Cabbage vs cauliflower: close cousins in a family that shifts a drug enzyme

The largest body of trial evidence on cabbage and cauliflower concerns the liver enzymes that clear medicines. A meta-analysis of 23 diet trials in healthy volunteers, testing broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, radish and watercress, found that diets rich in these vegetables raised activity of the drug enzyme CYP1A2 by 20 to 40 percent and of GST-alpha by 15 to 35 percent. Not every trial was randomized, the share of cabbage or cauliflower alone was not separated out, and the authors call the clinical meaning unclear. On the plate, the one nutrient our cards compare directly is vitamin C. Across 8 USDA samples each, raw cauliflower averaged 67.1 mg of vitamin C per 3.5 oz (100 g), raw red cabbage 53.9 mg and raw green cabbage 40.3 mg. A cup of raw cauliflower weighs 3.9 oz (110 g) in the US survey database and a cup of raw green cabbage 90 g. We found no trial that put cabbage and cauliflower head to head.

How much is actually in it

• In USDA Foundation Foods, raw cauliflower averaged 67.1 mg vitamin C per 3.5 oz (100 g) (range 54.3-78.1 across 8 samples), against 40.3 mg (34.8-56.3) in raw green cabbage and 53.9 mg (45.4-71.4) in raw red cabbage. — USDA Foundation Foods, 8 analyzed samples per food (n = 8 samples per food) Evidence E source
  Vitamin C per 3.5 oz (100 g): cauliflower 67.1 mg, green cabbage 40.3 mg, red cabbage 53.9 mg
• In USDA Foundation Foods, raw cauliflower carried 97 mcg folate (range 59-134) and 1.9 g fiber (1.58-2.38) per 3.5 oz (100 g) across 8 samples, so folate varied more than twofold between samples. — USDA Foundation Foods, Cauliflower, raw, 8 analyzed samples (n = 8 samples) Evidence E source
  Folate 97 mcg/100 g (59-134, spread 77%); fiber 1.95 g/100 g (1.58-2.38)

What a real portion looks like

• In the US dietary survey database, 1 cup of raw green cabbage weighs 3.2 oz (90 g) and 1 cup of raw cauliflower 110 g, with an unspecified serving set at 45 g and 55 g. — FNDDS portion weights, Cabbage, green, raw (75103000) and Cauliflower, raw (75107000) Evidence E source
  1 cup: cabbage 90 g, cauliflower 110 g; quantity not specified: 45 g and 55 g

What your body absorbs

• In a randomized crossover trial in 25 adults eating 1.8 oz (50 g) of raw vegetable daily for 3 days, a high-glucobrassicin Brussels sprout gave 8.73 pmol/mg creatinine more urinary DIM, the marker of indole-3-carbinol uptake, than a low-glucobrassicin cabbage. — Twenty-five subjects, 50 g raw Jade Cross Brussels sprouts or Blue Dynasty cabbage once daily for 3 days, then crossover (n = 25) Evidence B source
  Urinary DIM difference 8.73 pmol/mg creatinine (95% CI 5.36-12.10), higher after Brussels sprouts
• In a feeding trial in 45 adults given Brussels sprouts and/or cabbage at seven glucobrassicin doses from 25 to 500 µmol, urinary DIM rose with dose and levelled off between 200 and 300 µmol. — Forty-five subjects, one of seven glucobrassicin dose levels, once daily for 2 days (n = 45) Evidence B source
  Dose-response R2 = 0.68; plateau between 200 and 300 µmol glucobrassicin
• In a controlled feeding study in 12 men over 4-week diets, magnesium and zinc balances in week 4 were lower on a diet with high-oxalate spinach than on the same diet with low-oxalate cauliflower in its place. — 12 men, three controlled diets for 4 weeks each (n = 12) Evidence C source
  Mg and Zn balances lower on spinach diet than cauliflower diet in week 4
• According to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, calcium from cabbage, broccoli and kale is absorbed about as well as calcium from milk, although a serving carries much less calcium. — General population, NIH ODS Calcium fact sheet for health professionals Evidence E source
  Calcium bioavailability from cabbage similar to milk; spinach 5% vs milk 27%

What cooking and storage change

• In a randomized crossover study in 12 volunteers, cabbage microwaved for 2 minutes produced more allyl isothiocyanate, measured as its urinary metabolite, than cabbage microwaved for 5.5 minutes, whether or not a prebiotic had raised gut bifidobacteria. — 12 volunteers, inulin 10 g/day or control for 21 days each, two cabbage meals in the last 5 days of each period (n = 12) Evidence B source
  Urinary allyl mercapturic acid higher after lightly cooked cabbage (P < 0.001); inulin raised bifidobacteria but did not change AMA
• USDA retention tables for green vegetables estimate that boiling in water to cover and draining keeps 55% of vitamin C, against 60% with little water and 70% when the cooking water is used. — USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, Vegetables and Vegetable Products group, greens Evidence E source
  Vitamin C retained: 55% (3005), 60% (3004), 70% (3006)

