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{{About|the vegetable}}
{{Infobox Cultivar | name = Cabbage
| image = Cabbage and cross section on white.jpg
| image_width = 350px
| image_caption = Cabbage and its cross section
| species = ''[[Brassica oleracea]]''
| group = Capitata Group
| origin = [[Mediterranean]], 1st century
| subdivision = <div align="left">
[[White cabbage]] (''capitata'' var. ''alba'' L.)
<br>[[Red Cabbage]] (var. ''capitata'' f. ''rubra'')
<br>[[Savoy cabbage]] (''capitata'' var. ''sabauda'' L.)
}}

'''Cabbage''' is a popular [[cultivar]] of the species ''[[Brassica oleracea]] Linne'' (Capitata Group) of the Family [[Brassicaceae]] (or Cruciferae) and is a [[leafy green vegetable]]. It is a [[herbaceous]], [[biennial plant|biennial]], [[dicot]]yledonous [[flowering plant]] distinguished by a short stem upon which is crowded a mass of leaves, usually green but in some varieties red or purplish, which while immature form a characteristic compact, globular cluster (''cabbagehead'').

The plant is also called ''head cabbage'' or ''heading cabbage'', and in Scotland a ''bowkail'', from its rounded shape. The Scots call its stalk a ''castock'',<ref>[http://www.oedilf.com/db/lim.php?Word=castock OEDILF - Word Lookup.] The Omnificent English Dictionary In Limerick Form.</ref> and the British occasionally call its head a ''loaf''.<ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/loaf loaf of cabbage definition] dictionary.com (from Random House).</ref>
It is in the same genus as the [[turnip]] – ''Brassica rapa''.

Cabbage leaves often have a delicate, powdery, waxy coating called ''bloom''. The occasionally sharp or bitter taste of cabbage is due to [[glucosinolate]](s). Cabbages are also a good source of [[riboflavin]].

== History ==
[[Image:CabbageFarmer.jpg|thumb|Cabbage farmer in [[Gardena, California]], 1951]]
The cultivated cabbage is derived from a leafy plant called the [[Brassica oleracea|wild mustard]] plant, native to the [[Mediterranean]] region, where it is common along the seacoast. Also called ''sea cabbage'' and ''wild cabbage'',<ref>[[s:1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Cabbage|1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Cabbage - Wikisource.]]</ref> it was known to the ancient [[ancient Greece|Greeks]] and [[ancient Rome|Romans]]; [[Cato the Elder]] praised this vegetable for its medicinal properties, declaring that "It is the cabbage that surpasses all other vegetables."<ref>"Brassica est quae omnibus holeribus antistat." (''[[De Agri Cultura]]'', sect. 156.) [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cato/De_Agricultura/K*.html#note114 LacusCurtius • Cato On Agriculture — Sections 156‑157](English). [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/L/Roman/Texts/Cato/De_Agricultura/K*.html LacusCurtius • Cato — de Re Rustica, Capitula CLVI‑CLVII](Latin). Bill Thayer's Website.</ref> Cabbage was developed by ongoing selective breeding for suppression of the internode length.
The English name derives from the [[Norman language|Normanno]]-[[Picard language|Picard]] ''caboche'' (head), perhaps from ''boche'' (swelling, bump). Or perhaps from the Latin for "head": Caput. There is an Italian dialect word for head: Capoccia.

==Uses==
The only part of the plant that is normally eaten is the leafy head; more precisely, the spherical cluster of immature leaves, excluding the partially unfolded outer leaves. Cabbage is used in a variety of dishes for its naturally spicy flavor. The so-called "cabbage head" is widely consumed raw, cooked, or preserved in a great variety of dishes.<ref>[http://southernfood.about.com/od/cabbagerecipes/Cabbage_Recipes.htm Cabbage Recipes and Cabbage Soup Recipes.] Southern Food and Recipes - Southern-Style Recipes, Crockpot Recipes, Casserole Recipes, and More Recipezaar: "Where the World's Recipes Are".</ref> It is the principal ingredient in [[coleslaw]].

===Cooked===
{{quotation|''"Cabbages are extremely windy, whether you take them as meat or as medicine, as windy meat as can be eaten, unless you eat bag-pipes or bellows, and they are but seldom eaten in our days; and [[cauliflower|Colewort flowers]] are something more tolerable, and the wholesomer food of the two."''|[[Nicholas Culpeper]]|[http://www.bibliomania.com/2/1/66/113/frameset.html A Complete Herbal]|1653}}
[[File:Stuffed Cabbage Golomki.jpg|thumb|left|Stuffed [[Cabbage roll|cabbage rolls]], known in Polish as [[Gołąbki|golabki]] ]]
Cabbage is often added to [[soup]]s or [[stew]]s. Cabbage soup is popular in [[Central Europe|Central]] and [[Eastern European cuisine|eastern Europe]], and cabbage is an ingredient in some kinds of [[borscht]]. ''[[Garbure]]'' (from Provençal ''garburo'') is a thick soup of cabbage or other vegetables with bacon. Cabbage may be an ingredient in ''[[kugel]]'', a baked pudding served as a side dish or dessert. Cabbage is also used in many popular dishes in India.
Boiling tenderizes the leaves and releases [[sugar]]s, which leads to the characteristic "cabbage" aroma. Boiled cabbage has become stigmatized because of its strong cooking odor and the fact that it causes [[flatulence]]. Moreover, boiling reduces the cabbage's anticancer properties.<ref name='boil'>{{cite news | first= | last=Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick | coauthors= | title= Research Says Boiling Broccoli Ruins Its Anti Cancer Properties. |date=2007-05-15 | publisher= | url =http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/research_says_boiling/ | work = | pages = | accessdate = | language = }}</ref> It is often prepared and served with boiled meat and other vegetables as part of a ''[[New England boiled dinner|boiled dinner]]''. [[Harold McGee]] has studied the development of unpleasant smells when cooking [[brassica]]s and reports that they develop with prolonged cooking. According to
[http://units.sla.org/division/dfan/FFT/vol32no1.pdf Corriher's Compendium], smell doubles when prolonging cooking from five to seven minutes; for best results cabbage should be sliced thinly and cooked for four minutes.

[[Cabbage roll]]s, a type of ''[[dolma]]'', are an East European and Middle Eastern delicacy. The leaves are softened by [[parboiling]] or by placing the whole head of cabbage in the freezer, and then the leaves are stuffed with a mixture of chopped meat and/or rice. Stuffed cabbage is called ''[[holishkes]]'' in Yiddish, ''holubky'' (Slovak and Czech), ''holubtsi'' (Ukrainian), ''gołąbki'' [ɡɔˈwɔmpki] (Polish), ''golubtsy'' (Russian), ''balandėliai'' (Lithuanian), ''tīteņi'' (Latvian), ''kohlrouladen'' (German) or ''töltött káposzta'' (Hungarian). It literally translates as "little pigeons" in Polish, Slovak and Lithuanian.<ref>[[Holubky]]</ref>

A vegetable stuffed with shredded cabbage and then pickled is called ''mango''.<ref>[http://www.massrecipes.com/recipes/97/11/stuffedmangopeppers277564.html Stuffed Mango Peppers Recipe #277564 @ Mass Recipes.] "Massive amounts of recipes!"</ref>

