
27 Verified Health Benefits of Red Cabbage
- 1. Promote healthy digestion Red cabbage provides dietary fiber which significantly promotes the digestion tract function. ...
- 2. Prevent constipation Constipation is common problem that occur due to disturbance of large intestine function. ...
- 3. Improve immune system ...
- 4. Prevent scurvy ...
- 5. Maintain healthy skin ...
- 6. Fight cancer ...
- 7. Treat skin disorder ...
- 8. Prevent heart disease ...
Does red cabbage have any nutritional value?
Red cabbage is a good source of vitamin K and provides small amounts of calcium, magnesium, and zinc, which can help build and maintain healthy bones. Red cabbage is high in fiber, making it easier to digest foods and keep your digestive system healthy.
What is the nutritional value of red cabbage?
When served raw, it has a crunchy, waxy texture. A 100-gram serving of raw red cabbage is about 90 percent water, and provides 31 calories, 1 gram of protein, 7 grams of carbs and 2 grams of dietary fiber. It is also a source of vitamin C and vitamin K. 1
What does red cabbage do for the body?
What does red cabbage do for you? Red cabbage has a good mix of vitamins and minerals, especially folate, which is essential during pregnancy and also helps the body to produce red blood cells. It also contains vitamin C, which helps protect our cells by acting as an antioxidant, and potassium, which we need for a healthy heart.
Can you cook red cabbage the same as green cabbage?
While red and green cabbage can be used interchangeably is most recipes, red cabbage requires an extra step. The compounds that give red cabbage its color, called anthocyanins, are water-soluble and will turn an unappetizing blue color when cooked.

What are the benefits of eating purple cabbage?
Purple cabbage is a nutrient-rich vegetable linked to a variety of health benefits. These include reduced inflammation, a healthier heart, stronger bones, improved gut function, and perhaps even a lower risk of certain cancers.
What is the side effect of red cabbage?
Cabbage contains phytonutrients that act as antioxidants to reduce your risk of certain cancers. However, eating large quantities of cabbage can cause negative side effects, such as flatulence, diarrhea, medication interactions and hypothyroidism.
Which is healthier red or green cabbage?
In comparison to green cabbage, red cabbage contains 10x more vitamins, cancer-fighting flavonoids, and a winning amount of antioxidants which improve eye, teeth, bone, & immune health.
Does red cabbage help you lose weight?
Red cabbage offers a combination of nutrients, fiber and low calories that help you lose weight without feeling hungry.
Who should avoid eating cabbage?
It's best to avoid cabbage if you have an under-active thyroid gland. Surgery: Cabbage might affect blood glucose levels and could interfere with blood sugar control during and after surgical procedures. Stop using cabbage at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
Is red cabbage healthier raw or cooked?
Red cabbage is easy to incorporate into your diet. This versatile vegetable can be added to soups, stews, salads, and coleslaw. It's delicious raw, steamed, sauteed, and fermented. It retains the most nutrients when it's eaten raw, but is still highly nutritious when cooked.
How long does it take to digest red cabbage?
Certain vegetables Whereas cooked leafy and cruciferous vegetables such as kale, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower take approximately 40-50 minutes to digest. Root vegetables like turnips, beetroot, sweet potatoes, radishes and carrot digest in an hour.
Is red cabbage good for your liver?
Cabbage is a really healthy type of cruciferous vegetable, just like broccoli. It is considered to be a liver-friendly food because it contains a high concentration of phytonutrients, chemical compounds that are amazing when it comes to helping the liver flush dangerous toxins out of the blood.
Does red cabbage cause gas?
Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli and cabbage, have the same sugars that make beans gassy. Their high fiber can also make them hard to digest.
Can cabbage reduce belly fat?
New Delhi: If you're looking for ideas for a quick weight loss or detox, the 'cabbage soup diet' may help you burn body fat and flatten your tummy. This cruciferous vegetable isn't just a culinary delight but also provides a host of health benefits.
Does cabbage detox the body?
Like most cruciferous vegetables (including broccoli and sprouts), cabbage contains a chemical called sulforaphane, which helps the body fight against toxins. Cabbage also supplies the body with glutathione; an antioxidant that helps improve the detoxifying function of the liver.
Does cabbage make you sleepy?