What it does to your health

• Pooled data from 16 case-control and 6 prospective studies link high cruciferous vegetable intake with 19% lower gastric cancer risk, with a similar result for cabbage alone, and the prospective studies alone were only borderline. — 16 case-control and 6 prospective studies (n = 22 studies) Evidence C source
  RR 0.81 (95% CI 0.75-0.88), I2 = 12%
• A meta-analysis of 89 observational studies links high intake of broccoli and cabbage with 36% lower gastric cancer risk and 54% lower gallbladder cancer risk. — 81 articles covering 89 observational studies (n = 89 studies) Evidence C source
  Gastric cancer RR 0.64 (95% CI 0.47-0.87); gallbladder cancer RR 0.46 (95% CI 0.29-0.75)
• In a randomized crossover controlled feeding study in 17 adults, adding cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage for 14 days to a fruit- and vegetable-free diet changed overall gut bacterial composition, with individual-specific responses. — 17 participants, two 14-day periods: basal diet vs basal diet plus 14 g cruciferous vegetables per kg body weight per day (n = 17) Evidence B source
  Bacterial community composition differed between periods (delta = 0.603; P = 0.011)

Safety, limits and interactions

• A meta-analysis of 23 dietary intervention trials, including cabbage and cauliflower among the vegetables tested, found that diets rich in cruciferous vegetables raised activity of the drug-metabolizing enzyme CYP1A2 by 20-40% and GST-alpha by 15-35%. — Healthy volunteers in 23 dietary intervention trials with drug metabolism end points; broccoli, Brussels sprout, cabbage, cauliflower, radish, watercress (n = 23 trials) Evidence B source
  CYP1A2 activity +20-40%, GST-alpha +15-35%
• In a clinical study of 17 patients allergic to cabbage, 5 reported anaphylaxis after eating it, and most were also sensitized to mugwort pollen, mustard and peach. — 17 patients allergic to cabbage and control subjects, skin prick tests and double-blind placebo-controlled food challenges (n = 17) Evidence C source
  5 of 17 reported anaphylactic reactions; most with associated sensitization to mugwort pollen, mustard and peach

What people believe that the data does not support

• The EU did not authorize a claim that the cabbage family, including cauliflower and cabbage, is particularly rich in compounds that protect cells and DNA or help the body eliminate toxic substances. — EU Register on nutrition and health claims, Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) Evidence E source
  Status Non-authorized

Who this works differently for

• In a meta-analysis of 29 Ethiopian market and farm studies, 52.9% of raw cabbage samples carried parasites and 20.0% carried bacteria, which matters where produce is eaten unwashed or raw. — 29 cross-sectional studies with 6659 vegetable and fruit samples from local farms and markets in Ethiopia (n = 6659 samples) Evidence C source
  Cabbage parasitic contamination 52.9%, bacterial 20.0%; overall produce 48.76% (95% CI 40.78-56.74)

What is still unknown

• A 2025 dose-response meta-analysis of 17 cohort and case-control studies linked higher cruciferous vegetable intake with about 20% lower odds of colon cancer, but after correcting for publication bias the link was no longer statistically clear. — 17 studies (7 cohort, 10 case-control), 97,595 patients; cruciferous vegetables as a group, cabbage and cauliflower not analyzed separately (n = 17 studies) Evidence C source
  OR 0.80 (95% CI 0.72-0.90); after trim-and-fill OR 0.85 (0.67-1.08); curve levels off around 40 g a day

