If you’re planning to cook cabbage for your St. Patrick’s Day celebration, you are doing your body a favor. The lowly Brassica plant, part of the same family as broccoli, radishes, and Brussels sprouts, is often overlooked because it’s so affordable and common. But cabbage is a highly nutritious food, rich in vitamin C, fiber, and vitamin K, says Healthline.
It’s also very low in calories. One cup of cabbage has only 22 calories and includes protein, calcium, and magnesium, as well as vitamin B6 and folate.
While cabbage is nutritious, you might want to opt for a smaller serving of its typical sidekick, corned beef, which contains about 285 calories and a whopping 1,286 milligrams of sodium for a four-ounce serving. Experts recommend less than 2,300 mg of sodium daily.
Pair it with a Guinness, which really is good for you – in moderation. Like all beers, Guiness contains B vitamins, fiber, prebiotics and antioxidants, but is a richer source of these beneficial nutrients.
Here are some science-backed health benefits of cabbage:
• Fights inflammation. Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage have been shown to reduce chronic inflammation, according to a 2014 study of young adults. Chronic inflammation can lead to many diseases, including heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease.
• Packed with vitamin C. This water-soluble vitamin serves many important functions in the body, including the manufacturing of collagen, the most abundant protein in the body. Collagen is critical for the proper functioning of the bones, muscles, and blood vessels while giving structure and flexibility to the skin. It’s also a powerful antioxidant that may protect against certain cancers, says Healthline. Red cabbage has significantly more vitamin C than green cabbage.
• Helps digestion. Fiber-rich cabbage is full of gut-friendly insoluble fiber, a type of carbohydrate that can’t be broken down in the intestines. This helps the digestive system run smoothly by adding bulk to the stool and promoting regular bowel movements.
• Rich in vitamin K. Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin K1, one of the two groups of vitamin K that comes from plant sources. One cup of cabbage delivers 56% of the daily value for this important vitamin that plays a critical role in blood clotting.
Cabbage is super healthy, affordable, and easy to add to your diet. It can be eaten raw or cooked and added to salads, stews, and soups. It can also be fermented and made into sauerkraut.
© 2025 NewsmaxHealth. All rights reserved.