The rich red/purple colour of red cabbage is due to the presence of anthocyanin polyphenol pigments (3) and these polyphenols are thought to bestow red cabbage with its sleep-inducing qualities.
Is red cabbage good for your liver?
Cabbage is a really healthy type of cruciferous vegetable, just like broccoli. It is considered to be a liver-friendly food because it contains a high concentration of phytonutrients, chemical compounds that are amazing when it comes to helping the liver flush dangerous toxins out of the blood.
Is red cabbage good for diabetics?
Red cabbage contains 'anthocyanin,' which is a potent antioxidant that scavenges free radicals. Such an action of anthocyanins protect the body and reduce the risk of diabetic complications. Furthermore, red cabbage contains dietary fiber that helps in the management of diabetes.
What are the side effects of cabbage juice?
Potential Risks of Cabbage Juice Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage — particularly when eaten raw — contain substances called goitrogens, which can interfere with normal thyroid function. If you have a thyroid condition or are at risk for thyroid cancer, you might want to avoid cabbage juice.
Is red cabbage good for immune system?
Boosts the Immune System As one of the top vitamin C foods on the planet, red cabbage is a major immune system booster. Due in large part to its vitamin C content, red cabbage is a high-antioxidant food that fights free radical damage and strengthens the immune system.
Red Cabbage vs. Green Cabbage
While both red and green cabbage are good for you, red cabbage packs a more powerful nutritional profile. For example, red cabbage contains about 85 percent of the daily vitamin C our bodies need, while the green variety provides 47 percent. In fact, red cabbage has more vitamin C than oranges, believe it or not.
The Science and History Behind the Red Cabbage
As I mentioned above, the purple color of red cabbage is thanks to the anthocyanin pigments in contains. Depending on the acidity of the soil in which a plant containing anthocyanin is grown, this pigment can look red, purple or even blue.
How to Use Red Cabbage
There are numerous ways to prepare red cabbage, such as red cabbage slaw, braised red cabbage, steamed red cabbage or simply eating it raw in salads. When cooking, red cabbage normally turns blue. However, if you want to retain the red color, you need to add apple cider vinegar or acidic fruit to the pot.
Red Cabbage Recipes
You can integrate red cabbage into many different types of recipes. Try the following red cabbage recipes to reap the nutritional rewards:
Soluble Fiber
Soluble fiber has been shown to help lower “bad” LDL cholesterol levels by binding with cholesterol in the gut and keeping it from being absorbed into the blood.
Plant Sterols
Cabbage contains substances called phytosterols. They are plant compounds that are structurally similar to cholesterol, and they reduce LDL cholesterol by blocking the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract.
Buying, Cooking, and Recipes
Danilo Alfaro has published more than 800 recipes and tutorials focused on making complicated culinary techniques approachable to home cooks.
What Is Red Cabbage?
Red cabbage is a member of the cabbage family ( Brassicaceae) with a tight round head and waxy leaves that are purple or violet in color. Specifically, it is a cultivar of the species Brassicaceae oleracea, along with broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kale.
How to Use Red Cabbage
Red cabbage is most commonly enjoyed raw, especially in salads and slaws, although it is frequently cooked as well. Typical cooking methods include sautéing, stir-frying, simmering and braising. It is particularly taste when roasted, which helps to bring out some of the sweetness of the cabbage due to the caramelization of the carbohydrates.
What Does It Taste Like?
Red cabbage has a bolder, more peppery, and almost floral flavor as compared with regular green cabbage, which is milder and more vegetal. Cooking it tends to mellow the flavors, and it can also bring out sweet notes as well. When served raw, it has a crunchy, waxy texture.
Nutritional Value
A 100-gram serving of raw red cabbage is about 90 percent water, and provides 31 calories, 1 gram of protein, 7 grams of carbs and 2 grams of dietary fiber. It is also a source of vitamin C and vitamin K. 1
Red Cabbage Recipes
Red cabbage can be used in many ways, whether it is as a side dish or part of a salad, or an accompaniment with pork or chicken. Here is a sampling of red cabbage recipes that feature different ways of preparing it, including raw, simmered, and pickled.
Where to Buy Red Cabbage
Red cabbage is widely available in supermarket produce sections. Look for heads that are tight, heavy for their size, and whose outer leaves show no signs of wilting or browning.
What is Red Cabbage?
