{"id":31080,"date":"2025-12-27T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-27T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foodrevolution.org\/?p=31080"},"modified":"2026-09-15T01:07:24","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T08:07:24","slug":"is-cabbage-good-for-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foodrevolution.org\/blog\/is-cabbage-good-for-you\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Cabbage Healthy? Benefits and Delicious Ways to Eat It"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 1976, a man named Xavier Roberts attended a local craft fair, where he discovered the creation of Martha Nelson<\/a>, a Louisville art student. He saw a marketing opportunity in her one-of-a-kind \u201cDoll Babies,\u201d with their distinctive chubby faces and puckered expressions, along with individual birth certificates and adoption papers. Roberts convinced Nelson to allow him to manufacture and sell the doll babies in a different market, but after a dispute, Nelson rescinded her permission. So Roberts created his own version of the homely little dolls, which he called The Little People<\/a>, and tried to license them to the big toy makers and distributors.<\/p>\n

The hard-headed toy industry executives were not impressed. \u201cToo ugly,\u201d they informed Roberts. Too ordinary. Not glamorous. No one will buy dolls that aren\u2019t cute and pretty.<\/p>\n

Undeterred, Roberts continued knocking on doors until one company, Coleco, agreed to license and mass-produce the doll babies on one condition \u2014 he would have to change the name to something more memorable and appealing. And so, in 1981, the Cabbage Patch Kids were born.<\/p>\n

What followed was a buying craze never before seen in the US toy market. The dolls flew off the shelves, with many parents grabbing as many as they could hold and rushing to the registers at Toys R Us and other stores. Coleco quickly pulled all advertising because it had no way to meet existing demand. By 1984, annual sales of the dolls and Cabbage Patch-branded merchandise reached $2 billion. That\u2019s not a typo: Billion with a B.<\/p>\n

Getting to Know Cabbage<\/h2>\n

You know what else is humble and homely, and can get lost and forgotten among its more glamorous and sophisticated peers, even though it\u2019s worthy of great love and respect? The vegetable from which those dolls got their name: cabbage.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cabbage may not be the prettiest or best-smelling vegetable, but don\u2019t let its appearance or aroma when boiled fool you. If you give cabbage a chance, you may come to realize it has more to offer than just a lingering odor in your kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

If your only exposure to cabbage is the tiny red ribbon that gives color to prepackaged salad, or as the main ingredient in coleslaw or sauerkraut, it\u2019s time to get to know this down-home, versatile, and \u2014 yes \u2014 delicious vegetable.<\/span><\/p>\n

So what\u2019s the deal with cabbage? Is it really good for you? Are there any downsides to eating it? And how do you cook it for optimal benefit to your health and pleasure to your senses?<\/span><\/p>\n

Cabbage Origins<\/h2>\n
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The word \u201ccabbage\u201d comes from the Old North French word caboche<\/em><\/a>, which means \u201chead.\u201d That makes sense given the shape. And the metaphor exists in English, where we talk about a head of cabbage.<\/p>\n

The plant\u2019s botanical name is <\/span>Brassica oleracea<\/span><\/i><\/a>. It\u2019s <\/span>related to other<\/span><\/a> cruciferous vegetables (including broccoli, <\/span>cauliflower<\/span><\/a>, kale, bok choy, and <\/span>Brussels sprouts<\/span><\/a>) that also belong to the <\/span>Brassica <\/span><\/i>species.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cabbage, as we know it today, is thought to have been domesticated from a wild ancestor in the Mediterranean by the Romans or the Celts. (I am picturing Russell Crowe waving a sword and yelling \u201cSit! Roll over! Grow!\u201d in a field of wild cabbages, but this may be a misunderstanding on my part.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Thought to detoxify many bodily systems, cabbage served as a versatile tonic. Before people started eating cabbage, they prized it for its <\/strong><\/span>medicinal properties<\/a><\/strong>.<\/strong> Broth made with cabbage was used to treat various cancers and to alleviate diarrhea, ulcers, gout, and headaches.<\/span><\/p>\n

Types of Cabbage<\/h2>\n

You may be most familiar with red and green cabbage, but there are several other varieties, including Savoy and Chinese cabbage, worth discovering. The four main types include subvariations as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a closer look at each of the major kinds of cabbage and some of their characteristic distinctions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Green Cabbage<\/span><\/h3>\n
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This is the most common type of cabbage, appearing with a green, pale green, or even almost white color. Its tightly-packed leaves have prominent veins and appear almost waxy on the outside. Green cabbage has a mustardy flavor that becomes sweeter and milder when cooked.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Green cabbage<\/span><\/a> has a larger head than other types of cabbage. Some of the popular varieties of green cabbage include early Jersey Wakefield, early flat Dutch, and cannonball. (Happily, there are no historical instances that I could find of green cabbage actually being used as cannonballs, or any kind of weapon for that matter. They are peace-loving <\/span>Brassicas<\/span><\/i>.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Savoy Cabbage<\/h3>\n
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iStock.com\/caracterdesign<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This cabbage has a darker green color and features crinkly and crispy leaves. It also has a milder, sweeter flavor than many other cabbages. The leaves are not as compacted as those of green cabbage. Basically, Savoy cabbage looks like someone dressed up regular green cabbage for the prom. Popular varieties of <\/span>Savoy cabbage<\/span><\/a> include Savoy king, tundra, and winter king.<\/span><\/p>\n

Red Cabbage<\/h3>\n
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Red cabbage has a dark reddish-purple color with white veins. It offers a mildly bitter or peppery flavor, has dense, waxy leaves, and holds somewhat less water than other types of cabbage. <\/span>Red cabbage<\/a><\/strong> is also slightly more nutrient-dense<\/strong> \u2014 its dark color indicates that it\u2019s full of phytochemicals and antioxidants (particularly anthocyanins, which give plants their purple and red pigments). Because red cabbage contains compounds that change color based on pH, liquid from boiled red cabbage can make a fun <\/span>science experiment<\/span><\/a>. Some of the most popular varieties of red cabbage include Red Meteor, Ruby Ball, and Red Drumhead (which, sadly, seems to have never been used by a rock band: \u201cAnd now, the shortest drum solo in history.\u201d)<\/span><\/p>\n

Chinese Cabbage<\/h3>\n
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iStock.com\/K_Samurkas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chinese cabbages<\/span><\/a> have an oblong shape, rather than the round heads of other varieties. They have thick stems, oval-shaped leaves, and fibrous stalks. Chinese cabbage is more commonly enjoyed cooked than raw, and has a mild to mustardy flavor range. Among the most popular varieties of Chinese cabbage are napa and baby choi sum.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cabbage Nutrition<\/h2>\n
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One of the biggest reasons to add more cabbage to your diet is that it\u2019s packed with nutrition. Cabbage is also a hydrating food, thanks to its generally high water content.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Most varieties of cabbage are <\/span>good sources<\/span><\/a> of vitamins <\/span>C<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>K1<\/span><\/a>, and <\/span>B6<\/span><\/a>, as well as <\/span>folate<\/span><\/a>, potassium, and manganese. Cabbage calories are low, but it\u2019s also high in <\/span>fiber<\/span><\/a>, offering at least two grams per cup of chopped cabbage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The nutritional value of cabbage, 1 cup raw<\/strong> chopped (Source: <\/span>USDA<\/span><\/a>):<\/span><\/p>\n