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12 Health Benefits of Purple Cabbage

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Purple cabbage is a nutritious and delicious vegetable that has become very popular in all over the world for many reasons. However it is also known as red cabbage, it is a member of the Brassica family and can be found throughout Northern Europe, America and in some parts of China.

Interestingly enough, red cabbage is often used as a pH indicator, since it depends on the pH balance of the material in which the cabbage color actually increases, depending on the pH balance of the soil. It is much better than traditional cabbage.

It is often used in salads, but it can also be cooked and served as a side dish in some recipes. Moreover, it is become more famous in India as well as several parts of world. Let’s find out about the purple cabbage in detail.

Purple Cabbage Nutrients.

Purple cabbage is very popular vegetable. It mainly has a wealth of phytochemicals, antioxidants, nutrients, vitamins and minerals. These essential components include thiamine, riboflavin, folate, calcium, manganese, magnesium, iron and potassium, as well as it contains vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin K, dietary fiber and vitamin B.

However, it is very high in the list of organic compounds, but its antioxidants such as anthocyanins and indole are very beneficial for the overall health.

Purple Cabbage Nutrition. 

A cup of chopped, raw, purple cabbage (89 g) contains the following nutrients;

NutrientPer 100gm
Calories28kcal
Protein1g
Carbohydrate7g
Fiber2g
Vitamin C56% of daily value
Vitamin K28%
Vitamin B611%
Vitamin A6%
Potassium5%
Thiamine5%
Riboflavin5%

12 Health Benefits of Purple Cabbage.

Purple cabbage has several health benefits. Such as;

  1. Boost Immunity.
  2. Prevent Cancer.
  3. Weight Loss.
  4. Strengthen Bones.
  5. Healthy Eyes.
  6. Treat Alzheimer’s Disease.
  7. Beneficial for Skin.
  8. Improve Heart Health.
  9. Fight Against Inflammation.
  10. Arthritis.
  11. Reduces Risk of Heart Attack in Woman.
  12. Boost Metabolism.

Boost Immunity.

Red cabbage is a wealth of vitamins, but it is also a vital source of vitamin C also known as Ascorbic acid, which is an important antioxidant and also boost immune system. It stimulates the activity of white blood cells, which creates the first line of defense for the immune system. In addition, vitamin C is important in the manufacture of collagen. That keeps our body and cells connected and strong. (1)

Prevent Cancer.

Purple cabbage has several component which prevent cancer. High levels of antioxidants, including anthocyanins and indole in red cabbage, are extremely important as a preventive measure of cancer.

Cancer Cells
Cancer Cells

It is actually purple in color, as some of these phytochemicals usually appear in this color. Rich colors are a testimony to how powerful these vegetables are for your overall health.(2), (3) According to the National Cancer Institute, red cabbage is effective in breast cancer among the women.(4)

Read Now: Quantum Nutrition: Food and Benefits

Weight Loss.

Purple cabbage is very low in calories and also contain vitamins, minerals high and dietary fiber. This can be a great option for your daily diet, if you are trying to lose weight.

weight
Weight Loss

So, you must include red cabbage in your diet to lose weight.

Strengthen Bones.

Purple cabbage is rich in calcium, magnesium, manganese and other important minerals.

bones Benefits of Purple Cabbage
Bones

That contribute to bone growth, density and also protects from osteoporosis, arthritis and various other types of inflammation.(5),(6),(7)

Read Now: Benefits of Green Coffee, Recipe and Side Effects

Healthy Eyes.

High levels of vitamin A are not only good for your skin but also good for your eyes. Vitamin A helps to improve eye sight and prevent macular degeneration and cataracts.

eye Benefits of Purple Cabbage
Eyes

It can also be converted into beta-carotene, which is very important for maintaining eye health according to your age.(8)

Treat Alzheimer’s Disease.

According to some research studies, red cabbage has abundant antioxidant and anticoagulants properties. That can help to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.(9) Further study is needed to assess the full potential of red cabbage.

Beneficial for Skin.

Purple Cabbage contains such ingredients which improve the quality of skin. It contains plenty of vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium. It has high amount of anthocyanin polyphenol, so its color is dark purple.

Dark purple fruits and vegetables are very healthy for the overall health. It is rich in anti-aging properties. If you eat this vegetable as a salad, skin problems such as wrinkles, shrubs, dark circles under the eyes and skin slackness etc. will be diminish. It also helps to make the skin soft, clean and blond.

Read Now: Effective Body Wrap Treatment to Weight Loss and Glowing Skin

Improve Heart Health.

Purple cabbage has a good amount of antioxidants. It also include vitamin C, carotenoid and flavonoid antioxidants such as anthocyanin and kaempferol etc. In fact, it often contains a greater amount of nutrition than green cabbage. For example, research shows that antioxidant levels in purple cabbage are found in green cabbage varieties, but these are higher in purple cabbage. It is one of those food, which provides the highest levels of antioxidants per unit cost. It is also a good source of Sulphur-rich compound, which is beneficial for the healthy heart.(10),(11)

Fight Against Inflammation.