Red cabbage, also called purple cabbage, is a leafy vegetable from the cabbage family. It typically comes as a head of cabbage, which is a ball of tight leaves. Red cabbage has broad reddish-purple leaves with a thick white stem at the bottom of the head. The leaves have a chewy texture when raw and a softer texture when cooked.
What Does Red Cabbage Taste Like?
Raw red cabbage tastes fresh and slightly peppery. When cooked, red cabbage develops a sweeter flavor.
How Do You Eat Red Cabbage?
Eat red cabbage raw or cooked. Make sure to thoroughly wash red cabbage before you use it. Remove the thick stem holding the head of cabbage together and discard it. Common uses for raw red cabbage include as a base for coleslaw and salads. To cook red cabbage, consider trying to saute, braise, roast, or cook it in a slow cooker.
Where Can You Buy Red Cabbage?
Look for heads of red cabbage in the chilled area of the produce section of the grocery store. You can also find shredded red cabbage in bags or plastic containers near other salad mixes.
How Do You Store Red Cabbage?
Seal a head of red cabbage in a plastic bag. Place the bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. If you have already cut your cabbage, tightly wrap the remaining cabbage in plastic wrap. Store the cabbage in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
Fun Facts About Red Cabbage
Red cabbage looks purple due to a type of pigment. This same pigment gives blueberries their color, too!
Recipes Using Red Cabbage
Use shredded vegetables for your coleslaw. Combine red cabbage, red onions, and carrots in a large bowl. Make a dressing out of apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice. Drizzle the dressing over the top of the coleslaw and serve chilled.
High in antioxidants
Cabbage juice is high in antioxidants, which are substances that help reduce cell damage caused by free radicals. An accumulation of free radicals in your body may lead to inflammation and disease ( 3 ).
Can help combat inflammation
Cabbage juice contains many compounds that may help combat inflammation.
Other benefits
Other potential health benefits of drinking cabbage juice include the following:
High amounts may affect the thyroid
Some evidence suggests that consuming cabbage in high amounts may affect your thyroid.
Certain nutrients can interact with medications
Some nutrients in cabbage juice have been shown to interact with certain medications.
Juicing leaves much of the fiber behind
Juicing vegetables removes much of their fiber content. Fiber promotes feelings of fullness, maintains your gut health, helps stabilize blood sugar, and can reduce cholesterol ( 30, 31 ).
May cause abdominal discomfort in some people
Some individuals may experience gut discomfort from drinking cabbage juice.
1. Increased Flatulence
Gas or Flatulence. Possibly the most infamous of all of cabbage’s side effects, this is one you’ve probably heard of. And it is true. Like broccoli, cauliflower, bran and beans, cabbage too is not easily digested by the enzymes of your small intestine. When they reach your colon, the bacteria act on them, creating gas.
2. Iodine Deficiency And Thyroid Problems
Having too much cabbage could interfere with the normal functioning of your thyroid. This is because it doesn’t allow iodine uptake by the thyroid to proceed normally. Taken over an extended period of time in large amounts, it may result in an iodine deficiency, and you might even develop hypothyroidism or goiter.
3. Diarrhea
Those who have digestive ailments like irritable bowel syndrome would do well to avoid cabbage, which is high in raffinose (a type of sugar called a trisaccharide) and not easily digested. 4 Cabbage contains a lot of insoluble fiber – the average serving of 100 gm of raw cabbage has about 2.5 gm of fiber.
4. Low Blood Sugar Levels
When it comes to helping regulate blood sugar levels, cabbage can be as much a friend as a foe. While it has the ability to lower blood glucose levels, consuming large amounts steadily can cause sugar levels to dip too low. This could potentially cause hypoglycemia if you aren’t careful.
5. Colic In Your Breastfed Baby
Remember how cabbage causes gas build-up and flatulence in adults? If you’re a breastfeeding mother, research shows that your diet could have an impact on the baby too. In general, it is suggested that you stay off any foods that cause colic in the baby.
6. Interaction With Anticoagulants
Cabbage contains 38.2 µg of vitamin K, a natural aid to clotting. 8 Because anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs work to prevent coagulation, vitamin K could counter their effect or change their effectiveness. Which is why you should speak to your doctor about how much cabbage you can safely consume without it affecting your medication’s efficacy.
