Cabbage (or cabbage) is part of the cruciferous vegetable family, which also includes Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and kale, among others. The four main types of cabbage are green, red, savoy, and Napa. Green cabbage ranges from pale to dark green, red cabbage looks purple or crimson red with white streaks throughout, and Napa and kale cabbage is yellowish to pale green.
Both green and red cabbage have leaves with a smooth texture, while kale and nappa are more curly. The characteristic crisp texture and pronounced flavor are most often associated with red and green cabbage, while the Savoy and Napa varieties are more delicate and mild in flavor.
Cabbage is delicious both raw and cooked and is a low-calorie option that's packed with vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, delivering a powerful punch of health benefits.
Cabbage Nutritional Information
One cup of chopped cabbage equals one serving. In it we find:
- Calories: 22
- Total Fat: 0.1g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 16 mg
- Total carbohydrates: 5.2 g
- Dietary fiber: 2.2 g
- Sugar: 2.8 g
- Added sugar: 0 g
- Protein: 1.1 g
Cabbage macros
- Total Fat : A one-cup serving of cabbage has 0.1 grams of total fat, which includes 0.02 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 0.02 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0 grams of saturated fat and 0 grams of trans fat.
- Carbohydrates : A one-cup serving has 5.2 grams of carbohydrates, which include 2.2 grams of fiber and 2.8 grams of natural sugar.
- Protein: One serving has 1.1 grams of protein.
Vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients
- Vitamin K: 56% of your daily value (DV)
- Vitamin C: 36% DV
- Folate (B9): 10% DV
- Manganese: 6%
- Vitamin B6: 6% DV
- Thiamine (B1): 5% DV
- Pantothenic Acid (B5): 4% DV
- Calcium: 3% DV
- Magnesium: 3% DV
- Potassium: 3% DV
- Riboflavin (B2): 3% DV
- Vitamin A (IU): 3% DV
What benefits does it bring to health?
Like other cruciferous vegetables, cabbage has a rich and varied nutrient profile with a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
It is linked to preserving bone health
Our bones support most of our weight on a daily basis, so they constantly break down and rebuild.
Eating enough calcium and vitamin D, especially during childhood, is essential, but vitamin K is a key part of bone metabolism and also essential for bone health.
Not getting enough vitamin K is associated with an increased risk of osteoarthritis and fractures in older adults, according to a study published in the June 2014 issue of Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.
With 56 percent of your daily needs per one-cup serving, cabbage is packed with this bone-building nutrient. Meeting your vitamin K needs can help reduce bone turnover (also known as breakdown) and can improve bone strength, according to an April 2012 article published in the Open Orthopedics Journal.
It is linked to a reduced risk of cancer
Including cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, in the diet on a regular basis is one of the key dietary recommendations of the American Cancer Society to reduce the risk of cancer.
Cruciferous vegetables contain a group of anticancer compounds known as glucosinolates, which are chemicals that contain sulfur. These glucosinolates break down when cooked and eaten to form biologically active compounds that have been associated with preventing cancer development.
Epidemiological evidence suggests that a higher intake of cruciferous vegetables shows a lower incidence of cancer, according to an article published in December 2014 in the journal BBA Reviews on Cancer.
Also, eating cabbage offers antioxidant benefits. These antioxidants help protect our cells from oxidative damage. Eating a rainbow of colors from plant foods, like cabbage, every day is linked to a lower risk of a variety of cancers.
It is an inexhaustible source of vitamin C
Vitamin C serves many purposes throughout the human body, including its vital role as an immune-supporting antioxidant, according to a November 2017 article published in Nutrients. At 36 percent of your daily value, a serving of cabbage is an excellent source of this valuable nutrient.
Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant throughout the body, protecting DNA, proteins, and lipids from oxidative damage by free radicals. Eating foods rich in vitamin C is associated with helping to prevent and / or treat a variety of health conditions, including heart disease, cancer, and common illnesses in older adults.
Another surprising benefit of vitamin C is its ability to help humans absorb non-heme or plant-based iron .
Non-heme iron is found in plant foods, such as beans, lentils, green leafy vegetables, and whole grains. Non-heme iron cannot be readily absorbed by our bodies, and vitamin C acts synergistically to reduce the non-heme form of ferric to ferrous, allowing humans to more easily absorb the nutrient, according to the October 2019 issue of Antioxidants.
This is particularly important for vegans and vegetarians who are more likely to experience anemia because they primarily consume non-heme iron versus animal-derived heme iron.
Are there health risks?
Food allergies
Cabbage is generally considered safe for consumption by most people and is not known to be associated with any food allergies to date.
However, vegetables from the cruciferous family, including cabbage, contain goitrogens, which can interfere with the action of thyroid hormone in certain situations, particularly when iodine levels are low, according to the January 2016 issue of the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research.
Cooking can help inactivate goitrogenic compounds. However, if you are eating large amounts of raw cruciferous vegetables, more than four servings a week, be sure to get adequate amounts of iodine, which is found in iodized salt, seaweed vegetables, seafood, and supplements.
Drug interactions
Vitamin K interacts with some medications, and certain medications can also have an adverse effect on levels of this vitamin. Vitamin K is vital for blood clotting , so large amounts of this nutrient dilute the effects of prescription blood thinners, such as warfarin.
People taking blood thinners should not eliminate vitamin K entirely, as it is an integral part of a healthy diet. Instead, they must be consistent with vitamin K taken daily to maintain a constant level because sudden changes (up or down) can disrupt the clotting power of the medication.
People who take antibiotics or bile acid sequestrants to lower cholesterol may experience decreased levels of vitamin K.
Cabbage preparation and useful tips
Cabbage is widely available year-round. Choose a cabbage that is firm, dense, has bright, crisp, and colorful leaves and shows no signs of decay, cracking, bruising, or blemishes.
Most of the outer leaves should be firmly attached to the stem. Pre-cut cabbage, whether halved or grated, is also available and in many supermarkets.
Store cabbage in the refrigerator to extend its shelf life. Put the whole head as is or in a perforated plastic bag in the vegetable drawer. Red and green cabbage should be kept fresh for at least two weeks, while kale or Napa cabbage will be kept for about a week.
If you need to store a partial head of cabbage, place it in a perforated plastic bag or wrap it in plastic before putting it in the refrigerator.
Here are some tips for preparing cabbage:
- Remove thick fibrous outer leaves. Then cut it into halves or quarters, and then place the cabbage under cold water.
- To cut the cabbage into smaller pieces, remove the core . If you are roasting or wrapping pieces in foil and baking, you may want to leave the core glued on.
- Cabbage can be cut into pieces, grated by hand with a knife, or shredded in a food processor.
- If you're boiling red cabbage, add an acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice, to the water to keep the color from smearing.
Cabbage can be used in a wide variety of ways. Here are some ideas to serve quickly:
- Cut into pieces, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and then grill.
- Cut into pieces, place each piece on a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, close the aluminum foil to form individual packages, and then bake at 200ºC for approximately 40 minutes.
- Shred the cabbage and add it to salads or make coleslaw.
- Use grated cabbage on sandwiches or pitas.
- Grated cabbage stew with apple, vegetable broth, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper.
- Sauté the cabbage and onion as a garnish.
- Ferment the grated cabbage to make sauerkraut or kimchi.
- Steamed cabbage, add a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper and toasted walnuts.
