Is Cabbage good for you? Cabbage is exceptionally good for you because it is a low calorie and nutrient dense cruciferous vegetable. And it carries Vitamin K, Vitamin C and fiber. The health benefits of this are it promotes positive digestive health as well as chronic inflammation.

Is Cabbage good for you? iStock- photo credit: Dmytio

The nutrient health profile of 1 cup of raw cabbage is the following:

  • Calories- 22
  • Protein- 1 gram
  • Fiber- 2 grams
  • Vitamin K- 56% of the Daily Value
  • Vitamin C- 36% of the Daily Value
  • Folate- 10% of the Daily Value
  • Manganese- 6% of the Daily Value
  • Vitamin B6- 6% of the Daily Value
  • Calcium- 3% of the Daily Value
  • Potassium- 3% of the Daily Value
  • Magnesium- 3% of the Daily Value

Cabbage contains a lot of powerful antioxidants such as polyphenols and sulfur compounds which can help reduce the risk of a lot of chronic health diseases. Why antioxidants are so important is because they protect the body from damage of free radicals. When free radicals have too much unstable electrons it can cause damage to your cells.

The antioxidants in cabbage have shown to reduce inflammation in the body. In fact, a 2014 study of young adults from the ages of 20 to 40 ate cruciferous vegetables and the result was a reduction of  inflammation in their blood markers.

Another study in about 1000 females showed that those who ate the highest amount of cruciferous vegetables vs the one that didn’t saw less inflammation.

The insoluble fiber from eating cabbage or any cruciferous vegetables will improve the health of your digestive system. Why? Because it adds bulks to your stool which helps to promote normal bowel movements.

Red cabbage contains a powerful compound called anthocyanins. Studies have shown that eating foods rich in this compound can reduce the risk of heart disease. There was a 2013 research study that was done on 93,600 women and it found that those who ate anthocyanin rich foods had a lower risk of heart attack.

Studies have shown that increasing your dietary intake of anthocyanins can reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Cabbage is considered to have a reliable source of soluble fiber. In fact, 40% of the fiber found in cabbage is soluble.

The Bottom Line is Cabbage is a great healthy vegetable because it can improve your digestive system, reduce inflammation. And reduce the risk of chronic health diseases because of the number of potent antioxidants and compounds in it.

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References

  • https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/169975/nutrients
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