The bottom line

Cauliflower's folate varies widely from sample to sample. Its 8 USDA samples averaged 97 micrograms per 3.5 oz (100 g) and ranged from 59 to 134, with 1.9 g of fiber. Calcium from cabbage, broccoli and kale is absorbed about as well as calcium from milk, according to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, though a serving carries much less of it. Cauliflower behaved as a low-oxalate stand-in for spinach in one controlled but non-randomized feeding study. In 12 men eating each diet for 4 weeks, magnesium and zinc balances in week 4 were lower on the spinach diet than on the cauliflower one, and the abstract gives no balance figures. Shorter cooking kept more of one sharp compound in a single trial. In 12 volunteers, cabbage microwaved for 2 minutes produced more of an allyl isothiocyanate metabolite in urine than cabbage microwaved for 5.5 minutes, and the abstract gives no size for the gap. For vitamin C, USDA factors for the greens group estimate that boiling in water to cover and draining keeps 55 percent, a little water keeps 60 percent and using the cooking water keeps 70 percent. Those figures are set for the whole group and were never measured on these two vegetables. Uptake of indole compounds tracks how much glucobrassicin the vegetable carries. In 25 adults eating 1.8 oz (50 g) of the raw vegetable daily for 3 days, a high-glucobrassicin Brussels sprout gave 8.73 pmol/mg creatinine more of the urinary marker DIM than a low-glucobrassicin cabbage (95% CI 5.36 to 12.10). In 45 adults given sprouts, cabbage or both, that marker rose with dose and levelled off between 200 and 300 micromol of glucobrassicin, a measure of uptake with no health outcome attached. Every cancer figure here comes from observation, so it shows an association and cannot show cause. Pooled case-control and prospective studies link high cruciferous intake with a 19 percent lower gastric cancer risk (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.75 to 0.88), with a similar result for cabbage alone. Most of that weight comes from case-control designs, and the prospective studies on their own were only borderline. A meta-analysis of 89 observational studies ties high broccoli and cabbage intake to lower gastric cancer (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.87) and gallbladder cancer (RR 0.46, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.75), with cauliflower never analyzed alone. For colon cancer the answer is unclear. A 2025 dose-response meta-analysis of 17 studies found about 20 percent lower odds with higher cruciferous intake (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.72 to 0.90). After correction for publication bias the estimate moved to OR 0.85 with an interval from 0.67 to 1.08, which includes no effect, and 10 of the 17 studies were case-control designs open to recall bias. In 17 adults on a very large cruciferous dose for 14 days, gut bacterial make-up shifted, a microbial marker with no health outcome. The EU refused a claim that the cabbage family is especially rich in compounds that protect cells and DNA or help remove toxic substances, which means the evidence fell short when it was assessed. Caution sits in three places. If you take a medicine cleared by CYP1A2, the enzyme result above is a question for your prescriber, because the size of any clinical effect is unknown. Cabbage allergy is real, and our card cannot say how common it is. Among 17 selected patients allergic to cabbage, 5 reported anaphylaxis after eating it, and most were also sensitized to mugwort pollen, mustard and peach. Raw produce hygiene depends on the market. In Ethiopian farm and market studies, 52.9 percent of raw cabbage samples carried parasites and 20.0 percent carried bacteria, which does not transfer to supermarkets with different sanitation.

