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Red cabbage vs. Radicchio — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

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

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.
              Red cabbage
              Red cabbage
              6
              :
              4
              Radicchio
              Radicchio
              Contains more Vitamin A +4033.3%
              Contains more Vitamin C +612.5%
              Contains more Vitamin B1 +300%
              Contains more Vitamin B2 +146.4%
              Contains more Vitamin B3 +63.9%
              Contains more Vitamin B6 +266.7%
              Contains more Vitamin E +1954.5%
              Contains more Vitamin B5 +83%
              Contains more Folate +233.3%
              Contains more Vitamin K +568.1%
              Red cabbage
              Vitamin A Vitamin E Vitamin D Vitamin C Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin B12 Vitamin K 67% 3% 0% 190% 16% 16% 8% 9% 49% 14% 0% 96%
              Radicchio
              Vitamin A Vitamin E Vitamin D Vitamin C Vitamin B1 Vitamin B2 Vitamin B3 Vitamin B5 Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin B12 Vitamin K 2% 46% 0% 27% 4% 7% 5% 17% 14% 45% 0% 638%
              Contains more Vitamin A +4033.3%
              Contains more Vitamin C +612.5%
              Contains more Vitamin B1 +300%
              Contains more Vitamin B2 +146.4%
              Contains more Vitamin B3 +63.9%
              Contains more Vitamin B6 +266.7%
              Contains more Vitamin E +1954.5%
              Contains more Vitamin B5 +83%
              Contains more Folate +233.3%
              Contains more Vitamin K +568.1%

              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.
              Red cabbage
              Red cabbage
              4
              :
              6
              Radicchio
              Radicchio
              Contains more Calcium +136.8%
              Contains more Iron +40.4%
              Contains more Magnesium +23.1%
              Contains more Manganese +76.1%
              Contains more Phosphorus +33.3%
              Contains more Potassium +24.3%
              Contains less Sodium -18.5%
              Contains more Zinc +181.8%
              Contains more Copper +1905.9%
              Contains more Selenium +50%
              Red cabbage
              Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc Copper Manganese Selenium 14% 30% 12% 13% 22% 4% 6% 6% 32% 4%
              Radicchio
              Calcium Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Zinc Copper Manganese Selenium 6% 22% 10% 18% 27% 3% 17% 114% 19% 5%
              Contains more Calcium +136.8%
              Contains more Iron +40.4%
              Contains more Magnesium +23.1%
              Contains more Manganese +76.1%
              Contains more Phosphorus +33.3%
              Contains more Potassium +24.3%
              Contains less Sodium -18.5%
              Contains more Zinc +181.8%
              Contains more Copper +1905.9%
              Contains more Selenium +50%

              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

              Red cabbage vs Radicchio infographic
              Infographic link

              Macronutrient Comparison

              Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
              Red cabbage
              Red cabbage
              1
              :
              3
              Radicchio
              Radicchio
              Contains more Carbs +64.5%
              Contains more Fats +56.3%
              Equal in Protein - 1.43
              Equal in Water - 93.14
              Equal in Other - 0.7
              Red cabbage
              7% 90%
              Protein: 1.43 g
              Fats: 0.16 g
              Carbs: 7.37 g
              Water: 90.39 g
              Other: 0.65 g
              Radicchio
              4% 93%
              Protein: 1.43 g
              Fats: 0.25 g
              Carbs: 4.48 g
              Water: 93.14 g
              Other: 0.7 g
              Contains more Carbs +64.5%
              Contains more Fats +56.3%
              Equal in Protein - 1.43
              Equal in Water - 93.14
              Equal in Other - 0.7

