Table of Contents
Red cabbage is a well-known winter vegetable in Germany. Particularly spicy apple red cabbage is one of the most popular side dishes for hearty dishes. Öko-Test took a closer look at red cabbage from jars and cans and tested it for pesticides as well as the sugar and salt content. The organic products were particularly impressive in the test.
If you want to save time and effort, you don’t necessarily have to prepare red cabbage yourself, but you can use red cabbage from a jar or stand-up pouch. But how healthy is canned red cabbage actually? Öko-Test took a closer look at this in the red cabbage test and this 20 products examined. There are six products Organic goods. All of these were received from Öko-Test the top grade “very good”.
Red cabbage test: All organic products pesticide-free
Öko-Test tested the red cabbage products in the laboratory for possible reasons Pesticides and other pollutants. In eight canned goods The laboratory found pesticide residues, including so-called pesticide residues Metabolite. These are degradation products of captan and spirotetramat. Captan is considered probably carcinogenicwhile there is evidence that spirotetramat the Impaired reproductive ability.
All Organic products However, they were pesticide-free. Only they managed it with that Best rating on the test winner list in the red cabbage test; including:
- Alnatura Rotkohl1.46 euros/500 grams
- Dennree red cabbage1.02 euros/500 grams
- Edeka organic delicacy apple red cabbage1.10 euros/500 grams
- Rewe organic apple red cabbage1.10 euros/500 grams
The conventional red cabbage brands are “good” at best, two products fail and the rest end up in the middle.
Öko-Test: Sometimes too much sugar and salt in red cabbage –
Some products in the red cabbage test were found to have too high a salt or sugar content. (Photo: CC0 / