Gout and Cabbage

The wonders cabbage can do in a gout diet

Did you know that cabbage is the second most consumed vegetable in the world right after the potato? It’s that leafy vegetable that comes in both green and purple colors. French navigator Jacques Cartier first introduced cabbage to the Americas in 1536. Cabbage is also considered Russia’s national food.Did you also know that cabbage has more vitamin C than an orange does per serving?

Note that red cabbage has more vitamin C than green, 57 mg versus 37 mg per 100 grams. It is high in vitamins K, C, B6 and is loaded with minerals like potassium, manganese and iron. One cup of cabbage provides you with 90% of the daily recommended allowance of vitamin K which helps your body fight against invaders and bacteria increasing your immune system strength defending you from sickness and disease. Cabbage is part of the cruciferous family of vegetables that also includes cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts and bok choy which is the most popular vegetable in China.

Cabbage is also known to purify the blood and may help remove toxins to control uric acid levels in your blood. In particular, red cabbage contains a flavonoid called cyanidin which also happens to be the most plentiful flavonoid in sweet and raw cherries as well as sour cherries at about 75mg per 100 grams!

This makes red cabbage an important food in a gout diet. In addition, the anthocyanins that are found in red cabbage have strong anti-inflammatory compounds. It is high in amino acids and is believed to help those who are suffering from any type of inflammation. For gout sufferers who also suffer from diabetes, cabbage is extremely on the glycemic index and is also rich in fiber, soluble fiber that may help lower the GI.

Furthermore, some gout sufferers swear by using cabbage as a gout topical treatment by wrapping cabbage leaves around gout affected joints that may help ease the pain. A popular method is to apply frozen cabbage leaves on the inflamed joint. An enzyme that is in the cabbage leaves that may help get rid of the crystals that are nestled around the joint. Personally, I have never used this topical treatment to ease the pain of a gout attack. I do agree that you should try and incorporate red cabbage in your gout diet each week.