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Cabbage vs. Savoy cabbage — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Article author photo Ani Harutyunyan by Ani Harutyunyan | Last updated on April 04, 2023
Medically reviewed by Elen Khachatrian Article author photo Elen Khachatrian
Cabbage
vs
Savoy cabbage

Summary

Cabbage is richer in soluble fiber and vitamins C and B5. On the other hand, savoy cabbage has more vitamin A than usual cabbage and is higher in many minerals. Savoy cabbage is richer in soluble fiber. 

Table of contents

  1. Introduction 
    1. Taste and appearance 
      1. Nutrition
        1. Vitamins
          1. Minerals
            1. Macronutrients
              1. Proteins
              2. Carbs
              3. Fiber
              4. Net carbs
            2. Fats
              1. Calories
              2. Health impact
                1. Blood pressure management
                  1. Antioxidants
                  2. References
                     

                    Introduction 

                    Both being types of cabbage, the usual cabbage and savoy cabbage have a lot of differences. These vegetables contain a lot of vitamins and minerals. On the other hand, savoy cabbage and cabbage differ in nutrient content. In this article, we will discuss the general and nutritional differences and the health impacts of raw cabbage and raw savoy cabbage.

                    Taste and appearance 

                    Cabbage is a leafy plant from the genus Brassica and has red, white, green, and purplish varieties. It usually tastes peppery but has a sweet flavor when cooked. Cabbage is native to western Europe. 

                    Savoy cabbage is believed to come from Italy. It also belongs to the Brassicaceae family. 

                    Savoy cabbage leaves are smaller and more crinkled than cabbage ones. They are commonly emerald green. This vegetable has a mild and less peppery taste. 

                    Nutrition

                    Both vegetables contain more than 90% of water, but they do not have the same distribution of different macronutrients. In the following sections, we will compare 100g quantities of these types of cabbage. 

                    @macronutirents 

                    Vitamins

                    Vitamins are essential nutrients the human organism cannot synthesize. Vitamins are abundant in vegetables such as cabbage and savoy cabbage.

                    Savoy cabbage is high in vitamins A, E, B1, B3, B6, and folate, although cabbage has more C, B5, B2, and K.

                    Savoy cabbage offers way more vitamin A than cabbage, with 1000IU per 100g compared to 98IU in cabbage. 

                    For more information, check the vitamin comparison chart shown below. 

                    Vitamin Comparison

                    Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                    Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 122% 5.9% 3% 0% 15% 9.2% 4.4% 13% 29% 0% 190% 32% 5.8%
                    Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 103% 60% 3.4% 0% 18% 6.9% 5.6% 11% 44% 0% 172% 60% 6.7%
                    Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C +18.1%
                    Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +33.3%
                    Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5 +13.4%
                    Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +920.4%
                    Contains more Vitamin E Vitamin E +13.3%
                    Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +14.8%
                    Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +28.2%
                    Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +53.2%
                    Contains more FolateFolate +86%
                    Contains more CholineCholine +15%
                    ~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg
                    ~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg
                    ~equal in Vitamin K ~68.8µg
                      

                    Minerals

                    Savoy cabbage is the winner in this section. 

                    Savoy cabbage is higher in potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and copper than cabbage. Cabbage is richer in iron and calcium. 

                    Savoy cabbage is 60g richer in potassium than usual cabbage. 

                    Mineral Comparison

                    Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                    Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 8.6% 12% 15% 18% 6.3% 4.9% 11% 2.3% 21% 1.6%
                    Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 20% 11% 20% 15% 21% 7.4% 18% 3.7% 23% 4.9%
                    Contains more CalciumCalcium +14.3%
                    Contains more IronIron +17.5%
                    Contains less SodiumSodium -35.7%
                    Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +133.3%
                    Contains more PotassiumPotassium +35.3%
                    Contains more CopperCopper +226.3%
                    Contains more ZincZinc +50%
                    Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +61.5%
                    Contains more ManganeseManganese +12.5%
                    Contains more SeleniumSelenium +200%
                     

                    Macronutrients

                    Proteins

                    Vegetables are usually not considered protein sources, but they contain some amounts of proteins. Savoy cabbage provides slightly more protein than cabbage. It contains 2g per 100g of vegetable, compared to 1.28g of cabbage.

