Cabbage leaf - medicinal properties and uses

In folk medicine, both herbal drugs and plant parts are widely used. Especially popular are those cultures that grow everywhere. In addition to useful properties, they have another big plus - low cost. One such plant is cabbage. It is useful when used internally and is suitable for external use. How and what can be treated with cabbage leaves?

Bit of a nerd

Cabbage is an agricultural biennial plant of the genus Cabbage. At the moment, it grows everywhere, because it is cultivated by farms of different countries on all continents of the planet. This distribution has led to the emergence of many varieties of cabbage.

Cabbage is not only used in cooking and traditional medicine, some of its species are planted as ornamental plants. Do you know that there is cabbage, the upper leaves of which look like red roses? There are many interesting facts about different varieties of cabbage, but this article discusses the benefits of ordinary white cabbage, because it is the most common on the Eurasian continent.

Nobody can tell exactly where wild cabbage comes from. It is assumed that she first appeared on the Mediterranean coast, but it is believed that Georgia is the birthplace of cabbage. Now the cabbage is so common that useful recipes for preparations from this plant can be found in almost every country. For example, in ancient Rome, cabbage was used to treat gastric ulcer. Cabbage broths and to this day are considered diet food for surgical patients.

The benefits of cabbage and cabbage leaves

Cabbage, like any other plant, is a storehouse of vitamins and trace elements. The main advantage of cabbage is that it can be eaten raw. That is how you can get the maximum benefit from the plant.Another secret is that when consumed inside the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) are almost not absorbed. In order for them to enter the body requires fat. Cabbage salad with butter is a great way to get the maximum amount of both water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins.

Also, cabbage is useful for losing weight. It contains a lot of fiber, which allows you to fool the body. You can eat a large amount of cabbage, kill her hunger, but at the same time get very few calories, because fiber is not absorbed into the human body.

Suitable cabbage and for external use. Wide cabbage leaves are very convenient to use externally as compresses. In addition, they contain juice, which is the main benefit. In addition, the leaves of this plant can be prepared decoctions, used both externally and internally.

So why is cabbage so rich? Its main beneficial properties are in the presence of the following substances:

Vitamins: C (ascorbic acid), A (retinol), U (amino acid methionine), PP (nicotinic acid), K (phylloquinone), group B (B1, B2, B3, B6).

Trace elements in the form of salts: calcium, iron and others in small quantities.

Carbohydrates: fiber, fructose, glucose.

Insignificant amount of proteins and fats.

The secret of the benefits of cabbage is that all the necessary substances are so arranged that they do not prevent each other from entering the body. So, vitamin C is absorbed in the body almost completely, which is rarely found even in very rich in this vitamin vegetables and fruits. It is also interesting that in the prepared form the kapust not only does not lose its beneficial properties, but even acquires new ones. For example, vitamin B12 appears in sauerkraut, which is not in the fresh product.

When can I use cabbage?

So, we have already decided that cabbage is not only a tasty plant, but also a healthy one. It remains only to find out how and when it can be used. With this plant you can treat the following types of pathology:

1. Headache. For the treatment of this symptom should use cabbage leaf. Just attach it to your forehead or temples. For the best effect, you can beat off the sheet until the juice appears, and only then attach it to the head.
2. Sore throat. In this case, it is best to use a method such as gargling. To do this, you can make cabbage juice with a blender and cabbage broth. In addition, a warming compress on the neck area would be helpful.You will find the recipes of their preparation below.
3. Hyperacid gastritis. In this case, cabbage juice and decoction can be used instead of antacid substances. To do this, it must be consumed half an hour before meals before each meal.
4. Stomach ulcer. Treat according to the same principle as gastritis, but used by the hour.
5. Hypokinetic cholecystitis. Cabbage decoction - an excellent choleretic agent. It can be used in the difficulty of the discharge of bile.
6. External inflammation. When inflammation of the cabbage leaf can be used as a compress. It will relieve swelling, relieve pain and redness.
7. Open wound. The cabbage leaf can be used as well as the plantain in case of damage to the skin. This method will stop the capillary bleeding and rid the wound of pathogens. However, it is worth remembering that only a clean cabbage leaf can be applied to a wound.
8. Mastopathy. For the treatment of this disease, you must take a few clean cabbage leaves, beat them with a hammer for meat and attach to the chest, and put clothes on top. So you can walk all day. Cabbage leaves are invisible under clothing and do not cause discomfort.
9. Burns For the treatment of burns, you need to take the most succulent leaves, wash them thoroughly, chop them in a blender and mix with egg white. Apply the mixture onto a sterile dressing and apply to the burn for several hours. This method allows to reduce the degree of burn and accelerate the healing of the skin.
10. Dermatological diseases. Cabbage leaf can be used for eczema, dermatosis, psoriasis and allergic dermatitis. The only thing worth remembering is to treat moist conditions with wet means, dry ones - dry. For example, cabbage compress can be used to treat weeping eczema. It is better to treat dry eczema simply by grinding the leaf in a blender to a pasty state.

In addition, cabbage can be used for weight loss and general strengthening of the immune system. It is believed that with the help of this vegetable, you can increase the size of the breast at home, but this myth is not confirmed by anyone. But, it is precisely known that cabbage can be used to prepare various masks for the face and hands to improve the condition of the skin.

Recipes of folk remedies with cabbage leaf

As already mentioned, the cabbage leaf can be consumed inside as a juice, decoction or ingredient of a dish, or applied externally as compresses or masks. There are several proven recipes for useful products, the main element of which is the cabbage leaf. Here are some of them:

1. Cabbage decoction. To make it, you need to take a few large sheets of cabbage, chop them up, add water and put on fire. Boil 20 minutes after boiling, and then put to cool in a cool dark place. During boiling and cooling the broth should be covered with a tight lid.
2. Cold compress. To make it, you should take a few sheets of cabbage, make cuts in them so that juice begins to appear. Then the sheets must be applied to the pathological focus in several layers and secure with a bandage dressing.
3. Hot compress. To begin with, it is necessary to pour boiling water over cabbage leaves and attach them to the wound before it has cooled. On top of the leaves to put wax paper or cotton evenly. After that, you can fix the bandage.
4. Remedy for the treatment of wounds. If the skin is damaged, you can not make a compress, and cook cabbage paste. To do this, the leaves of cabbage should be crushed to a mushy state (it is better to take the most juicy leaves that are closer to its core). The resulting paste is applied to the wound with clean hands like a cream. Be careful: the leaves must be clean. Before preparing this tool, it is better to pour boiling water over the cabbage.
5. Mask for dry skin. Interesting is the fact that for dry skin it is better to take ordinary raw cabbage, for oily sour is better. Raw cabbage must be crushed, mixed with one egg yolk and a teaspoon of cosmetic oil. Apply to face and keep at least half an hour.
6. Mask for oily skin. Sauerkraut must be mixed with the protein of one egg, beaten into a thick foam. Apply it should also be at least half an hour. The procedure can be repeated 2-3 times a week.

Thus, we can conclude that cabbage is not only tasty, but also a useful product. It benefits the health of both ingestion and external use.The main advantages of cabbage is that it is rich in vitamins and trace elements, but it has a low cost. This fact allows you to use it for cosmetic purposes, and for the treatment of various ailments. The main thing is to apply it correctly.

Video: we treat joints with cabbage leaf