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Red cabbage
CautionRotkohl · (Brassica oleracea convar. capitata var. rubra)
Cabbage family (Brassicaceae)
Description
Red cabbage differs from the white sort above all in its anthocyanins, chiefly cyanidin glycosides, which give the head its purple colour. These pigments respond sharply to acidity: cooked with a splash of vinegar or with apple the dish stays red, while in hard water it turns blue — which is why the same vegetable is called Blaukraut, blue cabbage, in southern Germany. It is harvested from September to November. At 40 to 70 milligrams per 100 grams its vitamin C content exceeds that of white cabbage, and it also provides vitamin K1, fibre and mustard-oil glycosides such as sinigrin and glucobrassicin. It is a fixture of Central European winter cooking as a side dish, and lactic-fermented it is considered as digestible as sauerkraut. A note for anyone taking coumarin-type blood thinners: because of the vitamin K1, the amount eaten should stay reasonably constant.
Raw red cabbage contains more anthocyanins (mainly cyanidin glycosides) and more vitamin C (approx. 57 mg/100 g fresh) than white cabbage. As a raw salad it is traditionally used in European folk cuisine to support the immune system and as a mineral source. Cooking significantly reduces vitamin C content — raw consumption is nutritionally preferable.
Traditionally fermented red cabbage sauerkraut (lactic acid fermentation) is used in Central European folk medicine for digestive complaints and as a probiotic food. Lactic acid fermentation increases the bioavailability of glucosinolates and produces live Lactobacillus cultures supporting gut microbiota.
Anthocyanins of red cabbage (mainly cyanidin-3-diglucoside, cyanidin-3-sophoroside) are linked in folk medicine and modern nutritional research to improved capillary integrity and vascular health. Tanchev & Timberlake (1969) were the first to characterise the anthocyanin composition of Brassica oleracea and demonstrated its antioxidant capacity.
In European folk medicine, fresh red cabbage juice is drunk for joint complaints and arthritis symptoms. Glucosinolates (mainly glucobrassicin, sinigrin) are regarded as the key bioactive compounds. Clinical evidence for this specific indication is lacking; traditional use is culturally widespread.
Steamed or gently warmed red cabbage leaves are applied in folk medicine as compresses for joint pain, gout, and skin irritations. Topical application of the antioxidant anthocyanins and mildly anti-inflammatory glucosinolates is believed to reduce swelling and relieve pain.
As a cooked vegetable, red cabbage is a staple of German and Austrian winter cuisine. It provides dietary fibre (approx. 2.5 g/100 g), vitamin K₁ (approx. 76 µg/100 g), and folate. The traditional red cabbage salad with vinegar and sugar keeps anthocyanins more stable through the low pH than cooking does.
In naturopathy, raw red cabbage juice (approx. 100 ml daily) is recommended as a liver and gallbladder remedy. Sulforaphane (hydrolysed glucosinolate) activates hepatic phase-II detoxification enzymes (glutathione S-transferase). Clinical studies for this indication using red cabbage juice are lacking; preclinical data on cruciferous vegetables in general exist.
Red cabbage contains significant amounts of vitamin K₁ — patients on vitamin K antagonists (warfarin, phenprocoumon) should keep intake constant and avoid sudden increases. Large amounts of raw cabbage can affect thyroid function (goitrogenic glucosinolates). Fermented sauerkraut may cause problems in histamine intolerance.
Red cabbage as a food in customary amounts is safe during pregnancy. Avoid very large amounts of raw cabbage or highly concentrated extracts (goitrogenic). Folate content is valuable.
Safe as a food in normal amounts during lactation. High consumption may cause flatulence in some infants (via breast milk).
Suitable as a food for children. Raw cabbage for young children (under 2 years) should be finely chopped — choking hazard from large pieces.
Drug interactions
Vitamin-K-Antagonisten (Warfarin, Phenprocoumon)
Vitamin K₁ content of red cabbage can affect INR in anticoagulated patients. Stable, consistent intake is more important than avoidance.
Contraindications
- Known allergy to cruciferous vegetables (Brassicaceae)
- Histamine intolerance when consuming fermented red cabbage (sauerkraut)
- Severe hypothyroidism without iodine supplementation (goitrogenic effect of large raw amounts)
Harvested part: mature heads (late summer-autumn)
- Time of day:
- Can be harvested throughout the day; head becomes sweeter after first light frost (cold converts starch to sugar). Harvest in the morning when head is firm and dew-dried.
- Drying:
- Do not dry — consume fresh or ferment. For storage: keep whole heads at 0–4 °C and 90–95% relative humidity.
- Storage:
- 4 months — Cold storage at 0–4 °C, high humidity (90–95%). Whole heads last 3–4 months. Cut cabbage wrapped in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
- Time of day:
- Early-season varieties (summer red cabbage): harvest heads in early summer when just firmed up — higher vitamin C content than stored produce.