                    Carbs

                    Savoy cabbage has a little more carbs than cabbage. Cabbage has 5.8g of carbohydrates per 100g, while savoy cabbage has 6.1g. Furthermore, savoy cabbage has fewer sugars than cabbage. It does not contain fructose, while cabbage provides 1.5g of it per 100g.

                    Fiber

                    Cabbage and savoy cabbage provide nearly the same amount of fiber. Cabbage is usually higher in soluble fiber, while savoy cabbage contains more insoluble fiber. 

                    Net carbs

                    Net carbs are the carbs in food used to produce energy. You need to subtract the amount of fiber from the total carbs in the food to get the net carb amount.

                    Cabbage provides 5.8 grams of carbs with 2.5 grams of fiber. On the other hand, savoy cabbage provides 6.1 grams of carbohydrates and 3.1 grams of fiber per serving. Cabbage has 3.3 grams of net carbs, whereas savoy cabbage has 3 grams. Hence, the net carb content is nearly similar. 

                    Fats

                    Fats are not found in cabbage or savoy cabbage in significant quantities. Cabbage is higher in monounsaturated fats, while savoy cabbage is richer in polyunsaturated fats. The two vegetables are equal in cholesterol content: they do not contain a considerable amount.

                    Fat Type Comparison

                    Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
                    50% 25% 25%
                    Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.034 g
                    Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.017 g
                    Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.017 g
                    19% 10% 71%
                    Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.013 g
                    Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.007 g
                    Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.049 g
                    Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat +142.9%
                    Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat -61.8%
                    Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +188.2%
                     

                    Calories

                    Cabbage and savoy cabbage have almost similar amounts of calories. However, cabbage has 25 calories per 100g of vegetable, compared to 27 for savoy cabbage.

                    Health impact

                    Blood pressure management

                    High blood pressure is a significant risk factor for stroke and cardiovascular disease. Cabbage and savoy cabbage are beneficial for blood pressure management. 

                    It is believed that increasing the dietary intake of potassium lowers blood pressure (1). Cabbage, especially the red variety of it, is an excellent source of potassium and may help keep blood pressure in a healthy range. Savoy cabbage is higher in potassium and can show a better effect on high blood pressure. 

                    Antioxidants

                    Toxic free radicals of oxygen can cause oxidative stress and damage all cells and tissues. As a result, oxidative stress may become a reason for cardiovascular disease (2), obesity (3), and Alzheimer’s disease. Antioxidants are compounds that help to neutralize free radicals (4). Cabbage and savoy cabbage are both high in antioxidants. These two vegetables have different compounds to participate in the organism's antioxidant defense.

                    Savoy cabbage consumption is linked with cytotoxicity and tumor formation inhibition (5). This is due to the sulforaphane content of savoy cabbage. 

                    Cabbage is high in vitamin C. It is a potent antioxidant that can protect the human body against cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer (6) (7).

                    References

                    1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32500831/ 
                    2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28230726/ 
                    3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4307252/ 
                    4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2684512/ 
                    5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278691599000824 
                    6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18277182/
                    7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4559762/ 
                    Article author photo Ani Harutyunyan
                    Education: General Medicine at YSMU
                    Last updated: April 04, 2023
                    Medically reviewed by Elen Khachatrian

                    Infographic

                    Cabbage vs Savoy cabbage infographic
                    Infographic link

                    Macronutrient Comparison

                    Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
                    6% 92%
                    Protein: 1.28 g
                    Fats: 0.1 g
                    Carbs: 5.8 g
                    Water: 92.18 g
                    Other: 0.64 g
                    2% 6% 91%
                    Protein: 2 g
                    Fats: 0.1 g
                    Carbs: 6.1 g
                    Water: 91 g
                    Other: 0.8 g
                    Contains more ProteinProtein +56.3%
                    Contains more OtherOther +25%
                    ~equal in Fats ~0.1g
                    ~equal in Carbs ~6.1g
                    ~equal in Water ~91g

                    Comparison summary table

                    Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
                    Cabbage Savoy cabbage
                    Lower in Sugar ok
                    Lower in Saturated Fat ok
                    Lower in Glycemic Index ok
                    Rich in minerals ok
                    Lower in Sodium ok
                    Lower in price ok
                    Lower in Cholesterol Equal
                    Rich in vitamins Equal

