Red cabbage

Red cabbage
Red cabbage plant
SpeciesBrassica oleracea
Cultivar groupCapitata Group
Red cabbage in panorama between Finningen and Mörslingen, Germany
Red cabbage
Red cabbage, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy122 kJ (29 kcal)
6.94 g
Sugars3.32 g
Dietary fibre2.6 g
0.09 g
1.51 g
Vitamins and minerals
VitaminsQuantity
%DV†
Vitamin A equiv.
0%
2 μg
0%
20 μg
Thiamine (B1)
6%
0.071 mg
Riboflavin (B2)
5%
0.06 mg
Niacin (B3)
2%
0.382 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)
3%
0.154 mg
Vitamin B6
13%
0.225 mg
Folate (B9)
6%
24 μg
Vitamin C
38%
34.4 mg
Vitamin K
40%
47.6 μg
MineralsQuantity
%DV†
Calcium
3%
42 mg
Iron
4%
0.66 mg
Magnesium
4%
17 mg
Phosphorus
3%
33 mg
Potassium
9%
262 mg
Zinc
2%
0.25 mg
Other constituentsQuantity
Water91 g
Link to USDA Database entry
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults,[1] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.[2]
Spiral arrangement of cabbage leaf stalks, horizontal section half
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The red cabbage (purple-leaved varieties of Brassica oleracea Capitata Group) is a kind of cabbage, also known as Blaukraut after preparation. Its leaves are coloured dark red/purple. However, the plant changes its colour according to the pH value of the soil due to a pigment belonging to anthocyanins.[3] In acidic soils, the leaves grow more reddish; in neutral soils, they will grow more purple, while an alkaline soil will produce rather greenish-yellow coloured cabbages. This explains the fact that the same plant is known by different colours in various regions. It can be found in all of Europe, throughout the Americas, in China, and especially in Africa.

The juice of red cabbage can be used as a homemade pH indicator, turning red in acid and green/yellow in basic solutions. When cooking, red cabbage will normally turn blue; adding vinegar or acidic fruit to the pot is necessary to retain the cabbage's red colour.[4]

Red cabbage needs well-fertilized soil and sufficient humidity to grow. It is a seasonal plant that is seeded in spring and harvested in late autumn.[5] Red cabbage is a better keeper than its "white" relatives and does not need to be converted to sauerkraut to last the winter.

  1. ^ United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". FDA. Archived from the original on 27 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  2. ^ National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee to Review the Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019). Oria, Maria; Harrison, Meghan; Stallings, Virginia A. (eds.). Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. The National Academies Collection: Reports funded by National Institutes of Health. Washington, DC: National Academies Press (US). ISBN 978-0-309-48834-1. PMID 30844154. Archived from the original on 9 May 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Where does the color come from in purple cabbage?". HowStuffWorks. 7 August 2000. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  4. ^ "How to Keep Red Cabbage Red When Cooking". LIVESTRONG.COM. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  5. ^ "How To Grow Red Cabbages - Vegetable Gardening". www.quickcrop.ie. Retrieved 14 March 2019.