Losing weight due to a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition has now become more popular than ever. But in order to form a balanced diet, it is important to know the composition of the product, its properties and effect on the body, and in this article we will talk about Beijing cabbage. You will find out what benefits this vegetable brings, what harm it can cause and in what cases it is better not to use it. You will also find information on how to use this product correctly so that it contributes to weight loss.
Calorie content and chemical composition of Beijing cabbage
The first thing that catches the eye of a losing weight is the calorie content of products, and Beijing cabbage in this regard has found success. 100 g of cabbage contains only 16 calories, which makes it a dietary product. The protein content in 100 g of this vegetable is 1.2 g, carbohydrates - 2 g, and fat - 0.2 g. Also, the product contains dietary fiber - 1.2 g, and water - 94.4 g.
Did you know? Peking cabbage is also called Chinese, salad or petsai.
In addition, it contains a lot of vitamins. Among them, one can distinguish vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B4 (choline), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B9 (folates), ascorbic acid or vitamin C, as well as vitamin K (phylloquinone) and vitamin PP.
Chinese cabbage is rich in micro and macro elements. In the composition of greens you can find potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, copper, selenium and zinc. It contains monosaccharides with disaccharides (sugars).
Properties of Beijing cabbage for the human body
Not only a single low calorie and rich composition Chinese cabbage has gained its popularity. She, as a herbal product, combining the benefits of both vegetables and herbs, also has healing power. This cabbage has a considerable amount of useful properties that improve the functioning of the body, regardless of whether you are losing weight or maintaining your weight. However, in addition to benefit, this product is capable of harming it, so it is extremely important to familiarize yourself with contraindications to its use.
Did you know? Chinese cabbage is quite capable of replacing antidepressants and sedatives: regular use of this product helps get rid of headaches and high levels of stress.
Benefit
Beijing cabbage contains such an amino acid as lysine. When it enters the body, its main task is to neutralize foreign proteins, which can provoke the appearance of allergic reactions in the body. In other words, lysine neutralizes allergens, which can subsequently cause allergies to any product. Thus, lysine protects the body from allergic reactions, however, it cannot cope with an existing allergy.
Another important component that is part of Beijing is called lactucin and belongs to the group of alkaloids. Its effect on the body is to calm the nervous system, normalize its work, which subsequently leads to a level of stress reduction, normalization of sleep and digestion. Also, lactacin helps reduce blood pressure, which is especially useful for hypertensive patients.
- This product can benefit people suffering from:
- cardiovascular disease;
- immunocompromised;
- rheumatism;
- gout
- acne
- arthritis;
- jaundice
- Alzheimer's disease;
- hypertension (high blood pressure);
- oncological diseases;
- inflammatory processes in the oral cavity and throat.
Harmful properties and contraindications
A Chinese vegetable can cause harm only if you have one of the contraindications to its use. In all other cases, cabbage will be exclusively beneficial.
And contraindications include diseases such as gastritis, high acidity, colitis, ulcers and others that are related to the inflammatory processes of the mucous membranes.
Can I use Chinese cabbage for weight loss?
This plant product has all the necessary properties to become an assistant in the fight against excess weight. Low calorie content, rich chemical composition and properties, due to which it is possible to reduce appetite and activate metabolism in the body.
How does Beijing cabbage work in the fight against excess weight
Weight loss due to the use of the product occurs for three reasons:
- Calories. You already know that in 100 g of cabbage there is only 16 kcal, which makes it a dietary product. Therefore, it is safe to use it at any time of the day and in an amount sufficient for the body.
- Feeling of False Satiety. Peking contains fiber and many trace elements, and the symbiosis of these leaves affects the body in the same way as drugs to reduce appetite. Unless cabbage has no side effects and is completely safe for the body.
- Barrier property. When it enters the intestines, cabbage with the help of fiber forms a protective barrier on its surface. Its task is to reduce the absorption rate of fats and carbohydrates by the body.
Important! It should be understood that this product is not a fat burner, it only triggers metabolic processes and is an excellent element of proper nutrition. To reduce weight, you need to add physical activity to your schedule.
The main rules of use for weight loss
To get the maximum amount of benefit from cabbage, it is important to know what rules for its use exist: in what form, in what quantities, at what time of day it is and with what it can be combined.
Beijing cabbage contains twice as much vitamin C than the same amount of white cabbage or leaf lettuce
Fresh use of Beijing is much more beneficial than if you heat it. Therefore, it is highly advisable to use this product for making fresh salads or smoothies. Also, healers from China and Japan recommend drinking juice squeezed from Chinese cabbage - according to them, it contains the largest number of useful elements and the body gets the most benefit.
Important! A salad based on Beijing cabbage can be a great dinner - light, hearty, but dietary. Her ability to give the body a false sense of fullness and the correct selection of other ingredients for the dish will help.
There is no specific indication on how much to include this food product in the diet. But it is important to understand that for weight loss the body must receive enough nutrients. This means that minimizing other foods in your diet and replacing them with low-calorie cabbage is not worth it: it is not a universal product that will give the body all the necessary substances.
Therefore, consuming cabbage with other products, you can get a balanced diet that will provide the body with enough energy to lose extra pounds.
To reduce body weight using the described product, it is enough to replace the usual dinner with a dietary salad
The time of taking Beijing does not play an important role, but do not forget that this product gives the body a sense of false satiety. This means that cabbage will be a good choice for a snack, when there is no way to arrange a full meal. Especially recommended is the use of Chinese vegetable in the evening.
The combination of Beijing with other ingredients is of considerable importanceif your goal is to reduce weight. The thing is that any dietary product instantly turns into a high-calorie bomb, if you do not know what to cook it with. So, for example, fresh vegetables and fruits will be excellent neighbors for a Chinese vegetable: cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, spinach, radishes, zucchini, broccoli, bell pepper, asparagus, beets, green beans, pomegranate, apple and any greens.
Important! Particular attention should be paid to what salad dressing you use: mayonnaise and any vegetable oil will not be the best choice, because these products contain almost 10 times more calories than the cabbage itself. You can replace them with low-fat sour cream, natural low-fat yogurt, vinegar or lemon juice.
You should also avoid combining green vegetables with any kind of meat, crackers, soft cheeses, eggs. All these products also have high calorie content, and a salad from a light and hearty meal will turn into a meal difficult for the stomach. This is especially dangerous if you decide to prepare a diet salad for dinner - the stomach cannot process all the components of the salad overnight, and in the morning you may find heaviness in the stomach or swelling.
If you want to achieve faster results, you can go on a two-week diet
To summarize, we can confidently say that Beijing cabbage is an excellent helper not only for weight loss, but also in maintaining the health of the whole organism. It has a rich vitamin composition, contains many useful substances and has an exclusively beneficial effect on the body. Low calorie content, metabolic acceleration and the ability to quickly saturate the body help people who are overweight come to the figure of their dreams and at the same time not limit themselves in nutrition, but monitor its quality and quantity.
In addition, the right ingredients for preparing meals from this healthy vegetable will help reduce your calorie intake. It remains only to recall that an important factor for losing weight is not only a well-composed, healthy diet, but also physical activity.