                    All nutrients comparison - raw data values

                    Nutrient Cabbage Savoy cabbage Opinion
                    Calories 25kcal 27kcal Savoy cabbage
                    Protein 1.28g 2g Savoy cabbage
                    Fats 0.1g 0.1g
                    Vitamin C 36.6mg 31mg Cabbage
                    Net carbs 3.3g 3g Cabbage
                    Carbs 5.8g 6.1g Savoy cabbage
                    Magnesium 12mg 28mg Savoy cabbage
                    Calcium 40mg 35mg Cabbage
                    Potassium 170mg 230mg Savoy cabbage
                    Iron 0.47mg 0.4mg Cabbage
                    Sugar 3.2g 2.27g Savoy cabbage
                    Fiber 2.5g 3.1g Savoy cabbage
                    Copper 0.019mg 0.062mg Savoy cabbage
                    Zinc 0.18mg 0.27mg Savoy cabbage
                    Phosphorus 26mg 42mg Savoy cabbage
                    Sodium 18mg 28mg Cabbage
                    Vitamin A 98IU 1000IU Savoy cabbage
                    Vitamin A RAE 5µg 50µg Savoy cabbage
                    Vitamin E 0.15mg 0.17mg Savoy cabbage
                    Manganese 0.16mg 0.18mg Savoy cabbage
                    Selenium 0.3µg 0.9µg Savoy cabbage
                    Vitamin B1 0.061mg 0.07mg Savoy cabbage
                    Vitamin B2 0.04mg 0.03mg Cabbage
                    Vitamin B3 0.234mg 0.3mg Savoy cabbage
                    Vitamin B5 0.212mg 0.187mg Cabbage
                    Vitamin B6 0.124mg 0.19mg Savoy cabbage
                    Vitamin K 76µg 68.8µg Cabbage
                    Folate 43µg 80µg Savoy cabbage
                    Choline 10.7mg 12.3mg Savoy cabbage
                    Saturated Fat 0.034g 0.013g Savoy cabbage
                    Monounsaturated Fat 0.017g 0.007g Cabbage
                    Polyunsaturated fat 0.017g 0.049g Savoy cabbage
                    Tryptophan 0.011mg 0.02mg Savoy cabbage
                    Threonine 0.035mg 0.069mg Savoy cabbage
                    Isoleucine 0.03mg 0.101mg Savoy cabbage
                    Leucine 0.041mg 0.103mg Savoy cabbage
                    Lysine 0.044mg 0.094mg Savoy cabbage
                    Methionine 0.012mg 0.02mg Savoy cabbage
                    Phenylalanine 0.032mg 0.064mg Savoy cabbage
                    Valine 0.042mg 0.085mg Savoy cabbage
                    Histidine 0.022mg 0.041mg Savoy cabbage
                    Fructose 1.45g Cabbage

                    Which food is preferable for your diet?

                    ok
                    ok
                    is better in case of low diet
                    Cabbage Savoy cabbage
                    Low Calories diet ok
                    Low Fats diet Equal
                    Low Carbs diet ok
                    Low Glycemic Index diet ok

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                    Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

                    The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
                    Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
                    33%
                    Cabbage
                    38%
                    Savoy cabbage
                    Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
                    10%
                    Cabbage
                    14%
                    Savoy cabbage

                    Comparison summary

                    Which food is lower in Sugar?
                    Savoy cabbage
                    Savoy cabbage is lower in Sugar (difference - 0.93g)
                    Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
                    Savoy cabbage
                    Savoy cabbage is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.021g)
                    Which food is lower in glycemic index?
                    Savoy cabbage
                    Savoy cabbage is lower in glycemic index (difference - 32)
                    Which food is richer in minerals?
                    Savoy cabbage
                    Savoy cabbage is relatively richer in minerals
                    Which food contains less Sodium?
                    Cabbage
                    Cabbage contains less Sodium (difference - 10mg)
                    Which food is cheaper?
                    Cabbage
                    Cabbage is cheaper (difference - $0.2)
                    Which food contains less Cholesterol?
                    ?
                    The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)
                    Which food is richer in vitamins?
                    ?
                    It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.

                    References

                    All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

                    1. Cabbage - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169975/nutrients
                    2. Savoy cabbage - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170388/nutrients

                    All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

                    Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.