Stuffed cabbage: the recipe decides the numbers

The firmest finding that touches stuffed cabbage is about medicines. A meta-analysis of 23 dietary intervention trials found that eating cruciferous vegetables, cabbage among them, raised the activity of the liver enzyme CYP1A2 by 20 to 40 percent. Not every one of those trials was randomized, the authors call the clinical meaning unclear, and the dish holds less cabbage than the trials used. We found no study of stuffed cabbage itself, so what it gives you depends on who made it. Three US recipes run from 84 to 207 calories and from 147 to 723 mg of sodium per 3.5 oz (100 g), a spread set by the meat, rice and salt in each recipe. A typical beef and rice roll of 103 g works out at about 117 calories and 348 mg of sodium.

As people eat it, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• In the US survey database stuffed cabbage rolls with beef and rice carry 114 calories, 8.3 g of protein, 8.8 g of carbohydrate, 1.9 g of saturated fat and 338 mg of sodium per 3.5 oz (100 g). — USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, Stuffed cabbage rolls with beef and rice, food code 27315250, fdc_id 2706620 Evidence E source
  Per 100 g energy 114 calories, protein 8.3 g, carbohydrate 8.83 g, saturated fat 1.877 g, sodium 338 mg
• Three US recipes for stuffed cabbage differ more than twofold, from 84 to 207 calories and from 147 to 723 mg of sodium per 3.5 oz (100 g). — USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, fdc_id 2706620, 2710142 (Puerto Rican style) and 2710143 (Syrian style) (n = 3 recipes) Evidence E source
  Energy 84 to 207 calories per 3.5 oz (100 g), sodium 147 to 723 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g), protein 3.1 to 9.6 g per 3.5 oz (100 g)
• The UK food composition table lists homemade cabbage leaves stuffed with lamb and rice at 100 calories, 7.1 g of protein, 4.2 g of fat, 1.5 g of fiber and 153 mg of sodium per 3.5 oz (100 g). — CoFID 2021, Cabbage leaves, stuffed with lamb and rice, homemade, code 19-631 Evidence E source
  Per 100 g energy 100 calories, protein 7.1 g, fat 4.2 g, AOAC fiber 1.5 g, sodium 153 mg, potassium 190 mg

What a real portion looks like

• The US dietary survey counts one beef and rice cabbage roll as 103 g and a cup as 162 g, so one roll gives about 117 calories and 348 mg of sodium. — USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, fdc_id 2706620 Evidence E source
  1 roll 103 g 117 calories and 348 mg sodium, 1 cup 162 g 185 calories and 548 mg sodium, unspecified portion 7.1 oz (202 g) 230 calories and 683 mg sodium

What your body absorbs

• In a randomized crossover trial in 25 adults, 1.8 oz (50 g) of raw cabbage a day for 3 days gave 8.73 pmol/mg creatinine less urinary DIM than the same amount of Brussels sprouts. — 25 adults fed 1.8 oz (50 g) raw cabbage or Brussels sprouts once daily for 3 days (n = 25) Evidence B source
  Urinary DIM difference 8.73 pmol/mg creatinine (95% CI 5.36 to 12.10), higher after sprouts
• In a trial in 45 adults eating Brussels sprouts and cabbage for 2 days, urinary DIM rose with glucobrassicin dose and plateaued between 200 and 300 umol. — 45 adults, seven glucobrassicin dose levels from 25 to 500 umol, once daily for 2 days (n = 45) Evidence B source
  Dose and urinary DIM R2 = 0.68, plateau between 200 and 300 umol

What cooking and storage change

• By the USDA retention table for green vegetables boiled in water that is then drained, leaves keep about 55 percent of vitamin C and 60 percent of folate. — USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors Release 6, Vegetables and Vegetable Products, VEG,GREENS,BOILED,WATER COVER DRAIN, code 3005 Evidence E source
  Retained vitamin C 55%, folate 60%, thiamin 80%, potassium 85%, calcium and iron 95%
• In a randomized crossover trial in 12 adults, cabbage microwaved for 2 minutes produced more urinary allyl isothiocyanate metabolite than cabbage cooked for 5.5 minutes. — 12 volunteers, two cabbage meals in each 21-day period (n = 12) Evidence B source
  Greater allyl mercapturic acid excretion after lightly cooked cabbage, P < 0.001

What it does to your health

• Observational data link high intake of broccoli and cabbage with a lower risk of gastric cancer, RR 0.64, in a meta-analysis of 89 studies. — 81 articles covering 89 observational studies (n = 89 studies) Evidence C source
  Gastric cancer RR 0.64 (95% CI 0.47 to 0.87), highest vs lowest intake
• Observational data from 22 studies link higher cruciferous vegetable intake with a lower gastric cancer risk, RR 0.81, with a similar result for cabbage alone. — 16 case-control and 6 prospective studies (n = 22 studies) Evidence C source
  RR 0.81 (95% CI 0.75 to 0.88); cabbage analyzed separately gave a similar result

Safety, limits and interactions

• A meta-analysis of 23 dietary intervention trials found that eating cruciferous vegetables, cabbage included, raised CYP1A2 activity by 20 to 40 percent, which may alter exposure to drugs cleared by that enzyme. — 23 human dietary intervention trials with drug metabolism end points (n = 23 trials) Evidence B source
  CYP1A2 activity up 20 to 40%, GST-alpha up 15 to 35%
• Cabbage allergy can be severe: among 17 allergic patients 5 had anaphylaxis, and the cabbage protein Bra o 3 cross-reacts with mugwort pollen and peach. — 17 patients allergic to cabbage, prospective study with skin prick tests and double-blind placebo-controlled food challenges (n = 17) Evidence C source
  5 of 17 anaphylaxis; Bra o 3 skin test positive in 12 of 14 (86%)