A test-tube study using an artificial model of the human intestine found that purple cabbage helps to reduce inflammation of the intestine by 22-40%.(12)

Arthritis.

People suffering from arthritis, who wrap this closed cabbage leaves on the joints once per day, get a little relief from pain. While using it continuously, the pain may feel less in about 4-weeks. However, cabbage reduces pain less effectively than a topical medicine. In addition, cabbage leaves also helps to reduce breast pain, joint inflammation and other pain.(14),(15)

Reduces Risk of Heart Attack in Women.

A large study has found that women who regularly eat food containing anthocyanins in large quantities may have an 11–32% lower risk of heart attack than others. High anthocyanin intake can also be linked to low blood pressure and low risk of heart disease. Purple cabbage contains more than 36 types of anthocyanin, which is effective for a healthy heart.

It is also fulfill the requirement of calcium deficiency in women. It contain many bone-beneficial nutrients, including vitamin C and K, as well as a small amount of calcium, manganese and zinc. For example, 1 cup (89 g) of raw purple cabbage contains about 56% of vitamin C, which plays a vital role in bone formation and helps to protect your bone cells from damage. So, women should eat it in regular basis.

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Boost Metabolism.

Regular intake of purple cabbage helps to boost the metabolism. It contains vitamin B which provides energy to the body for better function.

How To Consume.

Cut it into thin strips. In addition to salads, you can mixed it with fried rice, noodles and soups etc. To make it more nutritious, you can sprinkle olive oil and a few drops of vinegar.

Make Sour-Sweet Cabbage.

Melt a little butter in a pan. Now add thin chopped purple cabbage. Then fry it for a few minutes in a light heat. Then add 3 tsp of sugar and balsamic vinegar about 1/4 cup. Now let it cook for about 8 to 10 minutes in slow heat. After cooking it, grind the peanuts and pour it from above. This recipe of wonderful sour-sweet purple cabbage is ready.

Side Effects.

  • There is major side effects are found in the consumption of purple cabbage. But eating in large quantities can be arise abdominal pain.
  • People who are allergic to red cabbage. They should refrain from consuming it.

Bottom Line.

Therefore, it can said that purple cabbage is highly nutritious and having an excellent antioxidant properties which is beneficial for overall health. Hence, it will be good to incorporate purple cabbage as a side dish or as salad in your diet to get the maximum benefits. Even though there is no such adverse side effects of consuming purple cabbage, but excess consumption can lead to abdominal pain.

Hope this article helped you by providing a good information content regarding benefits of purple cabbage.

+18 Sources

Freaktofit has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, educational research institutes, and medical organizations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and up-to-date by reading our editorial policy.

  1. Studies on oxidants and antioxidants with a brief glance at their relevance to the immune system; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26792059/
  2. Chemopreventive activity of sulforaphane; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6141106/
  3. Anthocyanins and their role in cancer prevention; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2582525/
  4. Cruciferous Vegetables and Cancer Prevention; https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/cruciferous-vegetables-fact-sheet
  5. Essential Nutrients for Bone Health and a Review of their Availability in the Average North American Diet; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3330619/
  6. The Roles and Mechanisms of Actions of Vitamin C in Bone: New Developments; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26358868/
  7. Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to vitamin K and maintenance of bone (ID 123, 127, 128, and 2879), blood coagulation (ID 124 and 126), and function of the heart and blood vessels (ID 124, 125 and 2880) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006; https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.2903/j.efsa.2009.1228
  8. Eat purple cabbage for great skin; https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/diet/Eat-purple-cabbage-for-great-skin/articleshow/11836497.cms
  9. Neuroprotective Effect of Brassica oleracea Sprouts Crude Juice in a Cellular Model of Alzheimer’s Disease; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4477226/
  10. High anthocyanin intake is associated with a reduced risk of myocardial infarction in young and middle-aged women; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23319811/
  11. Flavonoid intake and risk of CVD: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23953879/
  12. Inflammation related responses of intestinal cells to plum and cabbage digesta with differential carotenoid and polyphenol profiles following simulated gastrointestinal digestion; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26990368/
  13. Efficacy of Cabbage Leaf Wraps in the Treatment of Symptomatic Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Randomized Controlled Trial; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26889617/
  14. The effectiveness of cabbage leaf application (treatment) on pain and hardness in breast engorgement and its effect on the duration of breastfeeding; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27820535/
  15. Brassica; https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/brassica
  16. The Benefits of Anthocyanins; https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-scoop-on-anthocyanins-89522
  17. Indole; https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Indole#:~:text=Description%3A,form%202%2C%203%2Dbenzopyrrole.
  18. Kaempferol; https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/kaempferol

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This content is based on scientific research and written by experts.

Our team of licensed health professionals, nutritionists and fitness experts endeavor to be unbiased, objective, honest and to present each sides of the argument.

This article contains scientific references. The numbers in the parentheses (1,2,3) are clickable links to peer-reviewed scientific researches.