Cabbage: Nutritional Facts and 6 Amazing Health Benefits

Cabbage structurally consists of clusters of stiff leaves super imposed one over the other in compact layers, allowing it a round or globular shape. Several varieties are cultivated worldwide including green, purple, red, and savoy (loose-wrinkled leaves).

Here are some amazing health benefits of cabbage, and good reasons for you to include this fantastic veggie in your diet.

• Fresh, dark green-leafy cabbage is incredibly nutritious; but very low in fat and calories. 100 g of leaves provide just 25 calories.

• The vegetable is a storehouse of phyto-chemicals like thiocyanates, indole-3-carbinol, lutein, zea-xanthin, sulforaphane, and isothiocyanates. These compounds are powerful antioxidants and known to help protect against breast, colon, and prostate cancers and help reduce LDL or "bad cholesterol" levels in the blood. Total antioxidant strength measured in terms of oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC value) is 508 µmol TE/100 g. Red cabbages contain more antioxidant value, 2252 µmol TE/100 g.

• Fresh cabbage is an excellent source of natural antioxidant, vitamin C. Provides 36.6 mg or about 61% of RDA per 100 g. Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.

• It is also rich in essential Vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and thiamin (vitamin B-1). These vitamins are essential in the sense that our body requires them from external sources to replenish.

• It also contains a adequate amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, iron, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Iron is required for the red blood cell formation.

• Cabbage is a very good source of vitamin K, provides about 63% of RDA levels. Vitamin-K has the potential role in bone metabolism by promoting osteotrophic activity in them. So enough vitamin K in the diet gives you healthy bones. In addition, vitamin-K also has established role in curing Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage inside their brain. 

See the table below for in depth analysis of nutrients:

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea, capitata group),
Nutrition Value per 100 g.
(Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)

Principle	Nutrient Value	Percentage of RDA
Energy	25 kcal	1%
Carbohydrates	5.8 g	4%
Protein	1.3 g	2%
Total Fat	0.1 g	0.5%
Cholesterol	0 mg	0%
Dietary Fiber	2.50 mg	6%
Vitamins
Folates	53 µg	13%
Niacin	0.234 mg	1.5%
Pantothenic acid	0.212 mg	4%
Pyridoxine	0.124 mg	10%
Riboflavin	0.040 mg	3%
Thiamin	0.061 mg	5%
Vitamin A	98 IU	3%
Vitamin C	36.6 mg	61%
Vitamin K	76 µg	63%
Electrolytes
Sodium	18 mg	1%
Potassium	170 mg	3.5%
Minerals
Calcium	40 mg	4%
Iron	0.47 mg	6%
Magnesium	12 mg	3%
Manganese	0.160 mg	7%
Phosphorus	26 mg	3.5%
Zinc	0.18 mg	1.5%
Phyto-nutrients
Carotene-α	33 µg	--
Carotene-β	42 µg	--
Lutein-zeaxanthin	30 µg	--

References & Further Reading:
1. USDA -National Nutrient Database. 
2. Stanford School of Medicine Cancer information Page- Nutrition to Reduce Cancer Risk.
3. University of Illinois Extension- Watch your garden grow.
4. Nutrition and You - Cabbage