The largest cabbage dish ever made was on 19 December 2008 in the [[Macedonia (country)|Macedonian]] city of [[Prilep]], with 80,191 [[sarma (food)|''sarmas'']] (cabbage rolls) weighing 544&nbsp;kg (1,221&nbsp;lbs).<ref>http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/adjudications/090109_Cabbage_dish.aspx</ref>
''[[Bubble and squeak]]'' consists of potatoes and cabbage or, especially formerly, potatoes, cabbage and meat fried together. Potatoes and cabbage or other greens boiled and mashed together make up a dish called ''[[colcannon]]'', an Irish Gaelic word meaning white-headed cabbage, grounded in Old Irish terms for cabbage or kale (''cāl''), head (''cend'' or ''cenn'') and white (''find''). In the American South and Midland, "corn dodgers" were boiled as dumplings with cabbage and ham.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=fWE5ppfnbGgC&pg=PA267&lpg=PA267&dq=cabbage+%22corn+dodger%22&source=web&ots=geA1PmbM4R&sig=VJ0yhcd2xQLCMYtXvpc0fuPKfRI&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=13&ct=result Daniel Health and Disease: A Book for the People, by William Whitty Hall.] Published by H.B. Price, 1859. Page 267. Google Book Search.</ref>

===Fermented and preserved===
Cabbage is the basis for German ''[[Sauerkraut]]''. Chinese ''[[suan cai]]'' and Korean ''[[kimchi]]'' are produced using the related [[Chinese cabbage]]. To pickle cabbage, it is covered with a brine made of its own juice with salt, and left in a warm place for several weeks to ferment. Sauerkraut (colloquially referred to as "kraut") was historically prepared at home in large batches, as a way of storing food for the winter. The word comes from German ''sauer'' (sour) and ''kraut'' (plant or cabbage) (Old High German ''sūr'' and ''krūt''). Cabbage can also be pickled in vinegar with various spices, alone or in combination with other vegetables (turnips can be cured in the same way).

===Medicinal properties===
{{nutritionalvalue | name=Cabbage, raw | kJ=103 | protein=1.28 g | fat=0.1 g | carbs=5.8 g | fiber=2.5 g | | sugars=3.2 g | iron_mg=0.47 | calcium_mg=40 | magnesium_mg=12 | phosphorus_mg=26 | potassium_mg=170 | zinc_mg=0.18 | vitC_mg=36.6 | pantothenic_mg=0.212 | vitB6_mg=0.124 | folate_ug=53 | vitK_ug=76 | thiamin_mg=0.061 | riboflavin_mg=0.040 | niacin_mg=0.234 | right=1 | source_usda=1 }}
Cabbage is an excellent source of [[vitamin C]]. It also contains significant amounts of [[glutamine]], an [[amino acid]] that has anti-[[inflammation|inflammatory]] properties. Cabbage can also be included in [[dieting]] programs, as it is a low calorie food.

Along with [[broccoli]] and other ''[[Brassica]]'' vegetables, cabbage is a source of [[indole-3-carbinol]], a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4688854.stm | title = Broccoli chemical's cancer check | work = BBC News | accessdate = 5 September 2010 | date = 7 February 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100629131316.htm | title = How Dietary Supplement May Block Cancer Cells | work = Science Daily | accessdate = 5 September 2010 | date = 30 June 2010}}</ref> The compound is also used as an adjuvant therapy for [[Laryngeal papillomatosis|recurrent respiratory papillomatosis]], a disease of the head and neck caused by human papillomavirus (usually types 6 and 11) that causes growths in the airway that can lead to death. Boiling reduces anticancer properties.<ref name='boil'/>

In European folk medicine, cabbage leaves are used to treat acute inflammation.<ref>{{cite web |author=Helen M Woodman |title=Cabbage leaves are poor man's poultice |publisher=British Medical Journal |url = http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/327/7412/451-c |accessdate = 12 December 2006}}</ref> A paste of raw cabbage may be placed in a cabbage leaf and wrapped around the affected area to reduce discomfort. Some claim it is effective in relieving painfully engorged breasts in breastfeeding women.

Fresh cabbage juice has been shown to promote rapid healing of [[peptic ulcer]]s.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Cheney G. |title=Rapid healing of peptic ulcers in patients receiving fresh cabbage juice |journal=Calif Med|volume=70 |issue=10 |pages=10–5 |year=1949 |pmid=18104715 |pmc=1643665}}</ref>

===Effect on the thyroid gland===
Cabbage may also act as a [[goitrogen]]. It blocks [[organification]] in thyroid cells, thus inhibiting the production of the thyroid hormones ([[thyroxine]] and [[triiodothyronine]]). The result is an increased secretion of [[thyroid-stimulating hormone]] (TSH) due to low thyroid hormone levels. This increase in TSH results in an enlargement of the thyroid gland ([[goiter]]).<ref>Hypothyroidism and Nutrition
http://www.drkaslow.com/html/thyroid.html
http://www.drpodell.org/alternative_thyroid_treatments.shtml
http://healingdeva.com/thyroid.htm
http://standing1.home.mindspring.com/thyroid/badfood.html
Eat Right or Die Young by Dr. Cass Ingram:
"Certain foods contain chemicals which block the production of thyroid hormone, particularly cabbage, broccoli, rutabaga, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, watercress, and peanuts. Cooking partially inactivates the interfering chemical, known medically as a goitrogen. Thus, in most cases it is wise to eat these foods cooked. Raw peanuts or soybeans should never be eaten. Fortunately, peanut butter is heated to a high enough degree that the goitrogens are destroyed."</ref>

==Varieties==
[[Image:Cabbage Kosovo.JPG|thumb|right|Cabbage for sale in [[Pristina]], [[Kosovo]]]]
There are many varieties of cabbage based on shape and time of maturity.<ref>[http://www.foodsubs.com/Cabbage.html Cook's Thesaurus: Cabbages.]</ref> Cabbages grown late in autumn and in the beginning of winter are called "coleworts"; their leaves do not form a compact head.<ref>[http://www.answers.com/colewort Colewort: Definition from Answers.com.] "Online Dictionary, Encyclopedia and much more".</ref> "Colewort" may also refer to a young cabbage. The word comes from Latin ''caulis'' (stalk of a plant, cabbage) and Old English ''wyrt'' (herb, plant, root). A "drumhead" cabbage has a rounded, flattened head. An "oxheart" cabbage has an oval or conical head. A "pickling" cabbage, such as the red-leafed cabbage, is especially suitable for pickling; 'Krautman' is the most common variety for commercial production of sauerkraut. [[Red cabbage]] is a small, round-headed type with dark red leaves. [[Savoy cabbage]] has a round, compact head with crinkled and curled leaves.<ref>[http://italianfood.about.com/od/aboutingredients/a/aa011508.htm Cavolo Verza - Savoy Cabbage.] Italian Food.</ref><ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/07/AR2007110700730.html The Joy of Savoy Cabbage.] By Barbara Damrosch. The Washington Post, 8 November 2007; Page H07.</ref> Winter cabbage will survive the winter in the open in mild regions such as the southern United States; the name is also used for Savoy cabbage. Other traditional varieties include [[white cabbage]], 'Late Flat Dutch', 'Early Jersey Wakefield' (a conical variety), 'Danish Ballhead' (late, round-headed), 'Cuor di Bue Grosso' (conical heads, from [[Italy]]), 'Copenhagen Market Cabbage' (large round heads, from [[Denmark]]), and 'Mammoth Red Rock' (large round heads with deep red leaves).

