Cabbage is one of the most medicinal vegetables you’ll find in your garden (or your local grocery store). It contains powerful medicinal compounds that help heal cancer, but one of its best-known uses is as a natural remedy for stomach ulcers.

Cabbage may not sound like amazing medicine, but in terms of its complex phytonutrient compounds, it’s actually one of the most advanced natural treatments for ulcers yet engineered by Mother Nature. Read some of the supporting quotes about cabbage and ulcers below…

How cabbage cures stomach ulcers

The duodenal ulcers of patients fed cabbage also healed in one-third the usual time. In a double blind study of 45 inmates at San Quentin Prison in California, 93 percent of the ulcers in prisoners taking cabbage juice concentrate in capsules – the equivalent of a fresh quart of cabbage juice every day – were healed after three weeks. Only 32 percent of the ulcers healed in those taking a dummy capsule. How could cabbage work? Seemingly by strengthening the stomach lining’s resistance to acid attacks.
– Food Your Miracle Medicine by Jean Carper

Classic European remedies whose effectiveness has been verified by medical research include raw cabbage and potato and celery juices. Drinking a cup of cabbage juice four times a day can heal stomach ulcers in only ten days. If juicing cabbage does not fit into your busy schedule, you can purchase dehydrated, raw cabbage powder at natural food stores. The magic ingredient in cabbage is sometimes called the antiulcer U factor. Its technical name is glutamine, and this compound is also available in capsules. Glutamine has proved to be a better ulcer cure than antacids.
– Herbs for Health and Healing by Kathi Keville

There are natural antiulcer drugs in cabbage. That cabbage can help heal ulcers was shown by the pioneering experiments of Garnett Cheney, M.D., a professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine, in the 1950s. He demonstrated that a quart of fresh cabbage juice every day relieved pain and healed both gastric and duodenal ulcers better and faster than standard treatments did. In a test of fifty-five patients who drank cabbage juice, 95 percent felt better within two to five days.
– Food Your Miracle Medicine by Jean Carper

We’re not sure just how cabbage (raw or juiced) became folk remedy number one for ulcers, but our survey proved its popularity. In fact, no other suggestion for this condition had as many fans. Linda Mae, 44, of East Canton, Ohio, and Austin, of Wichita Falls, Texas, were two such endorsers. “It’s good for an ulcer in no time,” says Austin. In fact, there seems to be a real history to cabbage as a cure for ulcers. Roman doctors used cabbage to treat ulcers, as well as such diverse conditions as headache, colic and insomnia.
– Home Remedies: What Works: Thousands of Americans Reveal Their Favorite Home-Tested Cures for Everyday Health Problems by Gale Maleskey, Brian Kaufman

Deficient digestion and assimilation require raw juices. Cabbage juice (green or white cabbage), for example, will improve and often cure such conditions as arthritis, stomach ulcers and metabolic disturbances. Raw potato juice is another superb remedy for stomach ulcers and is most effective when taken in combination with cabbage juice. If you cannot take raw vegetable juices neat or diluted with warm water, you might like to try adding them to soup (vegetable, oatmeal or barley) immediately before serving.
– The Nature Doctor: A Manual of Traditional and Complementary Medicine by Alfred Vogel

Raw cabbage juice has a remarkable track record in helping people with peptic ulcers. One quart daily of fresh cabbage juice, taken in divided doses, can be enormously effective. In one study, patients taking this amount had total healing of their ulcers in ten days. Though stress is no longer considered the only cause of peptic ulcers, it’s clear that stress, or the way we react to it, does play a role. Regular exercise is a good antidote for stress, as are breathing exercises and various relaxation techniques.
– Natural Prescriptions: Dr. Giller’s Natural Treatments & Vitamin Therapies For Over 100 Common Ailments by Robert M. Giller, M.D.

Eat a wedge of raw cabbage daily, drink an eight-ounce glass of cabbage juice, or add about one cup of cabbage slices to a tossed salad. Make it a habit. No matter which suits your taste, be sure the cabbage is fresh. That’s the key to getting good results with this crunchy therapy. Only recently have doctors agreed that a bacterial infection causes many more ulcers than stress does. Yet for decades, herbalists have recommended calendula tea to ulcer sufferers because of its immune-stimulating properties.
– Natural Prescriptions: Dr. Giller’s Natural Treatments & Vitamin Therapies For Over 100 Common Ailments by Robert M. Giller, M.D.