Sources

1. cbcf-r7-13 · dataset
   Cauliflower, raw: Vitamin C 67.1 mg (54.3-78.1, 8 samples); Cabbage, green, raw: 40.34 mg (34.8-56.3, 8 samples); Cabbage, red, raw: 53.88 mg (45.4-71.4, 8 samples)
   USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30 · checked 2026-09-28
2. cbcf-r7-14 · dataset
   Cauliflower, raw: Folate, total 97.0 ug (59.0-134.0, 8 samples); Fiber, total dietary 1.948 g (1.58-2.38, 8 samples)
   USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30 · checked 2026-09-28
3. cbcf-r7-16 · dataset
   Cabbage, green, raw: 1 cup 90 g; Quantity not specified 45 g. Cauliflower, raw: 1 cup 110 g; Quantity not specified 55 g
   USDA FNDDS (FoodData Central), fdc_id 2709773 and 2709777 · checked 2026-09-28
4. cbcf-r7-03 · RCT (crossover)
   Twenty-five subjects were fed 50 g of either raw "Jade Cross" Brussels sprouts (high glucobrassicin concentration) or "Blue Dynasty" cabbage (low glucobrassicin concentration) once daily for 3 days...Urinary DIM was consistently and significantly higher after Brussels sprouts feeding than after cabbage feeding, as evidenced by an average difference of 8.73 pmol/mg creatinine (95% confidence interval, 5.36-12.10; P = 0.00002).
   Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2014 · checked 2026-09-28
5. cbcf-r7-04 · RCT (dose-response)
   Forty-five subjects consumed vegetables, a mixture of brussels sprouts and/or cabbage, at one of seven discrete dose levels of glucobrassicin ranging from 25 to 500 μmol, once daily for 2 consecutive days...Urinary DIM excretion increased predictably with increasing glucobrassicin dose and plateaued between 200 and 300 μmol of glucobrassicin. The association between glucobrassicin dose and urinary DIM was strong and positive (R2 = 0.68).
   Cancer Prev Res (Phila), 2016 · checked 2026-09-28
6. cbcf-r7-05 · controlled trial
   Diet 3 was the same as diet 2 except that cauliflower, which is low in oxalic acid, replaced the spinach. During wk 4, mean balances of calcium, magnesium, and zinc on diet 2 were negative and significantly lower than those on diet 1. Magnesium and zinc balances during wk 4 were also significantly lower on diet 2 than on diet 3.
   Am J Clin Nutr, 1983 · checked 2026-09-28
7. cbcf-r7-11 · government fact sheet
   The bioavailability of calcium from other plants that do not contain these compounds—including broccoli, kale, and cabbage—is similar to that of milk, although the amount of calcium per serving is much lower [3].
   NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Calcium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals · checked 2026-09-28
8. cbcf-r7-02 · RCT (crossover)
   Cabbage was microwaved for 2 min (lightly cooked) or 5.5 min (fully cooked)...Bifidobacteria increased following prebiotic supplementation (P < 0.001) but there was no impact of this increase on AMA excretion. AMA excretion was greater following consumption of lightly cooked cabbage irrespective of prebiotic treatment (P < 0.001).
   Br J Nutr, 2007 · checked 2026-09-28
9. cbcf-r7-15 · dataset
   3005 VEG,GREENS,BOILED,WATER COVER DRAIN vitamin C 55%; 3004 VEG,GREENS,BOILD,LITTLE WATER DRAIN 60%; 3006 VEG,GREENS,BOILED,WATER USED 70%
   USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, Release 6 (2007) · checked 2026-09-28
10. cbcf-r7-06 · meta-analysis of observational studies
    Sixteen case-control and six prospective studies were included in our analysis. When all studies were pooled, we yielded a significantly inverse association between CV (relative risk = 0.81; 95% confidence interval, 0.75-0.88) intake and gastric cancer risk, with little heterogeneity (Q = 27.27, P = 0.292, I(2) = 12.0%). Specific analysis for cabbage intake yielded similar result.
    Cancer Sci, 2013 · checked 2026-09-28
11. cbcf-r7-07 · meta-analysis of observational studies
    High intake of broccoli and cabbage was associated with a decreased risk of gastric cancer (RR: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.47-0.87) and gallbladder cancer (RR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.29-0.75).
    Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2024 · checked 2026-09-28
12. cbcf-r7-10 · RCT (crossover)
    Fecal samples were collected from 17 participants at the end of 2 14-d intake periods: a low-phytochemical, low-fiber basal diet (i.e. refined grains without fruits or vegetables) and a high ("double") cruciferous vegetable diet [basal diet + 14 g cruciferous vegetables/(kg body weightd)]...we found that overall bacterial community composition differed between the 2 consumption periods (delta = 0.603; P = 0.011).
    J Nutr, 2009 · checked 2026-09-28
13. cbcf-r7-01 · meta-analysis of intervention trials
    Cruciferous vegetables represented in the literature included broccoli, Brussels sprout, cabbage, cauliflower, radish, and watercress. A range of phase I and II drug-metabolizing enzymes and phenotyping metrics were represented in the literature. The meta-analyses performed demonstrated a significant effect on CYP1A2 and glutathione S-transferase-alpha (GST-α), with consumption of Cruciferae increasing the activities of these enzymes by 20-40% and 15-35%, respectively.
    Clin Pharmacol Ther, 2020 · checked 2026-09-28
14. cbcf-r7-08 · clinical allergy study
    Five of them referred anaphylactic reactions when eating cabbage, and in another 5 patients, cabbage allergy was further confirmed by double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge. Most of them showed associated sensitizations to mugwort pollen, mustard, and peach.
    J Allergy Clin Immunol, 2006 · checked 2026-09-28
15. cbcf-r7-12 · EU claim register entry
    POL-HC-6819 Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) (Common Name : Botanical family that include broccoli, couliflower, cabbage, Bruxelles sprouts etc.) Are particularly rich of protective compounds that protect cells and DNA from oxidative damage/are particularly rich of compounds that help our body to eliminate toxic substances Non-authorised
    EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-6819, snapshot 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-09-28
16. cbcf-r7-09 · meta-analysis of prevalence studies
    Lettuce (61.0%), salad (57.4%), spinach (54.2%), and cabbage (52.9%), were the vegetables most contaminated by parasites, while salad (73.8%), green pepper (35.3%), lettuce (26.0%), and cabbage (20.0%), were the most contaminated by bacteria.
    BMC Infect Dis, 2025 · checked 2026-09-28
17. cbcf-r7-17 · systematic review and meta-analysis
    The pooled analysis demonstrated a significant inverse association (OR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.72–0.90). ... Trim-and-fill adjustment imputed 3 missing studies on the left side of the funnel (Fig. 4), attenuating the effect to OR = 0.85 (95% CI 0.67–1.08).
    BMC Gastroenterol, 2025 · checked 2026-09-29