The seemingly logical question of why to dry cabbage, if it is available fresh almost all year round, will be resolved with a closer acquaintance with the properties of this vegetable in dried form. Read more about the characteristics of the specified product and the norms of its use later in the article.

The composition and calorie content of dried cabbage

100 grams of freeze-dried white cabbage is the equivalent of a whole kilogram of fresh vegetables. The same 100 g of dried product have a calorie content of 278 kcal, while the calorie content of 100 g of fresh cabbage is only 28 kcal. All nutrients available to a fresh vegetable are present in its dried form in a concentrated form.

Moreover, a product dried at low temperatures preserves all useful substances better than a long-stored fresh vegetable. That is, in the spring, freeze-dried cabbage is an order of magnitude more useful than lying fresh all winter in the vegetable store.

In addition, in such a vegetable there are pectins, carotene and 16 free amino acids. The energy value of dried cabbage is determined by the presence of 100 g of product:

• 16 g of protein;
• 1.5 g of fat;
• 47 g of carbohydrates.

Did you know? Cabbage occupies 25% in the annual vegetable diet of a modern person.

The benefits of dried cabbage for the body

The dried product practically does not provoke the appearance of allergic reactions, is well absorbed and is great for preparing dietary dishes.

• Such a vegetable really helps with the treatment of:
• cardiovascular disease;
• diabetes mellitus;
• hemorrhoids;
• gastric ulcers;
• hepatic diseases;
• constipation
• obesity
• atherosclerosis;
• gout
• gallstone disease.

The presence of tartonic acid in the product allows you to significantly slow down the process of converting carbohydrates into fatty deposits. The presence of folic acid stimulates cell regeneration processes, increases their oxygen saturation, which leads to a noticeable improvement in the condition of the skin and hair. In addition, the ability of the product to normalize the monthly cycles and optimize the puberty of girls is relevant for women.

Future mothers, in addition to a significant set of vitamins, minerals and amino acids, get a perfectly functioning digestive system with the product and a guarantee of no constipation

The increased tendency of the gastrointestinal tract of infants to gas formation requires to refrain from their use of this vegetable until one and a half year old. But then cabbage becomes an indispensable ingredient in many children's dishes. The year-round availability of dried cabbage, the abundance of nutrients in it, its good digestibility by the child’s body, and its pleasant taste make it a popular product for baby food.

The described product is equally valuable for the elderly, who often suffer from all kinds of inflammatory processes, metabolic disorders and constipation. The constant presence of the vegetable in question on their menu strengthens the immune system and rid the body of bad cholesterol, improving the circulatory system.

Did you know? Over the course of a day, a cabbage head absorbs and evaporates as much moisture as a horse drinks water for a similar period.

How much dried cabbage can be eaten per day

As already mentioned, a freeze-dried product is 10 times superior to a fresh vegetable in the concentration of useful substances in it. And if doctors do not recommend eating more than 200 g of fresh cabbage during the day, then, according to the logic of things, a dried product should not be consumed per day for more than 20 g. The restriction in the amount of fresh vegetable eaten during the day is caused by its ability to provoke bloating. And in this sense, comparing it with a sublimated product is not entirely correct.

If you can make salads from fresh cabbage or just eat cabbage leaves, then dried vegetable is used exclusively for cooking:

• borsch;
• cabbage soup;
• vegetable soup;
• pickle;
• vegetable stew;
• side dish;
• various cereals (as an additional ingredient), etc.

In this form, the use of vegetables is limited only by the degree of saturation of a person.

Possible contraindications and harm to dried cabbage

• The restrictions that are associated with the use of fresh cabbage in fresh form are caused by its ability:
• provoke severe bloating;
• bring heaviness in the stomach and nausea;
• exacerbate thyroid problems;
• exacerbate the course of the disease with enteritis, colitis, gastritis with high acidity, inflammation of the duodenum.

A sublimated product, used almost always in heat-treated form, does not have such contraindications and is able to reasonably be used almost always by everyone, except in rare cases associated with individual product intolerance.

How to dry cabbage to preserve vitamins

Since the described vegetable is not dried in the sun, there are two tried and tested methods for its sublimation at home:

• on a baking sheet in the oven;
• in an electric dryer.

Both methods are equivalent in result, but differ in the convenience of the process. The drier tray does not require preliminary preparation, since the dried vegetable does not stick to it, and after the procedure is completed it is easy to wash. The baking sheet in the oven must be greased with vegetable oil or covered with baking paper.

Important! At a temperature exceeding +120°C, the cabbage will start to fry, and not dry.

In both cases, the temperature at which the vegetable is sublimated is of utmost importance. In order to keep the maximum of the nutrients contained in the dried product, the process must proceed at a temperature of + 45 ° С to + 80 ° С.

In order for the sublimation process to proceed correctly, there must be an outlet for evaporated moisture in the heating device. In the electric dryer, this is provided for by the design features, and for the oven it is necessary either to set the “Convection” mode, or if it is absent, leave, for example, a gap between the oven’s body and the oven’s lid. If this is not done, then the vegetable will be stewed instead of drying.

Video: Drying cabbage in an electric dryer

Product readiness is determined by its greatly reduced mass and yellowish tint. With strong pressure with your fingers, the dried cabbage slice should not release juice. If it breaks, then the product is overdried. It can be used as food, but during storage it can turn into a powder, which, in addition to smell, will contain little usefulness.

Recommendations for drying cabbage

To sublimate high-quality white cabbage in an electric dryer or in an oven, you need to choose for this medium-late or late cabbage varieties, which differ in stronger and juicy forks. They are cleaned of integumentary leaves and chopped in the form of thin shavings.

Important! For drying, you should not use cabbage of early varieties, as well as frosted heads of cabbage with pretty smells.

Before the sublimation process, the chopped vegetable is placed in boiling water for 3 minutes, after which it is dried at room temperature for an hour. Then it is laid out in a single layer on a tray or baking sheet and placed in a preheated oven or in an electric dryer, which is then turned on. The drying process takes place for at least 2 hours and lasts longer depending on the temperature, the lower it is.

Dried cabbage, which has a much more concentrated composition of nutrients and keeps them intact for a longer time, while taking up much less space and is easier to store. It can be prepared at home, and the additional efforts spent at the same time fully pay off for the undoubted advantages of the product.