Brussels Sprouts vs Cabbage – Which is Healthier?

Our Verdict

When comparing Brussels sprouts to cabbage, we picked the sprouts.

Why?

If Brussels sprouts look like tiny super-dense cabbages, it’s because they are. Cabbages and Brussels sprouts are different cultivars of the same species of plant, namely, Brassica oleracea. Thus, it’s not too surprising that they come out as the most nutritionally dense.

In terms of macros, Brussels sprouts start strong with more fiber, carbs, and protein, winning an easy first round victory.

In the category of vitamins, Brussels sprouts have more of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, C, E, and K, while cabbage is not higher in any vitamins. So, another round swept convincingly for sprouts.

Looking at minerals, Brussels sprouts have more calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc, while cabbage is not higher in any minerals, resulting in 3-in-row for sprouts.

In other considerations, Brussels sprouts are higher in polyphenols, and also contain sulforaphane, which is not present in cabbages in any meaningful quantity. So, another round in sprouts’ favor.

Adding up the sections makes for a clear overall win for Brussels sprouts, but by all means do enjoy either or both, as cabbage is great too, and diversity is invariably best of all!

Want to learn more?

You might like:

Sprout Your Seeds, Grains, Beans, Etc ← not a pun; this is why Brussels sprouts are called sprouts; it’s because that’s what they are!

Enjoy!