12 Health Benefits of Purple Cabbage

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.

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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;

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.

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⁾

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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