Cabbages are vegetables in the Brassicaceae family of plants which also includes brocolli, wasabi, mustard, rapeseed and radish.

The scientific name for cabbage is Brassica oleracea, this is the same plant that produces brocolli, cauliflower, kale and kohlrabi.

The allergen most commonly associated with a cabbage allergy is Bra o 3. This is a Lipid Transfer Protein, these proteins are resistant to heat and are found in many types of plants. Patients suffering from a more severe allergy to cooked fruit may be sensitised to this group of proteins.

When pickled cabbage is high in sulphites. Fresh or cooked cabbage is fine to eat on a low sulphite diet. Sulphites are inorganic salts used in preservations and have the potential to cause symptoms of food intolerance to those sensitive to sulphites, this food intolerance is more common in asthmatics. An improvement in symptoms can be made with a change to a low sulphite diet.

Cabbage is a high FODMAP food. FODMAP stands for Fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. Foods high in FODMAPs can cause symptoms of food intolerance, affecting the gastro intestinal system and this can be mistaken for a true IgE food allergy.

Cabbage is low in salicylates. Foods high in salicylates have the potential to cause gastrointestinal food intolerance symptoms in people who are sensitive to salicylates.

You can read more about Food Intolerances on the dedicated Food Intolerance Page.

You may be suffering from LTP Syndrome if you have reactions to various fruits, vegetables and nuts and your reactions continue to be severe after you have discarded the peel and have cooked the food.

Common foods involved in LTP allergy include kiwi, strawberries, sunflower seeds, walnut, apple, mulberry, banana, pea, apricot, cherry, plum, almond, peach pomegranate, raspberry, tomato, grape, celery, peanut, asparagus, cabbage, broccoli, chestnut, lemon, tangerine, orange, hazelnut, lettuce, lentils, lupin, green bean, pear, mustard, wheat and maize.

Note that the food lists are not exhaustive, the most up to date information is on the Cross Reactivity Tool.

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