Green leafy vegetables · IFCT 2017
Cabbage: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, raw green cabbage gives 22 kcal, 1.4 g protein, 3.2 g carbohydrate, 2.8 g fibre and 33.2 mg vitamin C, according to IFCT 2017. That vitamin C covers 42 per cent of a man's daily requirement. IFCT lists three other cabbages: violet has the most vitamin C, 43.5 mg, Chinese cabbage is lightest at 18 kcal, and collard greens, the haakh of Kashmir, carry 170 mg calcium.
About cabbage
Cabbage is one of India's most widely grown vegetables, a cool-season crop on the plains and a year-round one in the hills, and the firm, pale green head is what most kitchens mean by it. IFCT 2017 records names in 17 languages: bandh gobi in Hindi and Kashmiri, patta gobhi in Punjabi, badha kopi in Bengali, bondhakobi in Assamese, lili kobi in Gujarati, kobi in Marathi, muttaikose in Tamil, gos koora in Telugu, kosu in Kannada, muttu gose in Malayalam and banda kovi in Nepali.
The tables compare four types. Green cabbage, on this page, is the everyday one. Violet cabbage, the red cabbage of salad bars, has 23 kcal and 43.5 mg vitamin C per 100 g. Chinese cabbage, the long, crinkled head grown in Sikkim, Darjeeling and the north-east, is the lightest, with 18 kcal. Collard greens, which Kashmiris cook daily as haakh, are really a leafy green, with 3.6 g protein, 2.67 mg iron and 170 mg calcium per 100 g, several times what the headed cabbages offer.
What cabbage brings to a meal
- 01
Vitamin C in an everyday vegetable
Green cabbage carries 33.2 mg vitamin C per 100 g, 45th of 130 foods. A bowl of lightly cooked cabbage poriyal gives a woman 51 per cent of her daily vitamin C need, more if some of it is eaten raw in kosambari.
- 02
Light and filling
At 22 kcal, 0.1 g fat and 91.8 g water per 100 g, cabbage is very light, and its 2.8 g fibre makes a large serving filling. Its calories come mostly from the oil or coconut it is cooked with.
- 03
Folate and vitamin K1
Each 100 g supplies 46 micrograms of folate, 21 per cent of a woman's requirement, and 113 micrograms of vitamin K1, which the body needs for normal blood clotting.
- 04
Low in minerals, unlike collards
Among the 26 leafy vegetables, green cabbage ranks last for calcium, iron and magnesium, with 52 mg calcium and 0.35 mg iron per 100 g. Collard greens are the cabbage to choose when minerals matter.
Cabbage nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 22 kcal | 1% | 1% |
| Protein | 1.4 g | 3% | 3% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 3.2 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 2.8 g | ||
| Free sugars | 1 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.1 g | ||
| Water | 91.8 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.05 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.03 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.09 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 49 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 52 mg | 5% | 5% |
| Iron | 0.35 mg | 2% | 1% |
| Zinc | 0.16 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Magnesium | 18 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Phosphorus | 30 mg | ||
| Potassium | 233 mg | ||
| Sodium | 15 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.03 mg | ||
| Selenium | 1.1 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 33.2 mg | 42% | 51% |
| Beta-carotene | 20 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.03 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.05 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.24 mg | 1% | 2% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.13 mg | 5% | 7% |
| Folate (B9) | 46 µg | 15% | 21% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.05 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 113 µg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Cabbage: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/green-leafy-vegetables/cabbage/
Where cabbage sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 25 green leafy vegetables and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In green leafy vegetables | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C | 33.2 mg | 20th of 26 | 45th of 130 |
| Folate (B9) | 46 µg | 16th of 26 | 70th of 197 |
| Beta-carotene | 20 µg | 25th of 26 | 91st of 160 |
| Calcium | 52 mg | 26th of 26 | 93rd of 242 |
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 49 mg | 24th of 26 | 108th of 202 |
Every form of cabbage in IFCT 2017
The tables analyse these separately. The figures above are for the row marked first.
| Form | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabbage, green (shown above) | 22 kcal | 1.4 g | 2.8 g | 0.35 mg | 52 mg |
| Chinese | 18 kcal | 1.6 g | 2 g | 0.39 mg | 58 mg |
| Collard greens | 30 kcal | 3.6 g | 3 g | 2.67 mg | 170 mg |
| Violet | 23 kcal | 1.4 g | 2.2 g | 0.24 mg | 48 mg |
How cabbage is eaten
- Cabbage thoran in Kerala: finely shredded cabbage stir-fried with coconut, green chilli, mustard seeds and curry leaves.
- Muttaikose poriyal or kootu in Tamil Nadu: cabbage cooked dry with chana dal, or simmered with moong dal and coconut.
- Bandhakopir torkari in Bengal: cabbage, potato and green peas cooked with ginger, cumin and a pinch of sugar.
- Veg momos and thukpa: shredded cabbage as the base of the filling in Sikkim, Darjeeling and across the north-east.
- Haakh in Kashmir: whole collard leaves simmered with mustard oil, hing and dried red chillies, eaten with rice.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Cooked dishes that use it, with calories per serving
Calories in Cabbage Matar
106 kcal in 1 bowl of cabbage matar.
Calories in Chicken Chowmein
521 kcal in 1 plate of chicken chowmein.
Calories in Egg Fried Rice
424 kcal in 1 plate of egg fried rice.
Calories in Uttapam
174 kcal in 1 uttapam.
Calories in Vegetable Chowmein
389 kcal in 1 plate of vegetable chowmein.
Before you plan around it
Cabbage-family vegetables contain natural compounds called goitrogens that, in large raw amounts, can interfere with iodine use by the thyroid. Cooking reduces them, and for people using iodised salt, normal portions are not a problem. Anyone with a thyroid condition can ask their doctor about very large daily amounts of raw cabbage juice or salads. More practically, remove the outer leaves and wash cabbage well before eating it raw, because soil, and in some areas parasite eggs, can lodge between the layers.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about cabbage
How many calories are in cabbage?
Per 100 g, IFCT 2017 lists 22 kcal for green cabbage, 23 kcal for violet cabbage, 18 kcal for Chinese cabbage and 30 kcal for collard greens. A cabbage sabzi's calories come mostly from the oil and any potato or coconut added.
Is red cabbage healthier than green cabbage?
Violet, or red, cabbage has more vitamin C in IFCT 2017, 43.5 mg against 33.2 mg per 100 g, and its colour comes from anthocyanin pigments. Green cabbage has more fibre, 2.8 g against 2.2 g. Both are good choices; eating either regularly matters more than which one.
Is it safe to eat raw cabbage?
Yes, if it is cleaned properly. Peel away the outer leaves, cut the head into quarters and wash the layers under running water before shredding it for kosambari or salad. This removes soil and any parasite eggs that may cling to the leaves.
Is cabbage bad for thyroid?
Normal amounts of cooked cabbage are fine for most people, including those with thyroid conditions who use iodised salt. Very large amounts of raw cabbage every day could affect iodine use. Anyone being treated for a thyroid disorder should ask their doctor about their own diet.
Related foods and tables
Cauliflower
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Brussels sprouts
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Pak Choi leaves
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Knol-khol (kohlrabi)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Mustard leaves (sarson)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Vitamin C content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by vitamin c per 100 g.
Folate (vitamin B9) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by folate (vitamin b9) per 100 g.
Beta-carotene content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by beta-carotene per 100 g.
All green leafy vegetables
26 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
Reading food composition tables and turning them into meal plans is taught in this NNWA course.