Napa Cabbage Nutrition Calculator — Calories & Nutrition per Serving

Raw napa cabbage (FDC 169979) contains just 16 calories per 100g — making it one of the lowest-calorie vegetables available, comparable to lettuce (17 kcal) and lower than green cabbage (25 kcal). The extreme low calorie count comes from 94.4% water content combined with modest macronutrients: 1.2g protein, 0.2g fat, and 3.23g carbohydrates ^[1].

One cup of shredded napa cabbage (~70g) has just 11 calories — equivalent to about 3 blueberries. A quarter head (~163g) provides only 26 calories. This makes napa cabbage exceptionally useful for volume-eating strategies: you can consume large portions for salads, wraps, or stir-fries with minimal caloric impact on your daily log ^[1].

Despite the low calorie count, napa cabbage carries meaningful micronutrient loads: 27mg vitamin C (30% DV), 79mcg folate (20% DV), and 42.9mcg vitamin K (36% DV) per 100g. The nutrient-to-calorie ratio places napa cabbage among the most efficient vegetables for micronutrient delivery with minimal caloric cost ^[1].

Napa cabbage delivers 27mg vitamin C per 100g (30% DV) — more than green cabbage (36.6mg at 25 kcal but less per calorie) and substantially more than lettuce (4mg). Per calorie, napa cabbage provides 1.69mg vitamin C per calorie — higher than orange (1.13mg/kcal), though below bell pepper (~4.0mg/kcal) and strawberry (1.84mg/kcal) ^[1].

Folate at 79mcg per 100g (20% DV) makes napa cabbage a good source — higher than green cabbage (43mcg) and bok choy (66mcg). One cup of shredded napa (~70g) contributes 55mcg folate (14% DV) at just 11 calories. Folate is water-soluble and heat-sensitive: stir-frying reduces it to approximately 60mcg per 100g (~24% loss) ^[1][2].

Calcium at 77mg per 100g (6% DV) is moderate but meaningful for a vegetable that's consumed in high volumes. Since napa cabbage is low in oxalates (unlike spinach), its calcium is relatively bioavailable — estimated at 40-55% absorption. A quarter head (~163g) delivers approximately 126mg absorbable calcium at just 26 calories ^[1].

Raw napa cabbage (16 kcal/100g): The baseline — full vitamin C (27mg), folate (79mcg), and very low sodium (9mg). Best for salads, wraps, and maximizing vitamin C intake. The crisp, mild flavor makes it one of the more palatable raw cabbages ^[1].

Kimchi (~15 kcal/100g): Fermentation preserves calories but transforms the nutrient profile. Sodium spikes to approximately 498mg per 100g (55x the raw value) — the defining nutritional change. Vitamin C degrades during fermentation. However, kimchi gains probiotics (Lactobacillus species) and increased iron (~2.5mg from the fermentation process and added ingredients). One cup of kimchi (~150g) contains roughly 747mg sodium ^[2].

Stir-fried (~35 kcal/100g): Oil doubles the calorie density while preserving most minerals. Vitamin C drops to approximately 18mg (~33% loss). The added oil enhances absorption of fat-soluble vitamin K. Stir-frying maintains the highest volume per serving among cooked preparations, since napa cabbage wilts less dramatically than leafy greens ^[3].

Among the three most commonly consumed Asian and Western cabbages: napa has very low calories (16 kcal) — only bok choy (13 kcal) is lower among the group, while green cabbage sits at 25 kcal. Bok choy wins in calcium (105mg vs. napa's 77mg) and vitamin C (45mg vs. 27mg), but napa cabbage leads in folate (79mcg vs. bok choy's 66mcg vs. green cabbage's 43mcg) ^[1].

Vitamin K is comparable across the group: napa (42.9mcg), bok choy (45.5mcg), green cabbage (76mcg — this is the leader). Red cabbage adds anthocyanins that the others lack, with higher vitamin C (57mg) but fewer calories than green cabbage (31 vs. 25 kcal — actually red is slightly more) ^[1].

For logging: the choice between these cabbages depends on the specific nutrient target. Napa for folate, bok choy for calcium and vitamin C, green cabbage for vitamin K, red cabbage for vitamin C and anthocyanins. All four are ultra-low calorie and can be consumed in large volumes without significant caloric impact ^[2].

As a member of the Brassicaceae family, napa cabbage contains glucosinolates — sulfur-containing compounds found in all cruciferous vegetables. The specific glucosinolate profile includes glucobrassicin and sinigrin, with concentrations generally lower than broccoli or cabbage but present in measurable amounts ^[2][3].

When napa cabbage cells are damaged (cutting, chewing), the enzyme myrosinase converts glucosinolates into isothiocyanates and indoles. Cooking partially inactivates myrosinase: boiling causes the greatest reduction (up to 60% glucosinolate loss) while stir-frying retains more due to shorter cooking time at higher temperature ^[3].

For nutrition logging, glucosinolates contribute negligible calories and are not captured in standard USDA panels. The practical implication: raw napa cabbage preserves the most glucosinolate content, while kimchi's fermentation process produces different breakdown products. The 16-calorie-per-100g figure applies regardless of glucosinolate content ^[2].