Can You Eat the Outer Leaves of Cabbage?

You’ve successfully planted cabbage and they are now ready to harvest, congratulations! Once you have harvested them, they are now ready to eat, whether raw or cooked. With its versatility, it’s why cabbage is a staple and favorite among gardeners.

But you may have wondered at one point: Can you eat the outer leaves of cabbage? There have been mixed answers on this, with people either saying it’s completely safe to consume, and others going against it.

Find out if it’s okay to consume the outer leaves of cabbage or not here.

Can You Eat the Outer Leaves of Cabbage?

A lot of people may be guilty of throwing the outer cabbage leaves, thinking that they are dirty or inedible.

But that actually isn’t the case! Did you know that the outer cabbage leaves are powerful sources of vitamins A, B, and C? It’s completely safe to eat the outer leaves of cabbages, as all leaves are edible.

And no, you won’t have to worry about the outer leaves tasting like bugs or whatever you have added to your soil or plants. While you may have found holes on some of the cabbage leaves, there is no harm in consuming them, provided they were cleaned, stored, and prepared properly.

Be sure that you rinse your cabbage leaves well before preparing to cook or consume them to ensure that there are no insects or insect remnants left. However, if the leaves look extremely wilted and dark, it may be best to throw them out or use them as compost.

With that in mind, there are many things you can do with the outer cabbage leaves, such as fermenting them to make kimchi, creating a stir-fry, or even cabbage chips and cabbage rolls! There are numerous recipes you can use outer cabbage leaves with, whether raw or cooked.

Besides the outer cabbage leaves, there are also parts of the cabbage plant that is edible, such as the branched underground compressed stem, which is the rhizome. The enlarged hypocotyl is completely edible and can be harvested to consume, so you get to take advantage of your cabbage plant!

Do you want to learn more about harvesting cabbage and the uses of your produce? Check out this informative video:

Wrapping It Up

I know how confusing the do’s and dont’s of planting and harvesting cabbage can be. But when it comes to how you consume it, there’s no need to chuck its outer leaves, unless it looks wilted and inedible. With a good wash, you can still use it for cooking an amazing dish.

I hope that this article answered your question, “can you eat the outer leaves of cabbage?” Now that you know the answer, make sure that you use your cabbage produce wisely and get the most out of it now!