Gout is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation. It’s when uric acid (urate) in the bloodstream forms needle-like crystals that collect in tissues and joints, causing pain, swelling, and redness.
Some people swear that wrapping cabbage leaves around gout-affected joints eases inflammation. Preliminary research in cells and in animals with a form of inflammatory arthritis indicates that a compound found in cabbage leaf juice may indeed help reduce inflammation. It’s unclear, however, whether merely covering your skin in a cabbage leaf — or eating lots of it — would have similar effects.
Gout and Diet
The standard treatment for gout is anti-inflammatory drugs in combination with a diet low in purines, and sometimes includes medications that work to lower uric acid levels, according to Cleveland Clinic. When the body breaks down the purines in food, they're turned into uric acid; when there’s too much uric acid in the blood or the kidneys can’t expel enough, uric acid crystals form and migrate to joints and tissues.
According to research, the antioxidant effects of vitamin C can reduce the rate of purine breakdown, indirectly reducing the production of uric acid. There’s also some evidence that vitamin C can dissolve urate crystals. Researchers note that vitamin C may enhance kidney function, increasing the rate of uric acid excretion in urine. What’s more, vitamin C can also fight the inflammation caused by uric acid. The researchers reviewed data that showed the more vitamin C people consumed through diet, the lower their risk of gout. Vitamin C supplement intake didn’t show the same association with lowered gout risk, though. Researchers stipulated that the current data didn't support recommending vitamin C over conventional treatments in people who already have gout.
Nutritional Qualities of Cabbage
Shredded raw cabbage contains about 18 calories in each 1 cup serving, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It also has about 0.9 grams (g) of protein, 4.1 g of carbohydrates (including 1.8 g of dietary fiber), and a trace amount of fat. It’s an excellent source of vitamin C, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) says, with 25.6 milligrams (mg), or about 28 percent of the daily value (DV). It also contains 53.2 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin K, or about 44 percent of the DV, the NIH says.
Shredded raw red cabbage contains about 22 calories per 1 cup serving, says the USDA. It also has about 1 g of protein, 5.2 g of carbohydrates (including 1.5 g of dietary fiber), and a trace amount of fat. It, too, is called out by NIH as an excellent source of vitamin C, with 39.9 mg, or about 44 percent of the DV. It contains 26.7 mcg of vitamin K, or about 22 percent of the DV.
Additionally, white, red, and savoy cabbages are all known to be low in purines, according to Elevate Health, a preventive medicine practice in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Cabbage Leaf Wrap
The beauty of this simple home remedy is that the cost is negligible — and many gout sufferers claim it reduces or eliminates pain. Keep a few cabbage leaves in a plastic bag in the freezer. When gout strikes, remove the bottom part of the rib, bruise the leaves with a rolling pin, and arrange them around the affected area. Wrap a towel or plastic wrap around the leaves. According to theory, any gout-fighting chemicals in the cabbage will penetrate the skin and alleviate symptoms. Either way, the cold leaves may soothe the inflamed area.
There isn’t much scientific research on this particular topic, as you might imagine. One small study of 60 people with moderate pain from osteoarthritis, a non-inflammatory form of arthritis, found that cabbage leaf wraps substantially reduced knee pain and improved function. Their effects were compared with diclofenac, a topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory gel, which didn’t work as well. Participants in the study reported satisfaction with the cabbage leaf wrap treatment results. Researchers didn’t attempt to determine the exact reason why cabbage helped with joint pain, and they cautioned that their results didn't necessarily mean that conventional medication should be replaced with cabbage.
Boost Your Dietary Intake
Cabbage is an ancient vegetable grown all over the world, Utah State University says, so a veritable United Nations of recipes are only a mouse click away if you want to eat more of it. Some nutrients are lost in cooking, particularly vitamin C, the Royal Society of Chemistry says. So try eating the vegetable raw, in slaws or salads. Other tasty ways to make cabbage go down easy include Russian borscht, Korean kimchi, Polish stuffed cabbage rolls, Chinese stir-fry, German rotkohl, and Indian vegetable curries. But make sure the other ingredients you’re using are low in purines, particularly when incorporating meats, Cleveland Clinic says.
