The heading cabbage spread to northern Europe because it would grow in a cool climate and the heads could be stored over the winter in cold cellars providing a fresh vegetable all year long. It became a very popular vegetable in Austria, Bohemia, Germany, Poland, and Russia. The German immigrants brought sauerkraut to Pennsylvania. Through a fermenting process, cabbage can be preserved as sauerkraut. Sauerkraut was a valuable foodstuff for the Dutch explorers and traders on long voyages as it helped to prevent scurvy, a vitamin C deficiency.
Cabbage is also a source of potassium and fiber.