Turnips and cabbages have more calcium than a glass of milk

The traditional tale says that little Patufet took shelter under a cabbage when it started to rain. Today we know it's one of the healthiest and most versatile vegetables in our kitchen. They say 2026 is the year of the cabbage, but since we're already in March, between turnips and cabbages (which are in the same family), we suggest you discover more about its characteristics.

More calcium than in a glass of milk

Eating 100 grams of cruciferous vegetables provides more calcium than a glass of milk. And calcium isn't the only bioavailable component; vitamin C and iron are also present. A very high percentage of the calcium in cruciferous vegetables crosses the intestinal barrier, which is why it's technically called 'bioavailable calcium'. Of the calcium present in broccoli (93 mg per 100 g), 69% is absorbed. Therefore, if we eat a serving of broccoli, we absorb twice the amount of calcium found in a 200 ml glass of milk.

Brassica Rapa

It belongs to the cabbage family, although it may not seem like it. It is one of the oldest cultivated vegetables and is considered a staple food for the first European populations. In Catalonia, we have a couple of highly valued native varieties, such as the Talltendre turnip, typical of Pyrenean cuisine and which can be found in the markets of Cerdanya; and the black mountain turnip, from the Empordà, Garrotxa, and Pla de l'Estany areas.

Like the turnip, it's traditional in Europe and can be cooked similarly. You'll find that some people also call it napicol. Its flavor is milder and sweeter, making it ideal for eating raw in salads and even in vinaigrettes.

Napa cabbage (or Chinese cabbage) is a long, thin vegetable with tender, crisp leaves and a mild, slightly sweet flavor. It's very versatile: it can be eaten raw in salads, stir-fried, or added to soups and other Asian dishes.

It looks more like chard than cabbage, with large, soft leaves. It can be eaten raw or lightly cooked. It's widely used in stir-fries and throughout Asian cuisine.

Brassica Oleracea

Each region produces its own cabbage. You'll find the Galápeto cabbage (with very curly leaves); the Manresa cabbage; the Moianès cabbage; the Cerdanya cabbage, used to make the star winter dish, trinchado; the Vallès paper cabbage; the Vallès brotonera cabbage, from which the espigalls of Garraf are derived. Its leaves have been used for many purposes, such as farcellets (small bundles) or even as containers for fishmongers to hold the fish.

Ideal for salads, sliced, to give a touch of lilac color, which is unusual in dishes on the table.

It is a deep green color and is often confused with broccoli, with which it shares a family ('Brassicaceae' or cruciferous family) and species ('Brassica oleracea') but not a specific variety. Broccoli has a high chlorophyll content and provides calcium and vitamins to the body, as well as sulfur compounds, which are considered to have anti-cancer properties.

With its mild flavor, it grows under cover and doesn't receive direct sunlight, so it doesn't have as strong a taste as broccoli or kale. Precisely for this reason, it can be cooked in countless ways; one of the most fashionable is pickled.

Brussels sprouts have a high content of bioavailable calcium, specifically 31 milligrams per 100g of intake, a very high proportion compared to other vegetables.

Years ago, cabbage was the most fashionable vegetable, and the trend came to us from the US. It can be eaten in countless ways, even raw. And the interesting thing is that cattle were already eating it before we discovered it.

Infographic on the ARA Domingo paper