White cabbages

A variety of Brassica oleracea producing dense heads with pale, white-green leaves that mature in winter. They are the familiar cabbages of coleslaw, sauerkraut, and cooked dishes worldwide, valued for their sweet, mild flavour when fresh and their ability to store for months under refrigeration, making cabbage a year-round vegetable. Nutritionally they provide vitamin C, fibre, and glucosinolates, the sulphur compounds linked to health benefits. For sauerkraut makers, sugar content, firm texture, and the natural lactic flora on the leaves decide fermentation quality, while for the fresh market, solid heads free of blemish and decay are the grade standards. Their keeping quality is among the best of all vegetables.