy some of the really good fats — think about your intake of omega-3 fatty acids.

More than 106 million adults in the United States have cholesterol values higher than 200 mg/dl, a level that's considered elevated by the American Heart Association.
Reading labels to learn a food's cholesterol content is usually how most people start their cholesterol-lowering efforts. (You probably already know that diet and exercise can also help to lower cholesterol.)

But cholesterol content is only a part of the story. Saturated fat raises your cholesterol just as much as cholesterol itself. So the foods you eat should be low in both cholesterol and saturated fat. It is possible for foods to be higher in fat and still not contain any cholesterol. Oils, peanut butter, nuts, avocados, and non-dairy mayonnaise are high in fat but don't have any cholesterol because they don't contain any animal products. 

Next on the cholesterol-lowering list are foods that contain lots of fiber. Fiber-rich foods lower cholesterol because, as they pass through the intestines, the fiber absorbs bile and excretes it as waste. The liver must then pull more cholesterol from your blood to make more bile. 

But here's the catch on fiber: There are two types, soluble and insoluble. It's the soluble fiber that has been linked to lower cholesterol levels. You can find it in dried beans and peas, oats, barley, and many fruits and vegetables. 
How much fiber do you need each day? The average American takes in only 15 grams of fiber per day, well below the recommended 28 grams of fiber per day for a 2,000-calorie diet.

According to the research, just 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber per day can help lower cholesterol by 5 percent. When you cook, try adding lentils and fiber-fortified products like cereals and breads.

Check out the fiber content of these foods:

apple (with peel): 3 grams
pear (with skin): 4 grams
1 cup strawberries: 4 grams
one-half cup lentils: 4 grams
one-half cup spinach or peas: 2 grams
one-half cup bran cereal (varies by brand): 8 grams

But all you really need to remember is that, every single day, you can eat your way to lower cholesterol by consuming at least five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables, which are naturally high in fiber and low in fat. Think of fiber as a cheaper and healthier way than medicine to lower your cholesterol.   

© 2007 Johns Hopkins University. All Rights Reserved. This article from Johns Hopkins University is provided as a service by Yahoo. All materials are produced independently by Johns Hopkins University, which is solely responsible for its content.

11 Items You Don't Have to Buy Organic

The best way to reap the health benefits of fruits and vegetables without exposing yourself to potentially harmful pesticides is to choose organic produce whenever possible, especially those varieties which are more likely to be contaminated. But if organic produce is cutting into your budget, it's okay to buy non-organic varieties of the fruits and vegetables listed below, which tend to contain the least amount of pesticides. However, make it a habit to wash them thoroughly before eating or cooking, to remove dirt and bacteria. 

1. Asparagus
2. Avocados
3. Bananas
4. Broccoli
5. Cabbage
6. Corn (sweet, frozen)
7. Kiwi
8. Mangos
9. Onions
10. Pineapples
11. Peas (sweet, frozen)

Source: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/TIP02845/11-Items-You-Dont-Have-to-Buy-Organic.html