Today, we know its cancer-curing effects are from its numerous anti-cancer and antioxidant compounds. Cabbage speeds up estrogen metabolism, which is thought to help block breast cancer and suppress growth of polyps, a prelude to colon cancer. According to research, eating cabbage more than once a week cut men’s colon cancer odds by as much as 66 percent. As little as two daily tablespoons of cooked cabbage protected subjects against stomach cancer. Cabbage also contains powerful anti-ulcer compounds; its juice has shown to help heal ulcers in humans.
– Timeless Secrets of Health & Rejuvenation: Unleash The Natural Healing Power That Lies Dormant Within You by Andreas Moritz

Raw cabbage juice has been well documented as having remarkable success in treating peptic ulcers. One liter per day of the fresh juice, taken in divided doses, resulted in total ulcer healing in an average of only 10 days. Further research has shown that the high glutamine content of the juice is probably responsible for the efficacy of cabbage in treating these ulcers.
– Textbook of Natural Medicine 2nd Edition Volume 2 by Michael T. Murray, ND

Ancient Greek and Roman civilizations held cabbage in high regard as they felt it was capable of treating a host of health conditions. Romans developed an ointment made from lard and ashes of burnt cabbages for use in disinfecting wounds. Cabbage juice is often sold in health food stores as a popular home remedy for ulcers.
– 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life! by David W. Grotto, RD, LDN

A study in Japan discovered that people who consumed the most cabbage had the lowest death rate from all cancers. This puts cabbage in the same category as yogurt and olive oil as potential life extenders. The high levels of vitamin A aid in tissue rejuvenation, and the sulfur content helps fight infection and protects the skin from eczema and other rashes. In its raw form and especially as a juice, cabbage contains ascorbigen, formerly called cabbagen or vitamin U, which heals and protects against stomach ulcers.
– Prescription for Dietary Wellness: Using Foods to Heal by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC

Perhaps the best plant food for treating an existing ulcer is cabbage. Naturopathic physicians often recommend drinking raw cabbage juice. My advice is to eat boiled cabbage that’s made with celery and potatoes and seasoned with ginger and red and black pepper. All of these ingredients contain anti-ulcer compounds. Among the herbs used for treating ulcers, licorice is the best, in my opinion. Several studies have shown that licorice heals ulcers as effectively as pharmaceuticals, often even curing them.
– The Green Pharmacy Anti-Aging Prescriptions: Herbs, Foods, and Natural Formulas to Keep You Young by James A. Duke, Ph.D.

Cooked with care, though, cabbage is a delicious vegetable. Wild cabbages still grow in England and the Mediterranean area. Valued for at least two millennia, cabbage is sweet and slightly cooling to the stomach. It therefore counters overheated conditions, such as inflammation and dry throat. It nourishes the spleen-pancreas, regulates the stomach, and relieves abdominal spasms, pain, and ulcers. It treats constipation, the common cold, mental depression, and irritability. Cabbage purifies the blood, acts as a vermifuge, and was used by the Romans as a hangover cure.
– The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia: A Comprehensive Resource for Healthy Eating by Rebecca Wood

In the 1940s a prominent American physician got the notion that fresh cabbage is a natural anti-ulcer drug. Dr. Garnett Cheney, a professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, fed eyedropper amounts of fresh cabbage juice to guinea pigs, then tried to induce ulcers; not a single one developed the expected stomach damage.
– The Food Pharmacy: Dramatic New Evidence That Food Is Your Best Medicine by Jean Carper

In its fermented form there is better nutrient assimilation of the cabbage. Fermented cabbage has high amounts of lactobacilli and plantatum bacteria, which have predigested the cabbage for us. These micro-organisms add much energy to our systems and aid in our general digestive process. The lactobacilli create an intestinal environment that is unfriendly to Candida. Raw cultured vegetables have been found to be effective in the treatment of a number of disease processes, including Candida, peptic ulcers, ulcerative colitis, colic, food allergies, cystitis, and constipation.
– Conscious Eating by Gabriel Cousens, M.D.

Fresh apple, beet, cabbage, carrot, celery, and grape juices are also good, as are “green drinks,” which are made from green leafy vegetables. These green drinks are excellent detoxifiers. Raw cabbage juice is particularly good for ulcers, cancer, and all colon problems. Just be sure to drink the cabbage juice as soon as it is prepared. As this juice sits, it loses its vitamin content. As a general rule, you should not combine fruit and vegetable juices. Apples are the only fruit that should be added to vegetable juices.
– Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & Food Supplements by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC

The value of raw cabbage juice as a cure for ulcers is now recognized by many doctors, since it was first announced by Dr. Garnett Cheney of the Department of Medicine, Stanford University Medical School, around 1950. Mr. L.W. reports: “I was at home feeling punk and feeling sorry for myself. I had just gotten word from my physicial that x-rays showed my old ulcer had returned, and on top of that I had a new one. Once again, I was faced with the healing up of two of the pesky things with the old antacid treatment. Then I heard about cabbage for ulcers. So I brought out my old vegetable juicer.
– Miracle Medicine Foods by Rex Adams

Cabbage, both red and green, is one of the least expensive of the vitamin-protective foods and one of the most healthful. Raw cabbage detoxifies the stomach and upper bowels of putrefactive wastes, thereby improving digestive efficiency and facilitating rapid elimination. It also works to alkalinize the body, stimulate the immune system, kill harmful bacteria and viruses, soothe and heal ulcers, help prevent cancer, and clear up the complexion.
– Whole Foods Companion: A Guide For Adventurous Cooks, Curious Shoppers, and lovers of natural foods by Dianne Onstad

