Yahoo News Cabbage is officially 'cool' as sauerkraut and kimchi are the next big health trend
For older generations it may conjure ghastly memories of cold school dinners, but thanks to the "clean eating" craze sweeping the UK, cabbage has become cool.
In a sign that fermented cabbage has achieved food craze status, Britain's restaurant chains are starting include pickled cabbage dishes like German Saurkraut and Korean kimchi on their menus in a bid to be trendy.
The Slug and Lettuce, Byron and Greene King pubs have cottoned onto the trend and are selling burgers which feature kimchi, while Loch Fyne is offering a Confit Duck Leg with kimchi cabbage on the side.
Supermarkets are also reporting selling more cabbage, with Sainsbury's saying sales are up by 39pc since Christmas.
Meanwhile sales of cider vinegar, which is commonly used for pickling cabbage, is up by 17pc over the same period compared to last year. Hoping to cash in on the pickling trend, the retailer has also started selling jars of pickling spice to enhance the flavour of homemade fermented cabbage or other vegetables.
Celebrity health food guru Melissa Hemsley who helped pioneer virtuous foodie trends like courgetti and "posh pot noodles", told The Telegraph that pickled cabbage was the "next big thing" in clean eating.
She said: "Dishes like saurkraut and kimchi are really starting to take off, and the health benefits of fermented cabbage are absolutely amazing. Any trend that gets people eating more vegetables has to be a good thing."
Nicola Knight, an independent restaurant analyst, said: "Kimchi has risen in popularity over the past few years following the opening of Korean restaurant such as Bibimbap and Kimchee in London which brought Korean food into the spotlight.
"It's use on burgers as an alternative to pickles has brought it to a wider audience and now that the health benefts of fermented foods are being publicised, the rise of kimchi looks set to continue."
Richard Mobury, vice chairman at the British Brassica Association, said: "Cabbage is often associated with school dinners but that is starting to change. It is very good for you in terms of vitamins and nutrition. Like kale, it is particularly high in vitamin c, vitamin K and anti-carcinogenic properties."