==Production==
The most cabbage (including [[Chinese cabbage]] and other [[brassicas]]) in the world is produced in China, followed by India and then the [[Russia|Russian Federation]].
[[File:2005cabbage.PNG|thumb|left|Cabbage output in 2005]]
{| border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" width="100%" class="wikitable" align=left style="clear:left"
! colspan=5|Top ten producers of cabbage and other brassicas — 11 June 2008<ref group="table">{{Cite web| url=http://faostat.fao.org/site/567/DesktopDefault.aspx?PageID=567#ancor| accessdate=22 August 2009| title=Food And Agricultural Organization of United Nations: Economic And Social Department: The Statistical Division| publisher=[[Food and Agriculture Organization]]}}</ref>
|-
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="25%" | Country
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="15%" | Production ([[Tonne]]s)
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="10%" | Footnote
|-
| {{PRC}} || align=right |{{Convert|36335000|t}}|| align=right | <ref group="table" name="F">Food And Agricultural Organization estimate</ref>
|-
| {{IND}} || align=right |{{Convert|5283200|t}}|| align=right |
|-
| {{RUS}} || align=right |{{Convert|4054000|t}}|| align=right | <ref group="table" name="F"/>
|-
| {{KOR}} || align=right |{{Convert|3000000|t}}|| align=right | <ref group="table" name="F"/>
|-
| {{JPN}} || align=right |{{Convert|2390000|t}}|| align=right | <ref group="table" name="F"/>
|-
| {{POL}} || align=right |{{Convert|1375900|t}}|| align=right |
|-
| {{UKR}} || align=right |{{Convert|1300000|t}}|| align=right | <ref group="table" name="F"/>
|-
| {{IDN}} || align=right |{{Convert|1250000|t}}|| align=right | <ref group="table" name="F"/>
|-
| {{USA}} || align=right |{{Convert|1171350|t}}|| align=right |
|-
| {{ROM}} || align=right |{{Convert|1120000|t}}|| align=right | <ref group="table" name="F"/>
|-
| bgcolor=#cccccc|{{noflag}}'''World'''
| bgcolor=#cccccc align=right | '''{{Convert|69214270|t}}'''
| bgcolor=#cccccc align=right | <ref group="table" name="A">Aggregate (may include official, semi-official or estimates)</ref>
|-
|colspan=5|{{Reflist|2|group="table"}}
|}
{{-}}
Sometimes, young cabbages are picked early when they are tender and small, and eaten as "baby veggies". Those vegetables are more tender and sweet than older picked cabbages, and can be stored for a longer time.

==Diseases==
Among the many destructive diseases affecting the cabbage and often other members of the cabbage family<ref>[http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/factsheets/ColeCrops_List.htm Cole Crop Fact sheets list.] Cornell University.</ref> are:
* ''blackleg'' or ''black stem'', caused by certain fungi (such as ''Phoma lingam''); lesions in the stem near the soil surface become sunken and dark, and may girdle the stem<ref>[http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r108100411.html UC IPM: UC Management Guidelines for Black Leg on Cole Crops.] University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program.</ref>
* ''black ring'' or ''black ring spot'', caused by a virus; necrotic, dark and often sunken rings on the leaf surface<ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ICTVdb/ICTVdB/00.057.0.01.072.htm CTVdB Virus Description - 00.057.0.01.072. Turnip mosaic virus.] Universal Virus Database (ICTVdB), International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. On Website of the National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information.</ref>
* ''[[black rot]]'', caused by a bacterium (''[[Xanthomonas campestris]]'')
* ''cabbagehead'', abnormal growth in rutabagas caused by larvae of a gall midge (''Contarinia nasturtii'') feeding in basal part of the stalks<ref>[http://www.nysipm.cornell.edu/factsheets/vegetables/cruc/sm.pdf IPM Fact Sheet Swede Midge 1/20.] New York State Integrated Pest Management Program.</ref>
* ''cabbage yellows'' or ''cabbage wilt'', caused by a fungus (''[[Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. betae|Fusarium oxysporum]]'' or ''Fusarium conglutinans''); yellowing and dwarfing
* ''[[clubroot]]'', common, caused by a [[protist]] (''Plasmodiophora brassicae''), formerly classified as a [[slime mold]]; swellings or distortions of the root, followed often by decline in vigor or by death
* ''wire stem'', caused by a fungus (''Pellicularia filamentosa'' or ''[[Rhizoctonia solani]]''); constricted, wiry stem; similar to damping-off but attacks older seedlings

==Pests==
(See also [[List of Lepidoptera that feed on Brassica|List of Lepidoptera that feed on ''Brassica'']]).

Many insects and other pests infest cabbage plants, among them:
* [[cabbage worm]], any of numerous insect larvae that feed on cabbages:
** [[imported cabbage worm]], the green larvae of the cabbage butterfly or cabbage white, any of several largely white butterflies (family [[Pieridae]], type genus ''[[Pieris (butterfly)|Pieris]]'', garden whites); they include a small cosmopolitan form (''P. rapae''), called also small white; a larger Old World form (''P. brassicae''), called also large white; a common North American form (''[[Pontia protodice|P. protodice]]''), called also checkered white or southern cabbage butterfly; and the [[green-veined white]] (''P. napi''), occurring in Europe and North America; larvae eat the leaves, are toxic to animals that consume the infested foliage
** cabbage moth or [[diamondback moth]] (''Plutella xylostella'') larva, cosmopolitan of European origin
** [[cabbage webworm]] (''Hellula undalis''), widely distributed, native to southern Europe or Asia, destructive in the U.S. Gulf states
** [[cutworm]]
* cabbage aphid, cabbage aphis or turnip aphid, widely distributed and destructive grayish-green plant louse (''[[Brevicoryne brassicae]]''); lives on leaves
* cabbage curculio, small weevil (''Ceutorhynchus rapae''); feeds within stems and on leaves<ref>[http://www.organicgardeninfo.com/cabbage-curculio.html Cabbage curculio] Organic Gardening Information.</ref>
* cabbage fly, [[cabbage root fly]], root fly or turnip fly (''Hylemya brassicae'' or ''Delia radicum'', family [[Anthomyiidae]]), adult of small white cabbage maggot or root maggot that feeds in roots and stems
* cabbage-leaf miner, small fly (''Phytomyza rufipes'') whose maggot is injurious<ref>[http://www.ukflymines.co.uk/Flies/Phytomyza_rufipes.html Mines of British flies and other insects - Phytomyza rufipes {Diptera: Agromyzidae}].</ref>
* [[cabbage looper]], pale green, white-striped measuring worm (''Trichoplusia ni''), larva of a moth of the family Noctuidae; feeds on leaves
* cabbage seedpod weevil (''Ceutorhynchus assimilis''), small, grayish black; related to the cabbage curculio, but smaller; feeds on and destroys developing seeds<ref>[http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex2538 Cabbage Seedpod Weevil.] Agriculture and Rural Development : Ropin' The Web, Alberta, Canada.</ref>
* cabbage snake, nematode worm of the family Mermithidae, parasitic on insect pests<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=o55OAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA78&lpg=PA78&dq=%22cabbage-snake%22+Mermithidae&source=web&ots=mDgWWa-4SL&sig=FG0n4c2uUiz-D6K4e-ABl1lVy_o&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result ''Sanitary entomology: The Entomology of Disease, Hygiene and Sanitation'', by William Dwight Pierce]. Published by R.G. Badger, 1921. Page 78.</ref>
* gamma moth or silver Y moth (''Plusia gamma'') larva; migratory European noctuid moth having a bright, silvery, Y-shaped mark on each fore wing<ref>[http://www.plantprotection.hu/modulok/angol/cabbage/moth_cab.htm Plant Protection - Cabbage.]</ref>
* harlequin cabbage bug (''Murgantia histrionica''), black stinkbug in tropical America and the warmer parts of the United States
* [[serpentine leaf miner]], grub that is the larva of a small fly (''Liriomyza brassicae''); eats out slender, white, winding burrows in the leaves
* [[striped flea beetle]] (''Phyllotreta striolata''); has a yellow line on each elytron
* [[zebra caterpillar]], larva of an American noctuid moth (''Ceramica picta''); light yellow with a broad black stripe on the back and lateral stripes crossed with white

==Related ''Brassica'' varieties and species==
Besides cabbage proper, the species ''Brassica oleracea'' has many distinctive [[cultivar]]s that are commonly known by other names. They include: [[broccoli]] (Italica group); [[Brussels sprout]]s (Gemmifera group), whose edible small green heads resemble diminutive cabbages; [[cauliflower]] (Botrytis group), whose flower cluster is used as a vegetable; [[Chinese kale]] or Chinese broccoli (Alboglabra group); [[kale]] or spring greens, a very hardy cabbage (Acephala group) that has curled, often finely cut leaves that do not form a dense head;<!---and that some{{Who|date=November 2010}} consider to be the original form of the cultivated cabbage---> [[collard greens]], a type of kale; and [[kohlrabi]] (Gongylodes group), having an edible stem that becomes greatly enlarged, fleshy and turnip-shaped. Hybrids include [[broccolini]] (Italica × Alboglabra group), [[broccoflower]] (Italica × Botrytis group) and ''choumoelliera'' or marrow cabbage (cabbage, kohlrabi and kale).

