Although the name "coleslaw" derives from the Dutch word "koolsla", which means "cabbage salad", coleslaw is mainly typical of American cuisine. It is mainly prepared with finely chopped cabbage and can include other ingredients, such as carrots and leeks, in the case of Ortoromi's coleslaw. Excellent at the opening of courses, to stimulate gastric juices and accelerate the appearance of a sense of satiety, this salad is also a perfect side dish to accompany meat dishes (excellent with chicken) or fish, cooked simply. As the warmer season approaches, coleslaw also becomes an excellent option for a light dinner or a picnic: accompanied by just a little bread and a boiled egg or a portion of mozzarella, it creates a complete meal, as light as it is fresh and tasty, in which raw cabbage and other vegetables can fully express their healthy characteristics.

Characteristic ingredient of coleslaw, the cabbage in OrtoRomi's proposal is of the white and purple variety. From a nutritional point of view, not only do both varieties provide very few calories (so much so that they can be consumed freely even following a slimming diet), but they are also rich in fiber, contain a lot of vitamin C and provide significant quantities of iron and calcium.
However, the greatest virtues of cabbage are linked to some substances discovered in recent years. These are different types of compounds - flavones, isocyanates and indoles - which have no nutritional value, but are capable of protecting us from many diseases, even serious ones. In particular, cabbage, like all vegetables belonging to the large cabbage family in general, has a really important characteristic: they are specific foods against tumors, useful both for preventing the formation of tumor cells and for counteracting their multiplication. Especially effective against stomach, colon, larynx, lung and breast tumours, cabbage seems to owe its preventive virtues to the combination of several factors: the vitamin C content, which fights free radicals (particles "crazy" that form in the body and damage its tissues), the good presence of a particular amino acid, cysteine, which plays a useful protective role, the richness of indoles, effective substances in particular against breast cancer and, finally, the presence of sulforaphane, a compound believed capable of eliminating any carcinogenic substances from the body.
Without forgetting that cabbage, both white and purple, is also useful for stimulating the immune system thanks above all to its folate content, B vitamins that participate in the production of antibodies and white blood cells. Finally, a curiosity that may interest many: cabbage can also help those suffering from ulcers or gastritis, thanks to the fact that it contains a particular substance, gefarnate, which acts on the mucous membranes of the stomach, stimulating them to produce a protective layer against acids and harmful substances.

Another important and precious ingredient of the OrtoRomi coleslaw is the carrot, among the foods richest in vitamin A by far, which it contains in the form of its precursor beta-carotene, a substance which the body is then able to transform into a vitamin according to its needs. The best-known function of vitamin A is to actively participate in the mechanism of vision, allowing you to see perfectly not only when it is daytime with plenty of light, but above all in dim light (twilight). In addition to this, vitamin A guarantees protection to the skin and mucous membranes, also strengthens the immune system and has an important anti-anemic role. Moreover, in addition to functioning as a precursor of vitamin A, the beta-carotene in carrots itself plays a crucial role in the health and beauty of the skin. In fact, it behaves like a natural tan by directly stimulating the formation of "melanin", the dark pigment that our body produces to protect the epidermis from the aggression of ultraviolet rays, and which gives us the much desired complexion.
Speaking of the carrot, finally, it is well known that it is also an excellent source of vegetable fibres, essential for the proper functioning of the intestinal system, and of mineral salts (especially potassium, which is useful for counteracting muscle tiredness) and of water, which make an excellent rehydrating and remineralizing of the whole organism.

To complete the composition of the Ortoromi coleslaw, the leek contributes in the first place to give a characteristic note to the aroma of the whole, but the usefulness of some sulfur compounds should not be underestimated either which, in addition to determining the typical aroma, they perform several healthy functions. In particular, allyl sulphide is important, which acts as a natural antibiotic, helping to fight harmful germs in the intestine and to reduce fermentation, while from a vitamin point of view, the leek contains moderate doses of B vitamins, which make it a good invigorating to face the hottest periods.
As for mineral salts, leeks are rich in potassium, magnesium and iron, which are essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system, muscles and circulatory system.

A real mix of healthy vegetables, therefore, in this coleslaw which, thanks to its fresh taste and its nutritional composition, is a candidate to be a real must of the summer.