eMKambo Vibes – 15 January 2015
Healthy eating - what makes the cabbage special in homes and the market Increasing consumer awareness about healthy eating is one of the reasons cabbage has gained a foothold in Zimbabwean farming areas, markets and households. Consumers from diverse income levels recently shared many reasons why cabbages are becoming popular as a raw ingredient in salads and cooked vegetables:
Cabbage has virtually no fat. One cup of shredded raw cabbage contains 50 calories and 5 grams of dietary fibre. Cabbage can be steamed, boiled, braised, micro-waved, stuffed, or stir-fried, and eaten raw. One cup of shredded raw cabbage contains 190% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C. Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin K. 1 cup (150 grams) of shredded, boiled cabbage contains 91% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin K. Cabbage and its relatives (broccoli, cauliflower,) are rich sources of phyto-chemicals, naturally-occurring plant chemicals that may protect people against some forms of cancer such as colon, stomach, breast and prostatic cancers. Cabbage juice has shown antibacterial properties. Cabbage has also shown anti-inflammatory benefits.
As if the above is not enough, every serious farmer likes cabbage for its high-yielding merits, adaptation to a wide range of climates, low susceptibility to pests and diseases and demand for low chemical inputs compared to other commercial crops. While the cabbage comes in different colours such as green, purple and white, the white cabbage is more common in Zimbabwe. Some of the cabbage varieties that have grabbed the interest of farmers include: the Star range (3311, 3301, 3316 and 3317); Indica plus, Megaton and Fabiola, to name just a few. Characteristics that make all these varieties attractive include: head size, leaf types, growth period, furnishness, head polishness and maturity periods. Star 3311 variety is most preferred because of its best furnish while Star 3316 has the second best furnish. Green Star 3301 has a good frame and can only be grown in winter. It is popularly known as the King of uniformity because it grows uniformly in the field unlike other varieties. Megaton has a similar furnish to Star 3311 but has the best head size referred to as the Jumbo size. The Coton variety is too leafy while Fabiola variety is smart and small, early maturing (60 days).
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