There are two species of Chinese cabbage (lettuce cabbage, ''pakchoi'', ''pechay'') from Asia that somewhat resemble cabbage and are widely used as greens: ''[[Brassica chinensis]]'', ''bok choy'' or celery cabbage, which forms a loose, chardlike head of dark green leaves, and ''[[Celery cabbage|Brassica pekinensis]]'', or ''pe-tsai'' (''peh-tsai''), forming an elongated compact head of broad, light green leaves. [[Rapeseed|Rape]], an annual herb (''Brassica napus'') of European origin but known only as a cultigen, differs from the cabbage in its deeply lobed leaves, which are not hairy like those of the turnip.

==Other "cabbage" plants==
[[File:Dojranski zelki.jpg|thumb|right|280px|Cabbage field near [[Dojran]], [[Republic of Macedonia]]]]

A number of other noncruciferous plants bear the name "cabbage" or are likened to it by their appearance, though many are not food plants with parts for human consumption.

*Several palms, called cabbage palm or cabbage tree, have a terminal bud (cabbage, palm cabbage or ''palmito'') eaten like cabbage as a vegetable, including:
** ''assai'' palm (''palmiste'', royal palm, sago palm, ''[[Euterpe edulis]]'')
** cabbage palmetto (palm cabbage, palm thatch, pond top, pond top palmetto, ''sabal'' palmetto, swamp cabbage, species ''Sabal palmetto''), a fan palm with an edible young terminal bud called "heart of palm"
** ''[[Cussonia]]'' genus, an araliaceous tree
** ''[[Livistona]]'', especially ''[[Livistona australis|L. australis]]'', from Australia, from which the fibrous leaves are plaited into the cabbage-tree hat
** mountain palm (''[[Roystonea oleracea]]''), a tall West Indian palm, the source of partridgewood
** saw cabbage palm (saw palmetto, ''[[Acoelorrhaphe wrightii]]'')
** ''ti'' (''[[Cordyline australis]]''), a medium-sized New Zealand tree

*Other kinds of trees seen as bearing a resemblance include:
** cabbage bark (genus ''[[Andira]]''), also called ''angelim'' or worm bark, whose bark (cabbage bark) is sometimes used in medicine as a vermifuge
** Surinam cabbage tree (''[[Andira retusa]]''), having bark that is used as an anthelmintic and cathartic
** black cabbage tree (''[[Melanodendron integrifolium]]''), with a campanulate involucre about the flower head
** cabbage gum (especially ''[[Eucalyptus pauciflora]]'' and ''[[Eucalyptus virgata|E. virgata]]''), probably so called from the fleshy leaves

*Still other cabbage-like plants include:
** cabbage rose (also moss rose, pale rose or Provence rose, ''[[Rosa centifolia]]''), a fragrant garden rose having full white or pink flowers, with a dwarf variety (''pomponia'') called ''pompon''
** deer cabbage (''[[Lupinus diffusus]]''), a lupine
** dog cabbage (dog's cabbage, ''[[Theligonum cynocrambe]]''), a fleshy southern European herb
** head lettuce (cabbage lettuce, ''[[Lactuca sativa|Lactuca sativa var. capitata]]''), distinguished by leaves arranged in a dense rosette, which ultimately develops into a compact head suggesting that of cabbage
** Kerguelen cabbage, a herb (''[[Pringlea antiscorbutica]]'', also called horseradish) in the family Brassicaceae, from the Indian Ocean island of Kerguelen
** Maori cabbage, the wild cabbage of New Zealand
** native cabbage (''[[Scaevola taccada]]''), a succulent Australian shrub
** poor man's cabbage (''[[Barbarea verna]]''), a winter cress
** Saint-Patrick's cabbage (London pride, ''[[London Pride (plant)|Saxifraga x urbium]]''), a hardy perennial saxifrage native to western Europe
** sea cabbage, also called sea kale, a European perennial herb (''[[Crambe maritima]]'') sometimes cultivated for its large, ovate, long-stalked leaves, used as a potherb (distinct from ''Brassica oleracea'')
** skunk cabbage (fetid hellebore, meadow cabbage, polecat weed, skunkweed; stinking poke, swamp cabbage, ''[[Symplocarpus foetidus]]'' or its Asian relative ''[[Lysichiton camstschatcense]]'') (the name is sometimes used for the pitcher plant)
** squaw cabbage (Indian lettuce, ''[[Montia perfoliata]]''), a succulent herb; or any of various plants of the family Brassicaceae, especially of the genera ''[[Caulanthus]]'' and ''[[Streptanthus]]'', believed to have been used as potherbs by the Indians
** water cabbage (''[[Nymphaea odorata]]''), a white water lily
** water lettuce (also called water cabbage, ''[[Pistia stratiotes]]''), a common tropical floating plant forming a rosette of spongy, wedge-shaped leaves
** wild cabbage, a succulent herb (''[[Caulanthus crassicaulis]]'') of the family Brassicaceae that has edible foliage
** ''[[Nereocystis]]'', sea-otter's-cabbage (bladder kelp, sea turnip), a brown alga

==Linguistic and vernacular associations==
During [[World War II]], "kraut" was an [[ethnic slur]] for a German soldier or civilian.

A thick-witted person may be called a "cabbagehead". In [[Hebrew]], the term ''rosh kruv'' (cabbagehead) implies stupidity.

In Italian, ''cavolo'' (cabbage) is a mildly impolite expression with a similar connotation to the English "crap".

The French use a term of endearment, ''mon chou'' or ''mon petit chou'', equivalent to "darling", but translated literally as "my little cabbage" in school French textbooks in England since the late 1950s. This is still used today, as can be seen in this extract from Shamrocks Falling by P A Matthews:<ref>[http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1044250 Writing.Com: Shamrocks Falling Chapter 9<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

:''“See there ma petite chou, now everything is worked out.”
:Patricia turned and walked back to the desk. “Gérard, why must you call me ma petite chou all the time?”
:''“Ma chérie, it is an endearment. If you understood that in French…”
:''She cut him off mid sentence. “I know what it means Gérard. Even with my limited French vocabulary I know that it means my small cabbage.”''
:''“But that is not the endearment. You do not understand…”''''''

In French, however, the term is only used in the masculine form as the word "chou" is masculine.

The word also refers to a [[pâtisserie]] item called ''chou à la crème'', a sphere of light, airy pastry split and sandwiched with a thick layer of whipped or confectioner's cream. In addition, it is also used for a soft, cabbage-shaped ornament or rosette of fabric used in women's wear, such as a knot of ribbons on a dress or a crushed crown on a hat. ''Chou'' comes from the Latin ''caulis'' (stalk).