What people believe that the data does not support

• The EU rejected the claim that cabbage family vegetables are particularly rich in compounds that protect cells from oxidative damage or help the body eliminate toxic substances. — EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-6819 Evidence E source
  Status non-authorized

The bottom line

The British homemade version with lamb and rice lists 100 calories, 7.1 g of protein and 153 mg of sodium per 3.5 oz (100 g). Blanching the leaves costs some vitamins. By the USDA factor for green vegetables boiled and drained, about 55 percent of vitamin C and 60 percent of folate remain, and that group figure does not count the later stewing in sauce. Shorter heat kept more of the sulfur compounds cabbage is known for. In 12 adults, cabbage microwaved for 2 minutes produced more of their breakdown product in urine than cabbage microwaved for 5.5 minutes, the abstract gives no size, and rolls are not microwaved. Observational data link high intake of broccoli and cabbage with a lower risk of stomach cancer, RR 0.64 (95% CI 0.47 to 0.87) across 89 studies. A second pooling of 22 mostly case-control studies gave RR 0.81 for cruciferous vegetables, with a similar result for cabbage alone. That is an association in people who ate more of these vegetables, and it says nothing about meat and rice wrapped in them. The EU was asked to approve a claim that the cabbage family is rich in compounds that protect cells or help remove toxins, and refused it because the evidence fell short at the time. Two cautions have real data behind them. If you take a drug cleared by CYP1A2, the enzyme change above is a question for whoever prescribes it. Cabbage allergy can be severe: in a series of 17 allergic patients from one country, 5 had anaphylaxis, and the cabbage protein Bra o 3 cross-reacts with mugwort pollen and peach.

Sources

1. stcb-daily-r7-01 · reference dataset
   FNDDS 2706620 Stuffed cabbage rolls with beef and rice: Energy 114 KCAL/100 g · Protein 8.3 G · Carbohydrate, by difference 8.83 G · Fatty acids, total saturated 1.877 G · Sodium, Na 338 MG
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023 · checked 2026-09-29
2. stcb-daily-r7-02 · reference dataset
   FNDDS 2706620: Energy 114 KCAL, Sodium 338 MG, Protein 8.3 G · FNDDS 2710142: Energy 207 KCAL, Sodium 723 MG, Protein 9.56 G · FNDDS 2710143: Energy 84 KCAL, Sodium 147 MG, Protein 3.14 G (per 100 g)
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023 · checked 2026-09-29
3. stcb-daily-r7-03 · reference dataset
   CoFID 19-631 Cabbage leaves, stuffed with lamb and rice, homemade: Energy 100 kcal · Protein 7.1 g · Fat 4.2 g · AOAC fibre 1.5 g · Sodium 153 mg · Potassium 190 mg
   CoFID 2021, Public Health England / OGL v3.0, code 19-631 · checked 2026-09-29
4. stcb-daily-r7-04 · reference dataset
   FNDDS 2706620 portions: 1 cabbage roll 103 g · 1 cup 162 g · Quantity not specified 202 g; Energy 114 KCAL/100 g; Sodium, Na 338 MG/100 g
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023 · checked 2026-09-29
5. stcb-daily-r7-07 · randomized crossover trial
   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 2026-09-29
6. stcb-daily-r7-08 · randomized trial
   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 2026-09-29
7. stcb-daily-r7-05 · reference dataset
   USDA-RETN-R6:3005 VEG,GREENS,BOILED,WATER COVER DRAIN: vitamin_c_mg 55% · folate_total_ug 60% · thiamin_mg 80% · potassium_mg 85% · calcium_mg 95% · iron_mg 95%
   USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, Release 6, 2007, code USDA-RETN-R6:3005 · checked 2026-09-29
8. stcb-daily-r7-06 · randomized crossover trial
   Cabbage was microwaved for 2 min (lightly cooked) or 5.5 min (fully cooked). ... AMA excretion was greater following consumption of lightly cooked cabbage irrespective of prebiotic treatment (P < 0.001).
   Br J Nutr, 2007 · checked 2026-09-29
9. stcb-daily-r7-11 · meta-analysis of observational studies
   The final analysis included 81 articles covering 89 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 2026-09-29
10. stcb-daily-r7-12 · 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 2026-09-29
11. stcb-daily-r7-09 · meta-analysis
    Twenty-three dietary intervention trials with drug metabolism end points were identified across Embase, Medline, and the Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials (CENTRAL). Cruciferous vegetables represented in the literature included broccoli, Brussels sprout, cabbage, cauliflower, radish, and watercress. ... 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 2026-09-29
12. stcb-daily-r7-10 · prospective clinical study
    A prospective study was performed, recruiting 17 patients allergic to cabbage, and control subjects. ... 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. ... Skin prick test with Bra o 3 showed positive results in 12 of 14 cases (86%). ... CONCLUSION: Bra o 3, a cabbage LTP, is a major allergen in this food, cross-reacting with mugwort pollen and with other plant foods, such as peach.
    J Allergy Clin Immunol, 2006 · checked 2026-09-29
13. stcb-daily-r7-13 · regulatory register
    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 2026-09-29