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Radicchio vs. Red cabbage — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Article author photo Victoria Mazmanyan by Victoria Mazmanyan | Last updated on February 04, 2023
Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel Article author photo Igor Bussel

Table of contents

  1. Introduction
    1. Classification
      1. Appearance
        1. Taste and Use
        2. Nutrition
          1. Macronutrients and Calories
            1. Calories
            2. Protein and Fats
            3. Carbohydrates
          2. Vitamins
            1. Minerals
            2. Health Impact
              1. Health Benefits
                1. Cardiovascular Health
                2. Diabetes
                3. Cancer
            3. Sources.
              Radicchio
              vs
              Red cabbage

              Summary

              In short, red cabbage is higher in carbohydrates, both net carbs and dietary fiber, and calories. Red cabbage provides 41 times more vitamin A and 7 times more vitamin C. However, radicchio can be a better source of minerals such as copper, zinc, and phosphorus.

              Red cabbage and radicchio are full of health-beneficial effects due to their high anthocyanin content. However, red cabbage is much better researched in this field.

              Table of contents

              1. Introduction
                1. Classification
                  1. Appearance
                    1. Taste and Use
                    2. Nutrition
                      1. Macronutrients and Calories
                        1. Calories
                        2. Protein and Fats
                        3. Carbohydrates
                      2. Vitamins
                        1. Minerals
                        2. Health Impact
                          1. Health Benefits
                            1. Cardiovascular Health
                            2. Diabetes
                            3. Cancer
                        3. Sources.

                          Introduction

                          Red cabbage and radicchio are often mistaken for each other; however, the two are entirely different vegetables. In this article, we will be discussing what similarities red cabbage and radicchio share and what sets them apart.

                          Classification

                          Despite all the similarities, red cabbage and radicchio botanically belong to separate families. Red cabbage is the purple-leafed variety of cabbage belonging to the Brassicaceae family and Oleracea species. Radicchio, on the other hand, is a part of the Asteraceae family and Chicorium genus.

                          Red cabbage and radicchio are often referred to as leaf or leafy vegetables, which are plant leaves used as vegetables.

                          Appearance

                          The two vegetables look alike; however, radicchio has distinct white-veined leaves and is usually smaller and more oblong in size. Radicchio also has a stronger reddish hue to its purple leaves.

                          Taste and Use

                          Red cabbage and radicchio are sometimes interchangeably used in recipes despite the difference in their flavors and textures. Radicchio has thin leaves with a bitter taste, while red cabbage has a milder taste and crunchier leaves.

                          Nutrition

                          The nutritional information below will be presented for raw red cabbage and radicchio.

                          Macronutrients and Calories

                          Red cabbage is slightly denser in nutrients, consisting of 91% water, while radicchio contains 94% water.

                          The average serving size of red cabbage per person is one cup of shredded cabbage, equal to 70g. At the same time, one cup of shredded radicchio weighs 40g.

                          Calories

                          Red cabbage and radicchio are both very low-calorie foods. However, red cabbage is slightly higher in calories, containing 31 calories in a 100g serving. A hundred-gram serving of radicchio provides only 23 calories.

                          One cup of chopped red cabbage contains 22 calories, while the same serving size of radicchio has 9 calories.

                          Protein and Fats

                          Like most leafy vegetables, red cabbage and radicchio are very low in protein and fats.

                          The two vegetables provide the same exact amount of protein - 1.43g per 100g serving.

                          Red cabbage and radicchio contain negligible amounts of fats.

                          Vegetables naturally do not contain cholesterol or trans fats.

                          Carbohydrates

                          Red cabbage is richer in carbohydrates by 65%. Per 100g serving, red cabbage provides 7.37g of carbohydrates, while radicchio contains 4.48g.

                          Red cabbage contains 1.5 times more net carbs and is 2.3 times higher in dietary fiber.

                          Vitamins

                          Red cabbage and radicchio are rich sources of several vitamins; however, red cabbage wins in this category.

                          Red cabbage provides 41 times more vitamin A, 7 times more vitamin C, and 4 times more vitamins B1 and B6. Red cabbage is also richer in vitamins B2 and B3.

                          At the same time, radicchio contains 20 times more vitamin E, 7 times more vitamin K, 3 times more folate, and 2 times more vitamin B5.

                          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 27% 0.33% 45% 0% 4% 6.5% 4.8% 16% 13% 0% 638% 45% 5.9%
                          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 190% 19% 2.2% 0% 16% 16% 7.8% 8.8% 48% 0% 96% 14% 9.3%
                          Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E +1954.5%
                          Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5 +83%
                          Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K +568.1%
                          Contains more FolateFolate +233.3%
                          Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C +612.5%
                          Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +5500%
                          Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +300%
                          Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +146.4%
                          Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +63.9%
                          Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +266.7%
                          Contains more CholineCholine +56.9%
                          ~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg
                          ~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

                          Minerals

                          Inversely, radicchio wins in the mineral category. Radicchio is 20 times richer in copper and 3 times richer in zinc. Radicchio also provides slightly more phosphorus and potassium and less sodium.

                          Red cabbage, on the other hand, is richer in calcium, iron, and magnesium.

                          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 9.3% 5.7% 27% 21% 114% 17% 17% 2.9% 18% 4.9%
                          Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 11% 14% 21% 30% 5.7% 6% 13% 3.5% 32% 3.3%
                          Contains more PotassiumPotassium +24.3%
                          Contains more CopperCopper +1905.9%
                          Contains more ZincZinc +181.8%
                          Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +33.3%
                          Contains less SodiumSodium -18.5%
                          Contains more SeleniumSelenium +50%
                          Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +23.1%
                          Contains more CalciumCalcium +136.8%
                          Contains more IronIron +40.4%
                          Contains more ManganeseManganese +76.1%

                          Health Impact

                          Health Benefits

                          Leafy vegetables are known to contain phytochemicals that provide various beneficial health effects.