- Drying:
- Immediate consumption or fermentation recommended. Summer red cabbage has lower storability than autumn harvest.
- Storage:
- 2 months — Refrigerator 0–4 °C, max. 6–8 weeks. Do not store with ethylene-producing fruits (accelerates ageing).
- Cyanidin-3,5-diglucosidFlavonoidLeaf
Dominant anthocyanin in red cabbage; responsible for the intense blue-red colour. Strong antioxidant capacity (ORAC). Colour stability pH-dependent: red in acidic, blue-green in alkaline environment.
- SinigrinGlycosideLeaf
Glucosinolate; hydrolysed by myrosinase to allyl isothiocyanate (allyl mustard oil). Antimicrobial and preclinically chemoprotective. Leaches into cooking water during boiling.
- GlucobrassicinGlycosideLeaf
Indole glucosinolate; precursor of indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and diindolylmethane (DIM). Inducers of hepatic phase-II enzymes; extensively researched in cancer prevention.
- Ascorbinsäure (Vitamin C)VitaminContent: 40–70 mg/100 g frischLeaf
Red cabbage contains more vitamin C than white cabbage (approx. 57 mg/100 g fresh). Cooking reduces content by 30–60%. Cofactor for collagen synthesis and immune function.
- Vitamin K₁ (Phyllochinon)VitaminContent: 60–80 µg/100 g frischLeaf
Essential cofactor for blood coagulation (carboxylation of clotting factors II, VII, IX, X) and bone mineralisation (osteocalcin). Interaction with vitamin K antagonists should be noted.
- Kaempferol-GlykosideFlavonoidLeaf
Flavonol glycosides in red cabbage; antioxidant and mildly anti-inflammatory. Synergistic with anthocyanins in radical scavenging.
- Quercetin-GlykosideFlavonoidLeaf
Further flavonols in red cabbage; inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) in vitro. Together with anthocyanins they determine the high DPPH-ORAC score of red cabbage.
- Ballaststoffe (Zellulose, Pektin)PolysaccharideContent: 2.0–2.5 g/100 g frischLeaf
Red cabbage provides soluble (pectin) and insoluble (cellulose) dietary fibre, regulating bowel function and acting as a prebiotic for Bifidobacteria. Fermented red cabbage additionally contains probiotic lactic acid bacteria.
- [1]MonographTanchev SS, Timberlake CF (1969): The anthocyanins of red cabbage (Brassica oleracea). Phytochemistry. DOI: 10.1016/s0031-9422(00)85977-4(accessed: 2026-05-24)
- [2]MonographHanschen FS (2020): Domestic boiling and salad preparation habits affect glucosinolate degradation in red cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. rubra). Food Chemistry. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.126694(accessed: 2026-05-24)
- [3]MonographArchana J et al. (2018): Antioxidant and Anti Cholinesterase Potential of Red Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. rubra). European Journal of Medicinal Plants. DOI: 10.9734/ejmp/2018/38169(accessed: 2026-05-24)
- [4]MonographOroian M et al. (2017): Optimization of Total Monomeric Anthocyanin (TMA) and Total Phenolic Content (TPC) Extractions from Red Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. rubra). International Journal of Food Engineering. DOI: 10.1515/ijfe-2016-0036(accessed: 2026-05-24)
- [5]MonographSingh R (2019): The Ascorbic Acid Content of Cabbage (Brassica oleracea). Bulletin of Pure & Applied Sciences — Botany. DOI: 10.5958/2320-3196.2019.00011.9(accessed: 2026-05-24)
- [6]MonographLi Z (2012): Development and verification of sulforaphane extraction method in cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata) and broccoli. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research. DOI: 10.5897/jmpr12.229(accessed: 2026-05-24)
- [7]MonographDas SK et al. (2022): Kimchi and sauerkraut lactic acid bacteria and human health. In: Lactic Acid Bacteria in Food Biotechnology. Elsevier. DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-89875-1.00013-4(accessed: 2026-05-24)
- [9]MonographCliniTox Giftpflanzen — Brassica oleracea L.: schwach giftig (+) (Institut für Veterinärpharmakologie und -toxikologie, Universität Zürich)(accessed: 2026-08-10)
- [8]WikipediaWikipedia: Rotkohl (Brassica oleracea convar. capitata var. rubra)(accessed: 2026-05-24)
🤝 Permaculture Partners
In your garden, this plant acts as:
✨ Best symbiotic partners
- 🌿 Apium graveolens Classic companion-planting partner.
- 🌿 Rhubarb Rhubarb leaves shade the soil — red cabbage likes it too.
⚠️ Better not planted together
- 🥬 Tomato Classic companion-planting partner.
Source: Gertrud Franck, Gesunder Garten durch Mischkultur (1980, eigene Kuration) | Helga und Margarete Langerhorst, Mein gesunder Naturgarten (eigene Kuration)