Can you eat savoy cabbage raw or is it poisonous? That is to be observed

Long when poor people's food was frowned upon, savoy cabbage is experiencing a real renaissance today. Not entirely unknown, but still a source of confusion, is the fact that cabbage can not only be cooked, but also eaten raw without any problems. This not only applies to white and red cabbage, but also to savoy cabbage. We have summarized for you in this article what you should pay attention to when consuming raw savoy cabbage and thus clarify the question - Can you eat savoy cabbage raw or is it poisonous?

General

Savoy cabbage (Brassica oleracea convar. capitata var. sabauda) belongs to the head cabbage family and is very healthy. It contains many vitamins and at the same time only few calories. Savoy cabbage is one of the oldest types of cabbage. It was developed from wild cabbage over centuries of breeding with a slightly loose head. It is mainly characterized by its blistered leaves. By nature, savoy cabbage is actually a biennial plant. In the first year it forms the head of cabbage and in the second year a flower.

consumption

Like most types of cabbage, savoy cabbage is mostly used in cooking. But you can also eat it raw in salads and process it in a smoothie. If you are a little sensitive to cabbage when it's raw, you should lightly blanch it so that it is easier to digest. Savoy cabbage can already be harvested if it has not yet formed a firm head. The first savoy cabbage leaves are particularly tender and mild and are ideal for fresh salads.

Edible parts of plants

The edible part of the Wirsing is actually an end bud that consists of many overlapping leaves in a rosette. The leaves of the cabbage are arranged a little more loosely than in the white or red cabbage and are wavy and curled. Heads of cabbage from your own garden, which is used without pesticides, not only contain some dirt, but sometimes a few insects, caterpillars or snails. This is why it is important to wash the savoy cabbage leaves thoroughly before consuming them. Especially when the savoy cabbage is eaten raw and not used for cooking. Remove the outer leaves, because the fresh green inside is particularly tender.

harvest

Savoy cabbage is a classic fall and winter vegetable, although it can also be grown early in the year. There are many different varieties, of which the middle and early varieties can be put outdoors as early as April to May. Late savory varieties do not move into the bed until around August or September and can be used there without any problems be overwintered, as the cabbage, unlike most other types of cabbage, freezes up to -10 degrees well survives. So the savoy cabbage can be harvested almost all year round. With the right technology, the harvest time of the Wirsings can also be extended in a targeted manner. If you cut the savoy cabbage leaves from the outside in with a sharp knife and cut the heart do not injure the head, it always reproduces new, strong leaves so that multiple harvests are possible is.

Buy savoy cabbage

If you don't have your own vegetable garden, you can buy savoy cabbage in stores and markets almost all year round. As early as May there is the mild Frühwirsing, later in the year as autumn or permanent, or winterwirsing. The mild and very tender early sausage is particularly suitable as raw food. When buying the Wirsing, the leaves should look fresh and crisp, the interface should still be juicy and not already very dried out. A good sign of freshness is that the savoy cabbage head can be opened loosely and rustles slightly when you shake it. In the case of dark spots and other discolorations, limp leaves or very dried-up or putrid smelling interfaces, you should refrain from buying. Especially when the cabbage is to be consumed raw, it is advisable to use organic quality so that there are no fertilizer residues or pesticides on it.

storage

Savoy cabbage can easily be stored for a few days in the refrigerator or in a cool cellar. Provided it's fresh. Savoy cabbage harvested early in the year does not keep as long as autumn or winter cabbage. It should therefore only be stored in the refrigerator for a few days. If you grow the cabbage in your own garden, it is best to leave it in the bed as long as possible. Savoy cabbage is not sensitive to cold and can withstand temperatures as low as -10 degrees. If you store the head cabbage in the refrigerator, make sure that there is no fruit nearby. This would accelerate the decay.

• own cultivation: around 7 days in the refrigerator
• over 14 days in the cool basement
• to do this, pack them in boxes or wrap them loosely in newspaper
• a few weeks in a rental
• Purchased heads: around 3-5 days in the refrigerator
• early varieties: about three days

If the cabbage is stored in the refrigerator for at least two days before consumption, it will be easier to digest. This is because substances that are difficult to digest in the cold are converted into more easily degradable types of sugar.

Prepare for storage

If you intend to store the cabbage for a long time, you should prepare the cabbage accordingly. It starts with the right harvest. In order to be able to store it as long as possible, the head must be harvested completely.

• use a clean, sharp knife
• Cut right above the ground
• remove dirty, pitted or withered leaves
• Collect pests such as caterpillars or snails
• do not wash

Eat stalk?

It is often recommended to cut out the core of the Wirsings before processing. That has nothing to do with the fact that it is not very digestible or even poisonous. In larger or older savoy cabbage heads, the middle part from which the leaves grow is quite hard, bitter and fibrous. Smaller savoy cabbage heads can be eaten whole raw.

Flowering plants

In principle, you can still eat the savoy cabbage when it is already shooting. Shoot means that it is forming a flower. In this case, the head shape is lost and leaves can taste a bit bitter. However, the cabbage is not intolerant or poisonous when it blooms.

Feeding to animals

Small animals, especially guinea pigs and rabbits, usually tolerate small amounts of savoy cabbage, but other animals should not be fed. Although the vegetables are not poisonous for these animal species, they can lead to severe emissions in sensitive animals.