                          Red cabbage and radicchio get their red coloring from containing phytochemicals called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins have antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative properties, which can help protect against diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurological disorders (1, 2).

                          Overall, the health impact of red cabbage is better researched in the scientific field when compared to that of radicchio.

                          Cardiovascular Health

                          Red cabbage has been researched to potentially protect against cardiovascular disease by lowering low-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, cholesterol, and inflammatory cytokine levels (3, 4).

                          Studies on the effect of radicchio on cardiovascular health have not yet been carried out. However, the impact can be assumed to be beneficial due to radicchio’s high content of phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals.

                          Diabetes

                          Research carried out on animals found red cabbage to have antidiabetic properties, lowering blood glucose levels and improving kidney and liver function in diabetic rats (5, 6).

                          While not much research has been done regarding radicchio and diabetes, chicory plants have been found to have antidiabetic effects (7). Radicchio and chicory are very closely related.

                          Cancer

                          Anthocyanins have been demonstrated to have anti-cancer qualities, potentially protecting against skin, colon, esophageal, and lung cancer (8).

                          Due to high anthocyanin levels, radicchio or red chicory has also been found to potentially decrease the risk of cancer, colon cancer in particular (9).

                          Similarly, red cabbage has also been researched for its anti-cancer activities (10, 11, 12).

                          Sources.

                          1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8308553/
                          2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1082894/
                          3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27933986/
                          4. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13880209.2016.1200633
                          5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2529380/
                          6. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262835482
                          7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32768902/
                          8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2582525/
                          9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3771420/
                          10. https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2020/ra/d0ra07861a
                          11. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344521531
                          12. http://www.ijpacr.com/files/31-08-2019/04.pdf
                          Article author photo Victoria Mazmanyan
                          Education: General Medicine at YSMU
                          Last updated: February 04, 2023
                          Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel

                          Infographic

                          Radicchio vs Red cabbage infographic
                          Infographic link

                          All nutrients comparison - raw data values

                          Nutrient Radicchio Red cabbage DV% diff.
                          Vitamin K 255.2µg 38.2µg 181%
                          Vitamin C 8mg 57mg 54%
                          Copper 0.341mg 0.017mg 36%
                          Vitamin E 2.26mg 0.11mg 14%
                          Vitamin B6 0.057mg 0.209mg 12%
                          Folate 60µg 18µg 11%
                          Vitamin A 1µg 56µg 6%
                          Manganese 0.138mg 0.243mg 5%
                          Fiber 0.9g 2.1g 5%
                          Vitamin B1 0.016mg 0.064mg 4%
                          Zinc 0.62mg 0.22mg 4%
                          Calcium 19mg 45mg 3%
                          Vitamin B2 0.028mg 0.069mg 3%
                          Iron 0.57mg 0.8mg 3%
                          Vitamin B5 0.269mg 0.147mg 2%
                          Fructose 1.48g 2%
                          Potassium 302mg 243mg 2%
                          Phosphorus 40mg 30mg 1%
                          Selenium 0.9µg 0.6µg 1%
                          Vitamin B3 0.255mg 0.418mg 1%
                          Magnesium 13mg 16mg 1%
                          Carbs 4.48g 7.37g 1%
                          Choline 10.9mg 17.1mg 1%
                          Calories 23kcal 31kcal 0%
                          Protein 1.43g 1.43g 0%
                          Fats 0.25g 0.16g 0%
                          Net carbs 3.58g 5.27g N/A
                          Sugar 0.6g 3.83g N/A
                          Sodium 22mg 27mg 0%
                          Saturated fat 0.06g 0.021g 0%
                          Monounsaturated fat 0.01g 0.012g 0%
                          Polyunsaturated fat 0.11g 0.08g 0%
                          Tryptophan 0.026mg 0.012mg 0%
                          Threonine 0.04mg 0.039mg 0%
                          Isoleucine 0.085mg 0.034mg 0%
                          Leucine 0.062mg 0.046mg 0%
                          Lysine 0.056mg 0.049mg 0%
                          Methionine 0.008mg 0.014mg 0%
                          Phenylalanine 0.034mg 0.036mg 0%
                          Valine 0.065mg 0.048mg 0%
                          Histidine 0.024mg 0.024mg 0%

                          Macronutrient Comparison

                          Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
                          4% 93%
                          Protein: 1.43 g
                          Fats: 0.25 g
                          Carbs: 4.48 g
                          Water: 93.14 g
                          Other: 0.7 g
                          7% 90%
                          Protein: 1.43 g
                          Fats: 0.16 g
                          Carbs: 7.37 g
                          Water: 90.39 g
                          Other: 0.65 g
                          Contains more FatsFats +56.3%
                          Contains more CarbsCarbs +64.5%
                          ~equal in Protein ~1.43g
                          ~equal in Water ~90.39g
                          ~equal in Other ~0.65g

                          Fat Type Comparison

                          Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
                          33% 6% 61%
                          Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 0.06 g
                          Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 0.01 g
                          Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.11 g
                          19% 11% 71%
                          Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 0.021 g
                          Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 0.012 g
                          Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.08 g
                          Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +37.5%
                          Contains less Sat. FatSaturated fat -65%
                          Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated fat +20%

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                          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. Radicchio - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168564/nutrients
                          2. Red cabbage - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169977/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.