In England, cabbage is a rarely used slang word for cash, especially paper money or bank notes.<ref>[http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/cabbage Cabbage entry at Reference.com's Thesaurus]</ref> It is also used vulgarly for a person in a vegetative state, and by extension, "cabbaging" means "lazing about".<ref>[http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/c.htm Cabbage entry at Peevish slang dictionary]</ref>
In Russian, капуста (''kapusta'') is also a widely used slang word for cash.

In America, cabbage can describe something as 'pretty cool' or 'neat'. The term is often misunderstood as an insult.

==See also==
* [[Cabbage Head]], [[Tilbury, Ontario]]
* [[Cabbage Patch Kids]]
* [[Cabbage soup diet]]
* [[Chinese cabbage]] resembles cabbage, but is derived from a different species of the same [[genus]], ''[[Brassica]] campestris''
* [[Kerguelen cabbage]] is the distantly related ''Pringlea antiscorbutica''

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Wiktionary|cabbage}}
*[http://www.learn2grow.com/plantdatabase/plants/PlantDetails.aspx?PlantID=8e2ecf0b-848a-43e9-ae4f-07e1671c11bc Brassica oleracea]—The close family of cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, collards, kale and kohlrabi
* [http://www.history.org/history/CWLand/resrch3.cfm Brassicas.] Colonial Williamsburg Official Site—"Where History Lives".
* [http://www.factopia.com/c/cabbage_gardening.html Cabbage.] The Book Of Herbs, on Factopia.
* [http://www.answers.com/topic/cabbage Cabbage: Definition from Answers.com.] "Online Dictionary, Encyclopedia and much more".
* [http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/19006 ''Cabbages and Cauliflowers: How to Grow Them'' by James John Howard Gregory - Project Gutenberg.]
* [http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/botanytextbooks/economicbotany/Brassica/index.html Colewort and the cole crops.] Botanical Garden, University of California Los Angeles.
* [http://www.freshforkids.com.au/veg_pages/cabbage/cabbage.html Cabbages!] Fresh For Kids—"Fun Games, Activities and Healthy Fruit and Vegetable Recipes!"
* [http://www.calobonga.com/calorieCounter/food/11109/5/calorie-counter.lz Cabbage Nutrition Information] from USDA SR22 database
* [http://database.prota.org/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll?AC=QBE_QUERY&BU=http%3A%2F%2Fdatabase.prota.org%2Fsearch.htm&TN=PROTAB~1&QB0=AND&QF0=Species+Code&QI0=Brassica+oleracea+kohlrabi&RF=Webdisplay PROTAbase on ''Brassica oleracea (kohlrabi)'']
*{{Cite EB1911|Cabbage}}
*{{Cite Americana|Cabbage|year=1920}}

{{Brassica oleraca}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2010}}
{{commons category|Cabbage}}

[[Category:Leaf vegetables]]
[[Category:Brassica oleracea| ]]
[[Category:Cultivars]]
[[Category:Vietnamese ingredients]]
[[Category:Puerto Rican ingredients]]

[[am:ጥቅል ጎመን]]
[[ang:Caƿel]]
[[ar:ملفوف]]
[[gn:Tajao]]
[[bn:বাঁধাকপি]]
[[zh-min-nan:Ko-lê-chhài]]
[[ba:Кәбеҫтә]]
[[bg:Зеле]]
[[bar:Kabis]]
[[bo:པད་ལོག]]
[[cs:Hlávkové zelí]]
[[cy:Bresychen]]
[[da:Hvidkål]]
[[de:Weißkohl]]
[[et:Kapsas]]
[[el:Λάχανο]]
[[es:Brassica oleracea var. viridis]]
[[eo:Blanka brasiko]]
[[fa:کلم]]
[[fr:Chou cabus]]
[[ga:Cabáiste]]
[[gl:Repolo]]
[[ko:양배추]]
[[hy:Կաղամբ]]
[[hi:बंद गोभी]]
[[io:Kaulo]]
[[id:Kubis]]
[[it:Brassica oleracea]]
[[he:כרוב]]
[[jv:Kul]]
[[kn:ಎಲೆಕೋಸು]]
[[pam:Repolyu]]
[[ks:بَند]]
[[rw:Ishu]]
[[rn:Ishu]]
[[ht:Chou]]
[[ku:Kelem]]
[[la:Brassica]]
[[lv:Dārza kāposts]]
[[lt:Gūžinis kopūstas]]
[[li:Sjepeng]]
[[hu:Fejes káposzta]]
[[ml:മൊട്ടക്കൂസ്]]
[[mr:कोबी]]
[[ms:Kubis Bulat]]
[[mdf:Капста]]
[[my:ဂေါ်ဖီထုပ်]]
[[nah:Col]]
[[nl:Wittekool]]
[[nds-nl:Busekool]]
[[ne:बन्दा गोभी]]
[[ja:キャベツ]]
[[no:Kål]]
[[nn:Kvitkål]]
[[nrm:Caboche]]
[[pnb:بند گوبی]]
[[ps:كرم]]
[[pl:Kapusta warzywna głowiasta]]
[[pt:Repolho]]
[[kaa:Kapusta]]
[[ksh:Kappes (Planz)]]
[[ro:Varză]]
[[sa:पर्णशाकम्]]
[[sco:Cabbitch]]
[[sq:Lakra]]
[[scn:Càvulu]]
[[simple:Cabbage]]
[[szl:Kapusta gowjasto]]
[[sr:Купус]]
[[su:Engkol]]
[[fi:Keräkaali]]
[[tl:Repolyo]]
[[ta:முட்டைக்கோசு]]
[[te:కాబేజీ]]
[[th:กะหล่ำปลี]]
[[tg:Карам]]
[[to:Kāpisi]]
[[tr:Lahana]]
[[uk:Капуста білоголова]]
[[ur:بند گوبھی]]
[[vi:Cải bắp]]
[[yi:קרויט]]
[[zh-yue:椰菜]]
[[zh:捲心菜]]

Revision as of 23:50, 16 February 2012

Cabbage
Cabbage and its cross section
SpeciesBrassica oleracea
Cultivar groupCapitata Group
OriginMediterranean, 1st century
Cultivar group members

White cabbage (capitata var. alba L.)
Red Cabbage (var. capitata f. rubra)


Savoy cabbage (capitata var. sabauda L.)

Cabbage is a popular cultivar of the species Brassica oleracea Linne (Capitata Group) of the Family Brassicaceae (or Cruciferae) and is a leafy green vegetable. It is a herbaceous, biennial, dicotyledonous flowering plant distinguished by a short stem upon which is crowded a mass of leaves, usually green but in some varieties red or purplish, which while immature form a characteristic compact, globular cluster (cabbagehead).

The plant is also called head cabbage or heading cabbage, and in Scotland a bowkail, from its rounded shape. The Scots call its stalk a castock,[1] and the British occasionally call its head a loaf.[2] It is in the same genus as the turnipBrassica rapa.

Cabbage leaves often have a delicate, powdery, waxy coating called bloom. The occasionally sharp or bitter taste of cabbage is due to glucosinolate(s). Cabbages are also a good source of riboflavin.

History

Cabbage farmer in Gardena, California, 1951

The cultivated cabbage is derived from a leafy plant called the wild mustard plant, native to the Mediterranean region, where it is common along the seacoast. Also called sea cabbage and wild cabbage,[3] it was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans; Cato the Elder praised this vegetable for its medicinal properties, declaring that "It is the cabbage that surpasses all other vegetables."[4] Cabbage was developed by ongoing selective breeding for suppression of the internode length. The English name derives from the Normanno-Picard caboche (head), perhaps from boche (swelling, bump). Or perhaps from the Latin for "head": Caput. There is an Italian dialect word for head: Capoccia.