              Fat Type Comparison

              Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
              Red cabbage
              Red cabbage
              2
              :
              1
              Radicchio
              Radicchio
              Contains less Saturated Fat -65%
              Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +20%
              Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +37.5%
              Red cabbage
              19% 11% 71%
              Saturated Fat: 0.021 g
              Monounsaturated Fat: 0.012 g
              Polyunsaturated fat: 0.08 g
              Radicchio
              33% 6% 61%
              Saturated Fat: 0.06 g
              Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01 g
              Polyunsaturated fat: 0.11 g
              Contains less Saturated Fat -65%
              Contains more Monounsaturated Fat +20%
              Contains more Polyunsaturated fat +37.5%

              Comparison summary table

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

              All nutrients comparison - raw data values

              Nutrient Red cabbage Radicchio Opinion
              Net carbs 5.27g 3.58g Red cabbage
              Protein 1.43g 1.43g
              Fats 0.16g 0.25g Radicchio
              Carbs 7.37g 4.48g Red cabbage
              Calories 31kcal 23kcal Red cabbage
              Fructose 1.48g Red cabbage
              Sugar 3.83g 0.6g Radicchio
              Fiber 2.1g 0.9g Red cabbage
              Calcium 45mg 19mg Red cabbage
              Iron 0.8mg 0.57mg Red cabbage
              Magnesium 16mg 13mg Red cabbage
              Phosphorus 30mg 40mg Radicchio
              Potassium 243mg 302mg Radicchio
              Sodium 27mg 22mg Radicchio
              Zinc 0.22mg 0.62mg Radicchio
              Copper 0.017mg 0.341mg Radicchio
              Manganese 0.243mg 0.138mg Red cabbage
              Selenium 0.6µg 0.9µg Radicchio
              Vitamin A 1116IU 27IU Red cabbage
              Vitamin A RAE 56µg 1µg Red cabbage
              Vitamin E 0.11mg 2.26mg Radicchio
              Vitamin C 57mg 8mg Red cabbage
              Vitamin B1 0.064mg 0.016mg Red cabbage
              Vitamin B2 0.069mg 0.028mg Red cabbage
              Vitamin B3 0.418mg 0.255mg Red cabbage
              Vitamin B5 0.147mg 0.269mg Radicchio
              Vitamin B6 0.209mg 0.057mg Red cabbage
              Folate 18µg 60µg Radicchio
              Vitamin K 38.2µg 255.2µg Radicchio
              Tryptophan 0.012mg 0.026mg Radicchio
              Threonine 0.039mg 0.04mg Radicchio
              Isoleucine 0.034mg 0.085mg Radicchio
              Leucine 0.046mg 0.062mg Radicchio
              Lysine 0.049mg 0.056mg Radicchio
              Methionine 0.014mg 0.008mg Red cabbage
              Phenylalanine 0.036mg 0.034mg Red cabbage
              Valine 0.048mg 0.065mg Radicchio
              Histidine 0.024mg 0.024mg
              Saturated Fat 0.021g 0.06g Red cabbage
              Monounsaturated Fat 0.012g 0.01g Red cabbage
              Polyunsaturated fat 0.08g 0.11g Radicchio

              Which food is preferable for your diet?

              ok
              ok
              is better in case of low diet
              Red cabbage Radicchio
              Low Fats diet ok
              Low Carbs diet ok
              Low Calories 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
              39%
              Red cabbage
              67%
              Radicchio
              Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
              14%
              Red cabbage
              24%
              Radicchio

              Comparison summary

              Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
              Red cabbage
              Red cabbage is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.039g)
              Which food is lower in Sugar?
              Radicchio
              Radicchio is lower in Sugar (difference - 3.23g)
              Which food contains less Sodium?
              Radicchio
              Radicchio contains less Sodium (difference - 5mg)
              Which food is lower in glycemic index?
              Radicchio
              Radicchio is lower in glycemic index (difference - 32)
              Which food is cheaper?
              Radicchio
              Radicchio is cheaper (difference - $0.3)
              Which food contains less Cholesterol?
              ?
              The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)
              Which food is richer in minerals?
              ?
              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.
              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. Red cabbage - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169977/nutrients
              2. Radicchio - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168564/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.