Drink 1 to 2 ounces of cabbage juice two to three times daily for two weeks. This common cruciferous vegetable contains phytochemicals that help soothe the gastric lining. Cabbage juice has been used for centuries for ulcers. It can provide exceptional relief for acid reflux. Papaya is an excellent source of digestive enzymes. Enjoy it often. Avoid citrus fruit juices and coffee. These common beverages contribute to additional acid in the stomach. Do not eat anything for at least two hours before going to bed.
– Smart Medicine for Healthier Living : Practical A-Z Reference to Natural and Conventional Treatments for Adults by Janet Zand, LAc, OMD, Allan N. Spreed, MD, CNC, James B. LaValle, RPh, ND

Studies have shown that cabbage juice has remarkable healing powers for ulcers. Drink a quart of cabbage juice daily. It may be diluted with water or carrot juice. Cultured products will provide the friendly “bacteria” that fight H. pylori. Drink kefir milk or eat some live cultured yogurt every day. Zinc is healing to the digestive tract. Good sources include pumpkin seeds and whole grains. Consume garlic with your meals; test tube studies show it has anti-Helicobacter pylori properties.
– Prescription for Natural Cures: A Self-Care Guide for Treating Health Problems with Natural Remedies Including Diet and Nutrition, Nutritional Supplements, Bodywork, and More by James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, N.D.

The common cabbage has been highly recommended as a muscle builder, blood cleanser and eye strengthener. It has also been recommended for the teeth, gums, hair, nails, and bones, as well as for asthma, tuberculosis, gout, constipation, kidney and bladder disorders, obesity, diabetes, lumbago, and for improvement of the skin. Fresh raw cabbage juice has been acclaimed for alleviating stomach ulcers. It is an excellent iron tonic for cases where there is an iron deficiency.
– Encyclopedia of Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts and Seeds for Healthful Living by Dr. Joseph M. Kadans, N.D.

Cabbage juice is considered a traditional folk remedy that can help peptic ulcers heal – but the taste of the juice is vile, says Lipski. Fortunately, the ulcer-healing compound in the juice is available in supplement form. One of the active ingredients is glutamine, an amino acid that nourishes and repairs the lining of the digestive tract. Lipski recommends taking 8,000 milligrams of glutamine a day for 4 weeks.
– Alternative Cures: The Most Effective Natural Home Remedies for 160 Health Problems by Bill Gottlieb

She also enjoyed a glass of cabbage juice each day, an agent found to help heal ulcers and chronic gastritis. Louise made it her habit to ask before every meal or snack, “Is this a ‘hole-healing’ food or a ‘hole-making’ food?” Within weeks the report was just as I expected – no more “hole” foods, no more debilitating stomach pain. Ulcers are not caused by worry or any other kind of emotional distress. Damage to the stomach is due directly to its contents (foods, beverages, drugs, and bacteria).
– Dr. McDougall’s Digestive Tune-Up by John A. McDougall

Many years ago, researchers reported that cabbage juice accelerated healing of peptic ulcers. Drinking a quart of cabbage juice per day was necessary for symptom relief in some reports. Although only preliminary modern research supports this approach, many nutritionally oriented doctors claim considerable success using 1 quart per day for 10 to 14 days, with ulcer symptoms frequently decreasing in only a few days. Carrot juice may be added to improve the flavor.
– The Natural Pharmacy: Complete Home Reference to Natural Medicine by Schuyler W. Lininger, Jr. DC

It is, and will remain, a fact that the raw juices of potato and cabbage will heal gastric and duodenal ulcers. Even more interesting is the observation I made in connection with raw potato, cabbage (green and white) and carrot juice in the treatment of gout, rheumatism and allied conditions. If these juices are taken in conjunction with a strictly natural diet, these diseases will eventually respond to the treatment.
– The Nature Doctor: A Manual of Traditional and Complementary Medicine by Alfred Vogel

The glucosinolates in cabbage work primarily by increasing antioxidant defense mechanisms, as well as improving the body’s ability to detoxify and eliminate harmful chemicals and hormones. Specifically, indole-3-carbinole (I3C), has been shown to increase the rate at which estrogen is broken down through the liver’s detoxification pathway by nearly 50 percent. Cabbage has also been shown to be extremely effective in the treatment of peptic ulcers.
– The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D.

I believe it was simply due to the vitamin C content of cabbage. However little they received of it, vitamin C or ascorbic acid is something which ulcer patients are usually denied. Doctors often believe it irritates the stomach. But how can the tissue breakdown – which is what an ulcer is – heal without vitamin C, the main ingredient of collagen (tissue cement)? Just as the modest C content of cabbage was enough to prevent scurvy, during the early sea voyages, I believe it simply healed the ulcers in these patients, as well.
– Miracle Medicine Foods by Rex Adams

One of those is cabbage juice. Okay, cabbage juice doesn’t taste like Coca-Cola, but it is an extremely powerful stomach settler, and even a well-known cure for advanced ulcers. Another excellent herb for stomach pain is Glycyrrhiza glabra, better known as licorice root. Licorice has been shown to increase the blood supply to the damaged lining of the stomach, and increases the number of cells that produce the mucus that makes up the lining of the stomach. A note: if you are going to take licorice root, it is recommended that you choose deglycyrrhizinated licorice, better known as DGL.
– Proven Health Tips Encyclopedia by American Medical Publishing