Cabbage is a solid source of vitamin K, though not as concentrated as darker greens like kale or collards. One cup of raw shredded green cabbage provides roughly 67 to 76 micrograms of vitamin K, which covers about 85% of the daily recommended intake for adult women (90 mcg) and about 63% for adult men (120 mcg). Cooking concentrates the vitamin further, so a cup of cooked green cabbage can easily exceed a full day’s worth.
How Much Vitamin K Is in Different Types of Cabbage
Not all cabbage is created equal when it comes to vitamin K. Green cabbage is the strongest source among common varieties. A single cup of raw shredded green cabbage lands in the range of 67 to 76 mcg. Cook that same cup down, and you’re looking at roughly 160 mcg or more, since the leaves shrink and you end up eating a larger volume of cabbage per cup.
Red cabbage contains noticeably less, around 34 mcg per raw cup. It still contributes to your daily intake, but you’d need to eat significantly more to match what green cabbage provides. Napa cabbage (sometimes labeled Chinese cabbage) falls somewhere in between, typically offering around 30 to 40 mcg per raw cup. Savoy cabbage, with its crinkled leaves, tends to be closer to green cabbage in vitamin K content.
For context, kale delivers roughly 500 to 700 mcg per raw cup, and a cup of cooked spinach tops 800 mcg. Cabbage is a meaningful source of vitamin K, but it sits in the moderate range compared to those leafy green heavyweights.
Why Your Body Needs Vitamin K
Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting. Without enough of it, even small cuts and bruises would take far longer to heal. It also plays a role in bone health by helping direct calcium into bones rather than into soft tissues like arteries. Most adults get enough through a normal diet that includes vegetables, but people who eat very few greens can fall short.
The vitamin K in cabbage is primarily K1 (the form found in plants), which is the type most directly involved in clotting. Your body can partially convert K1 into K2, the form more closely linked to bone and cardiovascular benefits, though the conversion is limited.
Sauerkraut and Fermented Cabbage
Fermenting cabbage into sauerkraut or kimchi changes the vitamin K profile in an interesting way. The fermentation process, driven by bacteria, actually produces vitamin K2 (specifically the forms known as MK-4 and MK-7). Research published in the Journal of Functional Foods found that sauerkraut made through traditional spontaneous fermentation or with probiotic cultures contained measurable amounts of both MK-4 and MK-7. This means fermented cabbage gives you a combination of K1 from the plant itself and K2 generated by the microbes, something raw cabbage doesn’t offer.
The total amount of vitamin K2 in sauerkraut is still relatively modest compared to other K2-rich foods like certain aged cheeses or natto (fermented soybeans). But if you eat sauerkraut regularly, it does contribute meaningful vitamin K2 on top of whatever K1 remains from the cabbage.
Getting the Most Vitamin K From Cabbage
Your body absorbs vitamin K from vegetables less efficiently than from oils or supplements. The NIH notes that the body absorbs only 4% to 17% as much vitamin K from leafy greens as from a supplement tablet, because the vitamin is tightly bound inside plant cells. Eating cabbage with some dietary fat, such as olive oil, butter, or salad dressing, improves absorption, though it still won’t match the efficiency of a supplement or oil-based source.
Cooking also helps. Heat breaks down plant cell walls, making the vitamin K more accessible. A simple sauté in olive oil or butter checks both boxes: you get the benefit of cooking and added fat at the same time. Raw cabbage in coleslaw dressed with an oil-based or mayonnaise dressing works similarly.
Cabbage and Blood-Thinning Medications
If you take warfarin or a similar blood thinner, the vitamin K in cabbage matters to you directly. Vitamin K promotes clotting, which works against what warfarin is designed to do. The Mayo Clinic’s guidance is straightforward: you don’t need to avoid vitamin K-rich foods, but you do need to keep your intake consistent from day to day and week to week. Sudden spikes or drops in vitamin K can make your medication less predictable.
This means if you normally eat cabbage a few times a week, keep doing that. The problem arises when you go from rarely eating greens to suddenly having large servings of coleslaw or sauerkraut every day, or vice versa. Consistency is what keeps your medication working as expected. If you want to change your eating habits significantly, that’s a conversation worth having with whoever manages your medication dosing.
How Cabbage Compares to Other Vitamin K Sources
- Kale: roughly 500 to 700 mcg per raw cup, far exceeding cabbage
- Spinach (cooked): over 800 mcg per cup, one of the richest sources
- Broccoli: about 90 to 110 mcg per raw cup, comparable to green cabbage
- Brussels sprouts (cooked): around 220 mcg per cup, significantly higher
- Romaine lettuce: roughly 48 mcg per cup, lower than green cabbage
- Green cabbage (raw): 67 to 76 mcg per cup
- Red cabbage (raw): about 34 mcg per cup
Green cabbage sits comfortably in the middle of the pack. It’s not the most efficient way to load up on vitamin K, but its versatility and the sheer volume most people eat (think large servings of coleslaw, stir-fry, or soup) make it a practical, everyday contributor to your intake.