Although not very popular as green cabbage, red cabbage is highly nutritious food which offers a lot of benefits for your overall health. It has purple hue, peppery flavor and bitter taste which has umpteen benefits for health. This article is presenting the best 11 benefits of red cabbage for health.

Red cabbage which is also known as purple cabbage belongs brassicaceae family. It is more nutritious than green cabbage and it is widely used in salads. It is grown mostly in America, north Europe and some parts of china also. It has bitter and peppery taste which is due to sulfur based compounds present in it. Its red color is attributed to plant based chemicals called flavonoids present in it. It is very beneficial for your overall health.

Let us learn the benefits of red cabbage.

1. Cancer prevention

One of the most important benefits of eating red cabbage is that it helps in prevention of cancer. It is rich in high level of antioxidants anthocyanins and indole which help a great deal in prevention of cancer. Indoles in red cabbage is known to prevent breast cancer and vitamin A present in red cabbage minimizes the chance of lung cancer.

2. Eating red cabbage helps in weight loss

Red cabbage is very rich in dietary fiber and low in calories that make it an ideal choice for weight watchers, You can add this to your daily diet to have dose of vitamins and minerals and still lose weight without compromising on vital nutrients. Eating red cabbage keeps your stomach full for long stopping you from eating more. It has also some amount of protein which is also good for those wanting to lose weight.

3. Prevention of premature wrinkles and ageing

Red cabbage is rich in many anti-oxidants which make it a perfect choice for beauty conscious people around the world.As we know anti-oxidants fight the skin damaging freer radicals that cause skin discoloration and wrinkles. Vitamin A present in red cabbage helps in regeneration of new cells in skin and protects from sun damage and makes your skin elastic. Red cabbage is also enriched with the goodness of  sulfur, an element needed for production of keratin. Keratin is a protein which makes your hair, nails and skin look healthy.

4. Good for your vision

Red cabbage is very much high in vitamin A which is vital for your eyes' health. Vitamin A prevents macular prevention and cataract formation. Vitamin A is also converted into beta carotene which is very beneficial for your eyes' health as you age. A portion of red cabbage can fulfill up to 30 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin A, which is essential of keeping your eye-sight sharp.

5. Manage ulcers by eating red cabbage

Red cabbage is very much rich in amino acids called glutamine that is very much helpful in reducing pain and inflammation due to ulcers of stomach. When taken in juice form, red cabbage is best home remedy for treatment of stomach ulcers.

6. Strengthen your immune system

Red cabbage is very rich in some vital nutrient including vitamin C which is very important for supporting your immune system.  Vitamin C activates the white blood cells that  defend your immune system. Vitamin C is very helpful in production of collagen that  aids in keeping your body and cell well-connected. A single portion of red cabbage can fulfill up to 50 percent of daily requirement of vitamin C in body. It is healthier option than green cabbage because of its red color. Red color indicates the presence of plant based polyphenols which boost your immune system. A study shows that 100 grams of raw red cabbage has 196.5 mg of polyphenols(28.3 mg of anthocyanins ) and green cabbage has only 0.01 mg of anthocyanin in 100 grams. Anthocyanins have been proven beneficial against liver injuries, This anti-oxidant also lowers your blood pressure and improve your eye-sight too.

7. Get healthy bones by eating red cabbage

Red cabbage is rich in vitamins and minerals which are essential for bone development. Red cabbage is rich in calcium, magnesium ,manganese that help in bone growth and mineral density which protect your bones against arthritis, osteoporosis ans other inflammation of joints. Also rich in vitamin  K which is helpful in absorption of calcium in body, red cabbage reduces the risk of all sorts of inflammation. So people suffering from arthritis and osteoporosis should include red cabbage daily in their diet.

8. Control hyper tension by eating red cabbage

Red cabbage is loaded with the goodness of potassium which is very beneficial in controlling blood pressure in body. Potassium reduces the excess of sodium in body, thereby, lowering your blood pressure in body. Potassium also improves the blood circulation in body and manages hypertension too.

9. Red cabbage is good for healthy gut

We all know that probiotic foods provide good bacteria for strong digestive system. You must have heard about kimchi, a fermented food in Korea which is probiotic food. Kimchi is mostly made from green cabbage but kimchi made from red cabbage is more nutritious choice for you. Kimchi promotes the growth of good bacteria in body and protects your body against leaky gut syndrome. Healthy digestive system is the key to good health.

10. Get glowing skin by eating red cabbage

Red cabbage is very rich in  vitamin, E, C and A which are very good for skin. Vitamin E is found in outer leaves of this vegetable that gives radiance to skin and vitamin helps in production of collagen which gives firmness and elasticity of skin. Vitamin A removes wrinkles and fine lines from your skin. So munch on red cabbage daily to get glowing skin. Sulfur present in red cabbage  helps to purify your blood and flush out harmful material from your body. That results in glowing and flawless skin.

11. Reduce muscles pain by eating red cabbage

Lactic acid is usually present in dairy foods but it is found in red cabbage too which treats muscular pain. It is produced when red cabbage is cooked and when sugar in red cabbage is fermented by bacteria.

By now you know the best 11 benefits of red cabbage for your health and skin. You need to incorporate red cabbage in your diet to read these incredible benefits. If you can not bear the pungency of red cabbage, you can add sugar to red cabbage to reduce its pungency and bitterness.