Uses

The only part of the plant that is normally eaten is the leafy head; more precisely, the spherical cluster of immature leaves, excluding the partially unfolded outer leaves. Cabbage is used in a variety of dishes for its naturally spicy flavor. The so-called "cabbage head" is widely consumed raw, cooked, or preserved in a great variety of dishes.[5] It is the principal ingredient in coleslaw.

Cooked

"Cabbages are extremely windy, whether you take them as meat or as medicine, as windy meat as can be eaten, unless you eat bag-pipes or bellows, and they are but seldom eaten in our days; and Colewort flowers are something more tolerable, and the wholesomer food of the two."

Stuffed cabbage rolls, known in Polish as golabki

Cabbage is often added to soups or stews. Cabbage soup is popular in Central and eastern Europe, and cabbage is an ingredient in some kinds of borscht. Garbure (from Provençal garburo) is a thick soup of cabbage or other vegetables with bacon. Cabbage may be an ingredient in kugel, a baked pudding served as a side dish or dessert. Cabbage is also used in many popular dishes in India. Boiling tenderizes the leaves and releases sugars, which leads to the characteristic "cabbage" aroma. Boiled cabbage has become stigmatized because of its strong cooking odor and the fact that it causes flatulence. Moreover, boiling reduces the cabbage's anticancer properties.[6] It is often prepared and served with boiled meat and other vegetables as part of a boiled dinner. Harold McGee has studied the development of unpleasant smells when cooking brassicas and reports that they develop with prolonged cooking. According to Corriher's Compendium, smell doubles when prolonging cooking from five to seven minutes; for best results cabbage should be sliced thinly and cooked for four minutes.

Cabbage rolls, a type of dolma, are an East European and Middle Eastern delicacy. The leaves are softened by parboiling or by placing the whole head of cabbage in the freezer, and then the leaves are stuffed with a mixture of chopped meat and/or rice. Stuffed cabbage is called holishkes in Yiddish, holubky (Slovak and Czech), holubtsi (Ukrainian), gołąbki [ɡɔˈwɔmpki] (Polish), golubtsy (Russian), balandėliai (Lithuanian), tīteņi (Latvian), kohlrouladen (German) or töltött káposzta (Hungarian). It literally translates as "little pigeons" in Polish, Slovak and Lithuanian.[7]

A vegetable stuffed with shredded cabbage and then pickled is called mango.[8]

The largest cabbage dish ever made was on 19 December 2008 in the Macedonian city of Prilep, with 80,191 sarmas (cabbage rolls) weighing 544 kg (1,221 lbs).[9] Bubble and squeak consists of potatoes and cabbage or, especially formerly, potatoes, cabbage and meat fried together. Potatoes and cabbage or other greens boiled and mashed together make up a dish called colcannon, an Irish Gaelic word meaning white-headed cabbage, grounded in Old Irish terms for cabbage or kale (cāl), head (cend or cenn) and white (find). In the American South and Midland, "corn dodgers" were boiled as dumplings with cabbage and ham.[10]

Fermented and preserved

Cabbage is the basis for German Sauerkraut. Chinese suan cai and Korean kimchi are produced using the related Chinese cabbage. To pickle cabbage, it is covered with a brine made of its own juice with salt, and left in a warm place for several weeks to ferment. Sauerkraut (colloquially referred to as "kraut") was historically prepared at home in large batches, as a way of storing food for the winter. The word comes from German sauer (sour) and kraut (plant or cabbage) (Old High German sūr and krūt). Cabbage can also be pickled in vinegar with various spices, alone or in combination with other vegetables (turnips can be cured in the same way).

Medicinal properties

Cabbage, raw
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy103 kJ (25 kcal)
5.8 g
Sugars3.2 g
Dietary fiber2.5 g
0.1 g
1.28 g
VitaminsQuantity
%DV
Thiamine (B1)
5%
0.061 mg
Riboflavin (B2)
3%
0.040 mg
Niacin (B3)
1%
0.234 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)
4%
0.212 mg
Vitamin B6
7%
0.124 mg
Folate (B9)
13%
53 μg
Vitamin C
41%
36.6 mg
Vitamin K
63%
76 μg
MineralsQuantity
%DV
Calcium
3%
40 mg
Iron
3%
0.47 mg
Magnesium
3%
12 mg
Phosphorus
2%
26 mg
Potassium
6%
170 mg
Zinc
2%
0.18 mg
Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults,[11] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.[12]

Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin C. It also contains significant amounts of glutamine, an amino acid that has anti-inflammatory properties. Cabbage can also be included in dieting programs, as it is a low calorie food.

Along with broccoli and other Brassica vegetables, cabbage is a source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells.[13][14] The compound is also used as an adjuvant therapy for recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, a disease of the head and neck caused by human papillomavirus (usually types 6 and 11) that causes growths in the airway that can lead to death. Boiling reduces anticancer properties.[6]

In European folk medicine, cabbage leaves are used to treat acute inflammation.[15] A paste of raw cabbage may be placed in a cabbage leaf and wrapped around the affected area to reduce discomfort. Some claim it is effective in relieving painfully engorged breasts in breastfeeding women.

Fresh cabbage juice has been shown to promote rapid healing of peptic ulcers.[16]

Effect on the thyroid gland

Cabbage may also act as a goitrogen. It blocks organification in thyroid cells, thus inhibiting the production of the thyroid hormones (thyroxine and triiodothyronine). The result is an increased secretion of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) due to low thyroid hormone levels. This increase in TSH results in an enlargement of the thyroid gland (goiter).[17]

Varieties

Cabbage for sale in Pristina, Kosovo

There are many varieties of cabbage based on shape and time of maturity.[18] Cabbages grown late in autumn and in the beginning of winter are called "coleworts"; their leaves do not form a compact head.[19] "Colewort" may also refer to a young cabbage. The word comes from Latin caulis (stalk of a plant, cabbage) and Old English wyrt (herb, plant, root). A "drumhead" cabbage has a rounded, flattened head. An "oxheart" cabbage has an oval or conical head. A "pickling" cabbage, such as the red-leafed cabbage, is especially suitable for pickling; 'Krautman' is the most common variety for commercial production of sauerkraut. Red cabbage is a small, round-headed type with dark red leaves. Savoy cabbage has a round, compact head with crinkled and curled leaves.[20][21] Winter cabbage will survive the winter in the open in mild regions such as the southern United States; the name is also used for Savoy cabbage. Other traditional varieties include white cabbage, 'Late Flat Dutch', 'Early Jersey Wakefield' (a conical variety), 'Danish Ballhead' (late, round-headed), 'Cuor di Bue Grosso' (conical heads, from Italy), 'Copenhagen Market Cabbage' (large round heads, from Denmark), and 'Mammoth Red Rock' (large round heads with deep red leaves).

Production

The most cabbage (including Chinese cabbage and other brassicas) in the world is produced in China, followed by India and then the Russian Federation.

Cabbage output in 2005
Top ten producers of cabbage and other brassicas — 11 June 2008[table 1]
Country Production (Tonnes) Footnote
 People's Republic of China 36,335,000 tonnes (35,761,000 long tons; 40,052,000 short tons) [table 2]
 India 5,283,200 tonnes (5,199,800 long tons; 5,823,700 short tons)
 Russia 4,054,000 tonnes (3,990,000 long tons; 4,469,000 short tons) [table 2]
 South Korea 3,000,000 tonnes (3,000,000 long tons; 3,300,000 short tons) [table 2]
 Japan 2,390,000 tonnes (2,350,000 long tons; 2,630,000 short tons) [table 2]
 Poland 1,375,900 tonnes (1,354,200 long tons; 1,516,700 short tons)
 Ukraine 1,300,000 tonnes (1,300,000 long tons; 1,400,000 short tons) [table 2]
 Indonesia 1,250,000 tonnes (1,230,000 long tons; 1,380,000 short tons) [table 2]
 United States 1,171,350 tonnes (1,152,850 long tons; 1,291,190 short tons)
 Romania 1,120,000 tonnes (1,100,000 long tons; 1,230,000 short tons) [table 2]
 World 69,214,270 tonnes (68,121,140 long tons; 76,295,670 short tons) [table 3]
  1. ^ "Food And Agricultural Organization of United Nations: Economic And Social Department: The Statistical Division". Food and Agriculture Organization. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Food And Agricultural Organization estimate
  3. ^ Aggregate (may include official, semi-official or estimates)

Sometimes, young cabbages are picked early when they are tender and small, and eaten as "baby veggies". Those vegetables are more tender and sweet than older picked cabbages, and can be stored for a longer time.

