Red cabbage is a member of the cruciferous family which also includes kale, broccoli and Brussel Sprouts. The cabbage that we eat today was developed from wild cabbage and was brought to Europe around 600BC and had been grown in Ancient Greek and Roman civilizations that had used cabbage for medicinal purposes.

Red cabbage is a rich source of calcium and also flavonoids. The flavonoids are responsible for the red colour and give the red cabbage its antioxidant benefits.
The antioxidant properties of red cabbage are six to eight times higher than the white variety.

A study published in Food Science and Technology looked at the possible protective effects of red cabbage on Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is associated with an increase in a protein called beta-amyloid which causes brain cell damage. It is thought that the antioxidant polyphenols (particularly the anthocyanins) that are high in red cabbage can protect brain cells against the damage caused by amyloid-beta protein.

Also as a member of the cruciferous family of vegetable, red cabbage contains phytochemicals called indole-3-carbinoles (I3C) which are thought to play a role in reducing the risk of breast cancer. I3C seems to control oestrogen as it stops the carcinogenic forms of oestrogen from being absorbed in the body, while at the same time encouraging their elimination. One study in the Journal of the American Medicine Association showed that women eating just 1.5 cups of cruciferous vegetables per day have a 25% decreased risk of breast cancer.

It’s well known that cranberries can help protect against cystitis but there are other foods for women with disease fighting properties:

1. Papaya. This tropical fruit packs about twice the vitamin C of an orange. After analyzing the blood of over 13,000 people, scientists from the University of California, San Francisco, found that women who had lower levels of vitamin C were more likely to have gallbladder illnesses. One medium papaya (about ten ounces), with its 188 mg of vitamin C and a mere 119 calories, is a good source of the vitamin. The once exotic fruit now can be found in most supermarkets.
2. Flaxseed. Rich in oestrogen-like compounds called lignans which are a potential weapon against that lady killer breast cancer. You can add flaxseeds (also called linseeds) to cakes and bread, but the easiest and healthiest way to get the beneficial lignans is to sprinkle a few tablespoons of ground flaxseed on your morning cereal. Look for the seeds in health food stores or in supermarkets and buy organic ones. They’re easy to grind in a blender or coffee grinder or you can get them ready ground in a vacuum pack and then store them in the fridge. Buy the seeds if you want the lignan-effect as there are no lignans in the oil.
3. Tofu. Foods high in soya protein can lower cholesterol and may minimize menopausal hot flushes and strengthen bone. Isoflavones, plant chemicals in soya beans that have a structure similar to oestrogen, may be the reason. A half-cup of tofu contains about 25 to 35 mg of isoflavones. Other beans like lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans etc are a good source of isoflavones too.
4. Collard Greens. This humble vegetable may help fight osteoporosis, which afflicts many women late in life. In addition to getting adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D, some studies suggest that vitamin K may have a bone-protective effect as well. Based on data from one of the largest studies of women, the Nurses’ Health Study, researchers discovered that women who ate enough vitamin K-rich foods (at least 109 micrograms of the vitamin daily) were 30 percent less likely to suffer a hip fracture during ten years of follow-up than women who ate less. The researchers stated that dark-green leafy vegetables — Brussels sprouts, spinach, broccoli — are all good sources of the vitamin. But collard greens, with about 375 micrograms per half-cup, are among the best.

Avocados are a wonderful fruit but they have been given a bad name amongst slimmers because of the fat content.

But this fat comes in the form of beneficial essential unsaturated fats, which are exceptionally easy to digest.

Avocados are high in potassium, the mineral that helps prevent water retention and are also a rich source of vitamin E as well as vitamin C, B6, folic acid, calcium, magnesium and manganese. Avocados also contain lutein which is an anti-oxidant especially beneficial to the eyes. They have also been found to help produce collagen, which gives the elasticity to skin and is essential for maintaining bone health.

Avocados have been shown to help lower cholesterol as they contain a substance called beta-sitosterol which helps to stop the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestines. Beta-sitosterol can also help with blood sugar swings and may help to prevent a number of cancers including breast cancer. Epicatechin, the same antioxidant as found in green tea, is also present in avocados.

Avocados also contain another substance called mannoheptulose which has a cancer protecting effect. Mannoheptulose inhibits an enzyme which prevents the uptake of glucose into cancer cells. Cancer cells use glucose as their primary fuel so, by blocking the uptake of glucose into cancer cells, it is essentially starving those cells.