Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, there’s more good news about green-colored food, especially green foods that are cruciferous vegetables. But if you only eat them in light of St. Patrick’s Day, it is time to broaden your horizons.

Cruciferous vegetables include cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, bok choy, kale, Napa cabbage and collard greens. As a group, this family of vegetables contain fiber; vitamins C, K and A; and folate. Studies have found diets rich in cruciferous vegetables and leafy green vegetables may reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease.

One of the most powerful health benefits from cruciferous vegetables is the protection from certain cancers, including cancers of the breast, lung, liver and colon. Studies show cabbage contains 11 of the 15 vegetable compounds that are thought to help prevent certain cancers. In a recent study of broccoli, the compound sulforaphane appeared to kill breast cancer cells that help tumors grow. Other substances in broccoli seem to inhibit prostate cancer cells.

Because of their powerful protection from cancer, health experts recommend eating at least three servings of cruciferous vegetables each week and while making the serving size 1 and 1/2 cups.

Cabbage has also been found to offer a health benefit for the heart.

The soluble fiber found in cabbage may help lower cholesterol.

New studies have found that slightly steamed cabbage may lower cholesterol even more than raw cabbage.

Shopping Tip:

Choose the right cabbage for the recipe. Green cabbage and red cabbage are delicious raw in coleslaw or cooked in soups, stews and sautés. Mildly flavored, delicate napa (Chinese) cabbage, with ruffled leaves and white ribs, is widely used in Asian cooking. Try it shredded in salads, quick-cooked in stir-fries or slow-cooked in soups or stews.

Add more green health benefits with one of these simple ideas using cabbage:

· The Healthy Reuben. Use low-fat Thousand Island dressing, rye bread, reduced-fat Swiss cheese, butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray and deli slices of turkey instead of high-fat corned beef.

· Stir-Fry. Cabbage has a mild taste and can be added to any stir-fry.

· Add Crunch to Your Lunch. Add extra crunch to your salads, soups, wraps or sandwiches by topping them off with thinly sliced cabbage.

· Top Your Taco. Pump up the veggies in your taco by topping with a mixture of shredded red and green cabbage, along with your tomato and taco sauce.