Is Cabbage Bad For You?
Also Known As: Brassica oleracea, variants
Short answer
No, cabbage is not bad for you. In fact, the cruciferous vegetable is very good for you and it provides many health benefits: improved digestion, heart health, and even cancer prevention.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
A member of the cruciferous vegetable family, cabbage is packed full of vital nutrients: vitamins A, C and K for starters, plus calcium, potassium, folate, and fiber.
Fiber, combined with cabbage’s high water content, helps improve your all-around digestion health. Eating adequate fiber promotes regularity and prevents constipation. Additionally, cabbage juice has been shown to heal ulcers. It contains vitamin U (S methylmethionine) which research has linked to the increased repair of peptic ulcers.
Cabbage is also good for your heart. The leafy green is rich in minerals such as potassium, phosphorous, calcium, manganese, magnesium and iron. Regular consumption of these minerals benefits your cardiovascular system by controlling heart rate and lowering blood pressure.
The most impressive benefit of cabbage is its role in reducing certain types of cancer. Cabbage contains sulforaphane, a cancer-fighting nutrient. Over the past three decades, research has consistently correlated cruciferous vegetables (which are all rich in sulforaphane) with an overall reduced risk of cancer. Cabbage has also been shown to be particularly effective in fighting certain types of cancer. A recent study by the University of Missouri revealed that apigenin—a flavonoid found in cabbage and other vegetables—helped decrease tumor size in breast cancer patients.
So where do people get the idea that cabbage could be bad for you?
Simply stated: anything in excess is bad for you, even a nutrient-rich vegetable like cabbage. Eating large quantities of cabbage can cause negative side effects. Most of these are uncomfortable (stomach cramps), embarrassing (flatulence) or disagreeable (diarrhea)... but they are not incredibly dangerous.
However, eating too much cabbage can interfere with certain medications. For instance, if you take blood thinners, you need to be careful about the amount of vitamin K you consume, as the nutrient plays a crucial role in blood clotting. So how much is too much? A cup of green cabbage contains approximately 53 micrograms of vitamin K, which is about half the daily recommended value. That being said, you would have to consume well over three cups of cabbage per day to venture into the “risk zone.” Even so, you should still consult your physician prior to adding more cabbage (or any food/substance rich in vitamin K) to your diet.
All in all, cabbage is good for most of us and provides many benefits when incorporated into the diet on a regular basis. But don’t get carried away—a healthy diet is all about finding the right balance. It is not centered around any one miracle food in particular... and that includes cabbage.
Possible short-term side effects
- flatulence
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stomach cramps
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diarrhea
Benefits
- improves digestion
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promotes regularity
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helps heal stomach ulcers
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heart health
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reduces risk of certain types of cancer
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