Diseases

Among the many destructive diseases affecting the cabbage and often other members of the cabbage family[22] are:

  • blackleg or black stem, caused by certain fungi (such as Phoma lingam); lesions in the stem near the soil surface become sunken and dark, and may girdle the stem[23]
  • black ring or black ring spot, caused by a virus; necrotic, dark and often sunken rings on the leaf surface[24]
  • black rot, caused by a bacterium (Xanthomonas campestris)
  • cabbagehead, abnormal growth in rutabagas caused by larvae of a gall midge (Contarinia nasturtii) feeding in basal part of the stalks[25]
  • cabbage yellows or cabbage wilt, caused by a fungus (Fusarium oxysporum or Fusarium conglutinans); yellowing and dwarfing
  • clubroot, common, caused by a protist (Plasmodiophora brassicae), formerly classified as a slime mold; swellings or distortions of the root, followed often by decline in vigor or by death
  • wire stem, caused by a fungus (Pellicularia filamentosa or Rhizoctonia solani); constricted, wiry stem; similar to damping-off but attacks older seedlings

Pests

(See also List of Lepidoptera that feed on Brassica).

Many insects and other pests infest cabbage plants, among them:

  • cabbage worm, any of numerous insect larvae that feed on cabbages:
    • imported cabbage worm, the green larvae of the cabbage butterfly or cabbage white, any of several largely white butterflies (family Pieridae, type genus Pieris, garden whites); they include a small cosmopolitan form (P. rapae), called also small white; a larger Old World form (P. brassicae), called also large white; a common North American form (P. protodice), called also checkered white or southern cabbage butterfly; and the green-veined white (P. napi), occurring in Europe and North America; larvae eat the leaves, are toxic to animals that consume the infested foliage
    • cabbage moth or diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) larva, cosmopolitan of European origin
    • cabbage webworm (Hellula undalis), widely distributed, native to southern Europe or Asia, destructive in the U.S. Gulf states
    • cutworm
  • cabbage aphid, cabbage aphis or turnip aphid, widely distributed and destructive grayish-green plant louse (Brevicoryne brassicae); lives on leaves
  • cabbage curculio, small weevil (Ceutorhynchus rapae); feeds within stems and on leaves[26]
  • cabbage fly, cabbage root fly, root fly or turnip fly (Hylemya brassicae or Delia radicum, family Anthomyiidae), adult of small white cabbage maggot or root maggot that feeds in roots and stems
  • cabbage-leaf miner, small fly (Phytomyza rufipes) whose maggot is injurious[27]
  • cabbage looper, pale green, white-striped measuring worm (Trichoplusia ni), larva of a moth of the family Noctuidae; feeds on leaves
  • cabbage seedpod weevil (Ceutorhynchus assimilis), small, grayish black; related to the cabbage curculio, but smaller; feeds on and destroys developing seeds[28]
  • cabbage snake, nematode worm of the family Mermithidae, parasitic on insect pests[29]
  • gamma moth or silver Y moth (Plusia gamma) larva; migratory European noctuid moth having a bright, silvery, Y-shaped mark on each fore wing[30]
  • harlequin cabbage bug (Murgantia histrionica), black stinkbug in tropical America and the warmer parts of the United States
  • serpentine leaf miner, grub that is the larva of a small fly (Liriomyza brassicae); eats out slender, white, winding burrows in the leaves
  • striped flea beetle (Phyllotreta striolata); has a yellow line on each elytron
  • zebra caterpillar, larva of an American noctuid moth (Ceramica picta); light yellow with a broad black stripe on the back and lateral stripes crossed with white

Besides cabbage proper, the species Brassica oleracea has many distinctive cultivars that are commonly known by other names. They include: broccoli (Italica group); Brussels sprouts (Gemmifera group), whose edible small green heads resemble diminutive cabbages; cauliflower (Botrytis group), whose flower cluster is used as a vegetable; Chinese kale or Chinese broccoli (Alboglabra group); kale or spring greens, a very hardy cabbage (Acephala group) that has curled, often finely cut leaves that do not form a dense head; collard greens, a type of kale; and kohlrabi (Gongylodes group), having an edible stem that becomes greatly enlarged, fleshy and turnip-shaped. Hybrids include broccolini (Italica × Alboglabra group), broccoflower (Italica × Botrytis group) and choumoelliera or marrow cabbage (cabbage, kohlrabi and kale).

There are two species of Chinese cabbage (lettuce cabbage, pakchoi, pechay) from Asia that somewhat resemble cabbage and are widely used as greens: Brassica chinensis, bok choy or celery cabbage, which forms a loose, chardlike head of dark green leaves, and Brassica pekinensis, or pe-tsai (peh-tsai), forming an elongated compact head of broad, light green leaves. Rape, an annual herb (Brassica napus) of European origin but known only as a cultigen, differs from the cabbage in its deeply lobed leaves, which are not hairy like those of the turnip.

Other "cabbage" plants

Cabbage field near Dojran, Republic of Macedonia

A number of other noncruciferous plants bear the name "cabbage" or are likened to it by their appearance, though many are not food plants with parts for human consumption.

  • Several palms, called cabbage palm or cabbage tree, have a terminal bud (cabbage, palm cabbage or palmito) eaten like cabbage as a vegetable, including:
    • assai palm (palmiste, royal palm, sago palm, Euterpe edulis)
    • cabbage palmetto (palm cabbage, palm thatch, pond top, pond top palmetto, sabal palmetto, swamp cabbage, species Sabal palmetto), a fan palm with an edible young terminal bud called "heart of palm"
    • Cussonia genus, an araliaceous tree
    • Livistona, especially L. australis, from Australia, from which the fibrous leaves are plaited into the cabbage-tree hat
    • mountain palm (Roystonea oleracea), a tall West Indian palm, the source of partridgewood
    • saw cabbage palm (saw palmetto, Acoelorrhaphe wrightii)
    • ti (Cordyline australis), a medium-sized New Zealand tree
  • Other kinds of trees seen as bearing a resemblance include:
    • cabbage bark (genus Andira), also called angelim or worm bark, whose bark (cabbage bark) is sometimes used in medicine as a vermifuge
    • Surinam cabbage tree (Andira retusa), having bark that is used as an anthelmintic and cathartic
    • black cabbage tree (Melanodendron integrifolium), with a campanulate involucre about the flower head
    • cabbage gum (especially Eucalyptus pauciflora and E. virgata), probably so called from the fleshy leaves
  • Still other cabbage-like plants include:
    • cabbage rose (also moss rose, pale rose or Provence rose, Rosa centifolia), a fragrant garden rose having full white or pink flowers, with a dwarf variety (pomponia) called pompon
    • deer cabbage (Lupinus diffusus), a lupine
    • dog cabbage (dog's cabbage, Theligonum cynocrambe), a fleshy southern European herb
    • head lettuce (cabbage lettuce, Lactuca sativa var. capitata), distinguished by leaves arranged in a dense rosette, which ultimately develops into a compact head suggesting that of cabbage
    • Kerguelen cabbage, a herb (Pringlea antiscorbutica, also called horseradish) in the family Brassicaceae, from the Indian Ocean island of Kerguelen
    • Maori cabbage, the wild cabbage of New Zealand
    • native cabbage (Scaevola taccada), a succulent Australian shrub
    • poor man's cabbage (Barbarea verna), a winter cress
    • Saint-Patrick's cabbage (London pride, Saxifraga x urbium), a hardy perennial saxifrage native to western Europe
    • sea cabbage, also called sea kale, a European perennial herb (Crambe maritima) sometimes cultivated for its large, ovate, long-stalked leaves, used as a potherb (distinct from Brassica oleracea)
    • skunk cabbage (fetid hellebore, meadow cabbage, polecat weed, skunkweed; stinking poke, swamp cabbage, Symplocarpus foetidus or its Asian relative Lysichiton camstschatcense) (the name is sometimes used for the pitcher plant)
    • squaw cabbage (Indian lettuce, Montia perfoliata), a succulent herb; or any of various plants of the family Brassicaceae, especially of the genera Caulanthus and Streptanthus, believed to have been used as potherbs by the Indians
    • water cabbage (Nymphaea odorata), a white water lily
    • water lettuce (also called water cabbage, Pistia stratiotes), a common tropical floating plant forming a rosette of spongy, wedge-shaped leaves
    • wild cabbage, a succulent herb (Caulanthus crassicaulis) of the family Brassicaceae that has edible foliage
    • Nereocystis, sea-otter's-cabbage (bladder kelp, sea turnip), a brown alga

