Purple Cabbage Vs. Green Cabbage Benefits

No matter what color cabbage you choose, you really can't go wrong. Purple cabbage and green cabbage are both very low in calories and high in fiber and nutrients. But, there is one major difference before getting into what's in purple cabbage and green cabbage. Continue reading to learn more about Purple Cabbage Vs. Green Cabbage

Purple Cabbage helps fight Inflammation

One test-tube study using an artificial model of the human gut found that certain varieties of purple cabbage reduced markers of gut inflammation by 22–40%.

And in other studies, applying cabbage leaves to the skin also appears to reduce inflammation.

For instance, adults with arthritis who wrapped their knees in cabbage leaves once per day reported feeling significantly less pain by the end of the 4-week study.

Plus, cabbage leaves appear to reduce breast pain, swelling, and inflammation due to increased milk supply and blood flow during the early postpartum period

There are also some distinct differences between the two, especially when it comes to vitamins:

Vitamin A

Purple cabbage has 10 times more vitamin A than green cabbage. Both types of cabbage contain vitamin A in the form of the carotenoids beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that can also be converted into the vitamin A you need for vision and to keep your skin and immune system healthy. Lutein and zeaxanthin function only as antioxidants in the eyes. One cup of chopped purple cabbage has 33 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A. The same portion of green cabbage only has three percent.

Vitamin K

Green cabbage is the winner when it comes to vitamin K, but they’re both good sources. One cup of chopped green cabbage has 57 percent of the daily intake, compared to 28 percent in purple cabbage. Vitamin K regulates bone mineralization, which impacts bone density. Women with lower bone density have an increased risk of hip fracture, so they can greatly benefit from cabbage.

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Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a valuable antioxidant and purple cabbage has a good amount of it. Adult men need 90 milligrams daily and women need 75 milligrams. Smokers should add another 35 milligrams and pregnant women need 85 milligrams daily. Vitamin C is also needed for the production of collagen, which strengthens skin and helps heal wounds. One cup of chopped purple cabbage has 51 milligrams and the same amount of green cabbage has 37 milligrams.

Iron

In addition to delivering oxygen to cells throughout your body, iron is part of a protein -- myoglobin -- that stores oxygen in your heart and skeletal muscles. Myoglobin ensures you have enough oxygen to meet your muscle’s needs during exercise. Your immune system needs iron for the development of cells that fight viruses. Purple cabbage has double the iron than green cabbage, providing 0.7 milligrams in 1 cup, compared to 0.4 milligrams in green cabbage. Women should get 18 milligrams, but men only need 8 milligrams of iron daily.