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What Are the Different Types of Cabbage?
Cabbage is a leafy vegetable staple with a 4,000 year history. It is enjoyed all over the world with over four hundred different varieties available. Some of the most common types of cabbage include the green cabbage, red cabbage and the Savoy cabbage. Napa cabbage and bok choy are two popular types of Chinese cabbage.
Green cabbage is one of the most easily recognizable types of cabbage. It has dark outer leaves with paler green inner leaves. Like all varieties of cabbage, green cabbage is high in vitamin C and it also has high levels of folate. Once purchased it can be stored for roughly one week. This type of cabbage can be used in making sauerkraut or coleslaw or it can be boiled or steamed.
Red cabbages are another of the more common types of cabbage. Prior to cooking its leaves typically range from a deep red to a purplish color. Once it is cooked the color changes into a blue shade unless it is prepared in some form of acid, such as vinegar. They are very similar to the green cabbages, however they are typically smaller and have a slightly sweeter taste.
Nutritionally, red cabbages have a large amount of anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are the pigments that have a number of health benefits in addition to giving the cabbage its color. They are believed to have anti-inflammatory properties and may also help fight certain types of cancer. Another benefit of eating red cabbage is that it contains twice as much vitamin C as other cabbages. It can be cooked in the same way as green cabbage.
Savoy cabbages have one of the highest amounts of beta-carotene in comparison to other types of cabbage. They are less crunchy than green and red cabbages, but they also have a milder and sweeter flavor. The outer leaves of the vegetable are larger and also have a blueish-green color. Its look also differs in that the leaves have a wrinkled or crinkly appearance. Cooked Savoy can be used to create dishes such as stuffed cabbage, while the raw Savoy can be used to make a cabbage salad.
Napa cabbage is a mild tasting Chinese cabbage that is high in calcium. It is also known as celery cabbage due to its taste, which is similar to that of celery. Unlike the red, green and Savoy cabbages, it has an oblong shape instead of a more rounded one. This type of cabbage is frequently used in stir-fries or even eaten raw.
Bok choy is another type of Chinese cabbage. Like the napa cabbage, it also has an oblong shape. The leaves however, are very similar in appearance to spinach leaves. A common way to cook bok choy is to steam or stir-fry it.
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![Sauerkraut is usually made with green cabbage.]()
Sauerkraut is usually made with green cabbage. -
![Chinese cabbage is often used to make Asian pork and other steamed dumplings.]()
By: ginaufChinese cabbage is often used to make Asian pork and other steamed dumplings. -
![Savoy cabbage is well-suited to a variety of recipes, including salads.]()
By: RasulovSavoy cabbage is well-suited to a variety of recipes, including salads. -
![Green cabbage is high in Vitamin C and folate.]()
By: ElenathewiseGreen cabbage is high in Vitamin C and folate. -
![Napa cabbage is an ingredient in many Asian stir-fries, all of which can be served over nutritious brown rice.]()
By: Stepan PopovNapa cabbage is an ingredient in many Asian stir-fries, all of which can be served over nutritious brown rice.
Discussion Comments
@Ana1234 - I think it pays to bear in mind that it's very difficult to quantify how nutritious a particular vegetable might be for particular people. Kale, for example, is currently being touted as the best green vegetable for nutrition by a lot of people, and it does have a lot of really good nutrients like iron that might not be common in other kinds of vegetables, but that doesn't mean you should try to survive on just kale.
No matter how nutritious individual kinds of cabbage or other vegetables might be, a varied diet is always going to be better for you because it will provide a wide range of nutrients rather than a lot of a select few.
So Chinese cabbage probably is a fantastic addition to a diet but it shouldn't be the case that people "switch to it" and abandon eating other kinds of cabbage altogether. Red cabbage in particular has nutrients that aren't available in many other places.
@clintflint - I read recently that one of the most nutritious green leafed vegetable is the Chinese cabbage, which is actually great because I like them better than the usual cabbages you see at supermarkets here. They have a bit more of a savory flavor.
I do just like cabbage in general though. It's a really good addition to a meal because it's fairly neutral in flavor, so you can just add whatever spices or sauces you want to it in order to get it to match whatever else is on the menu.
I didn't realize that red cabbage was more nutritious than green cabbage. I have to confess that I usually add it to meals when I want them to look more interesting, because even when the color fades during cooking it still looks good paired with the usual vegetables in the dish.
It will also do things like dye noodles pink or purple, which can be helpful if you're trying to impress kids or a certain kind of adult.
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