Linguistic and vernacular associations

During World War II, "kraut" was an ethnic slur for a German soldier or civilian.

A thick-witted person may be called a "cabbagehead". In Hebrew, the term rosh kruv (cabbagehead) implies stupidity.

In Italian, cavolo (cabbage) is a mildly impolite expression with a similar connotation to the English "crap".

The French use a term of endearment, mon chou or mon petit chou, equivalent to "darling", but translated literally as "my little cabbage" in school French textbooks in England since the late 1950s. This is still used today, as can be seen in this extract from Shamrocks Falling by P A Matthews:[31]

“See there ma petite chou, now everything is worked out.”
Patricia turned and walked back to the desk. “Gérard, why must you call me ma petite chou all the time?”
“Ma chérie, it is an endearment. If you understood that in French…”
She cut him off mid sentence. “I know what it means Gérard. Even with my limited French vocabulary I know that it means my small cabbage.”
“But that is not the endearment. You do not understand…”'

In French, however, the term is only used in the masculine form as the word "chou" is masculine.

The word also refers to a pâtisserie item called chou à la crème, a sphere of light, airy pastry split and sandwiched with a thick layer of whipped or confectioner's cream. In addition, it is also used for a soft, cabbage-shaped ornament or rosette of fabric used in women's wear, such as a knot of ribbons on a dress or a crushed crown on a hat. Chou comes from the Latin caulis (stalk).

In England, cabbage is a rarely used slang word for cash, especially paper money or bank notes.[32] It is also used vulgarly for a person in a vegetative state, and by extension, "cabbaging" means "lazing about".[33] In Russian, капуста (kapusta) is also a widely used slang word for cash.

In America, cabbage can describe something as 'pretty cool' or 'neat'. The term is often misunderstood as an insult.

See also

References

  1. ^ OEDILF - Word Lookup. The Omnificent English Dictionary In Limerick Form.
  2. ^ loaf of cabbage definition dictionary.com (from Random House).
  3. ^ 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Cabbage - Wikisource.
  4. ^ "Brassica est quae omnibus holeribus antistat." (De Agri Cultura, sect. 156.) LacusCurtius • Cato On Agriculture — Sections 156‑157(English). LacusCurtius • Cato — de Re Rustica, Capitula CLVI‑CLVII(Latin). Bill Thayer's Website.
  5. ^ Cabbage Recipes and Cabbage Soup Recipes. Southern Food and Recipes - Southern-Style Recipes, Crockpot Recipes, Casserole Recipes, and More Recipezaar: "Where the World's Recipes Are".
  6. ^ a b Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick (15 May 2007). "Research Says Boiling Broccoli Ruins Its Anti Cancer Properties". {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  7. ^ Holubky
  8. ^ Stuffed Mango Peppers Recipe #277564 @ Mass Recipes. "Massive amounts of recipes!"
  9. ^ http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/adjudications/090109_Cabbage_dish.aspx
  10. ^ Daniel Health and Disease: A Book for the People, by William Whitty Hall. Published by H.B. Price, 1859. Page 267. Google Book Search.
  11. ^ United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". FDA. Archived from the original on 27 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  12. ^ National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee to Review the Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019). Oria, Maria; Harrison, Meghan; Stallings, Virginia A. (eds.). Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. The National Academies Collection: Reports funded by National Institutes of Health. Washington, DC: National Academies Press (US). ISBN 978-0-309-48834-1. PMID 30844154. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  13. ^ "Broccoli chemical's cancer check". BBC News. 7 February 2006. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  14. ^ "How Dietary Supplement May Block Cancer Cells". Science Daily. 30 June 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  15. ^ Helen M Woodman. "Cabbage leaves are poor man's poultice". British Medical Journal. Retrieved 12 December 2006.
  16. ^ Cheney G. (1949). "Rapid healing of peptic ulcers in patients receiving fresh cabbage juice". Calif Med. 70 (10): 10–5. PMC 1643665. PMID 18104715.
  17. ^ Hypothyroidism and Nutrition http://www.drkaslow.com/html/thyroid.html http://www.drpodell.org/alternative_thyroid_treatments.shtml http://healingdeva.com/thyroid.htm http://standing1.home.mindspring.com/thyroid/badfood.html Eat Right or Die Young by Dr. Cass Ingram: "Certain foods contain chemicals which block the production of thyroid hormone, particularly cabbage, broccoli, rutabaga, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, watercress, and peanuts. Cooking partially inactivates the interfering chemical, known medically as a goitrogen. Thus, in most cases it is wise to eat these foods cooked. Raw peanuts or soybeans should never be eaten. Fortunately, peanut butter is heated to a high enough degree that the goitrogens are destroyed."
  18. ^ Cook's Thesaurus: Cabbages.
  19. ^ Colewort: Definition from Answers.com. "Online Dictionary, Encyclopedia and much more".
  20. ^ Cavolo Verza - Savoy Cabbage. Italian Food.
  21. ^ The Joy of Savoy Cabbage. By Barbara Damrosch. The Washington Post, 8 November 2007; Page H07.
  22. ^ Cole Crop Fact sheets list. Cornell University.
  23. ^ UC IPM: UC Management Guidelines for Black Leg on Cole Crops. University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program.
  24. ^ CTVdB Virus Description - 00.057.0.01.072. Turnip mosaic virus. Universal Virus Database (ICTVdB), International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. On Website of the National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information.
  25. ^ IPM Fact Sheet Swede Midge 1/20. New York State Integrated Pest Management Program.
  26. ^ Cabbage curculio Organic Gardening Information.
  27. ^ Mines of British flies and other insects - Phytomyza rufipes {Diptera: Agromyzidae}.
  28. ^ Cabbage Seedpod Weevil. Agriculture and Rural Development : Ropin' The Web, Alberta, Canada.
  29. ^ Sanitary entomology: The Entomology of Disease, Hygiene and Sanitation, by William Dwight Pierce. Published by R.G. Badger, 1921. Page 78.
  30. ^ Plant Protection - Cabbage.
  31. ^ Writing.Com: Shamrocks Falling Chapter 9
  32. ^ Cabbage entry at Reference.com's Thesaurus
  33. ^ Cabbage entry at Peevish slang dictionary