Counting the Calories in Cabbage
Cabbage is often mentioned these days as a must try for those attempting to lose weight and it helps to understand the calories in cabbage before deciding to adopt this diet.
There are avid proponents of the cabbage diet and the cabbage soup diet who make claims that range from the logical to the far-fetched. While the theory that cabbage is a miracle element that causes weight loss is not scientifically verified, it is true that is a low calorie vegetable that is rich in nutrients.
Before we get to the exact calories in cabbage let us do a quick review of the beneficial features of including cabbage in your diet. Cabbage is low in saturated fat and almost has no cholesterol. On the other hand it is high in calcium and iron. It offers high amounts of manganese and is a rich source of dietary fiber which is an important for proper digestion and absorption of food. Cabbage is also high in magnesium, potassium, thiamin and phosphorous. It is considered a good source of Vitamin K, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C. Given all these nutrients cabbage really is a power-packed vegetable and we can benefit from actively incorporating it in our diet. These minerals and vitamins are not just a string of names but each of them plays a crucial role in the proper functioning of the human body. Potassium performs an important role in neuron function, magnesium helps with energy production in the body and Vitamin K is critical for blood coagulation. These are but examples of how a nutritionally well balanced diet is important for the human body to function normally.
A diet that does not account for nutritional balance is likely to be dangerous. You may be able to lose a lot of weight by choosing to drop a lot of items but if you do not substitute it with the right balance of nutrients you will also significantly reduce the efficiency of your overall system. The calories in cabbage are low and it still offers a fair amount of critical minerals and vitamins and this makes it an attractive diet option.
As a general rule of thumb, 100 grams of cabbage is assessed at 25 calories. But there are variations depending on the type of cabbage and depending on whether it is raw or cooked. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) the following is the numeric value of calories in cabbage.
Napa - (1 cup) 13 c
Red - Cooked, (1/2 cup shredded) 16 c
Chinese - Bok-Choi, Cooked, (1 cup, shredded) 20 c
Savoy - Cooked, (1 cup, shredded) 35 c
Common - Raw, (1 head) 220 c
You should note that the difference in calorie value comes from the quantity as well as the type of cabbage.
If you are considering the cabbage soup diet, it is worth assessing the calorie count of the whole dish. A nutritional analysis of the calories in cabbage soup indicates that for a serving size of 2 cups there is a total caloric value of 63 with calories from fat being 13. The soup will also provide a good percentage of the daily requirements of protein, sodium and carbohydrate.
Cabbage is widely grown, available all over the world and it is generally inexpensive. It stores well and is available in all the seasons although its peak season is late fall. It is easy to cook, works in a wide variety of dishes, fits into many ethnic cuisines and is a versatile vegetable in general. All this makes it a great choice for a diet because it is not difficult to access or too expensive to use. Some vegetables that are highly nutritious are also esoteric and don’t lend themselves to easy processing. Anything complicated is less likely to be used often and cabbage does not face this danger.