Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) is a leafy green or purple plant, grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. Closely related to broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts, it is a descendant of B. oleracea var. oleracea, a wild field cabbage. Cabbage heads generally range from 0.5 to 4 kilograms, and can be green, purple and white. Smooth-leafed firm-headed green cabbages are the most common, with smooth-leafed red and crinkle-leafed savoy cabbages of both colors seen more rarely. It is a multi-layered vegetable. It is difficult to trace the exact history of cabbage, but it was most likely domesticated somewhere in Europe before 1000 BC.
China by far produces most of the world’s cabbages.
Cabbage is a good source of vitamin K, vitamin C and fibre. Cabbage is also an excellent source of manganese, vitamin B6, and folate; and a good source of thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, potassium, vitamin A, tryptophan and protein.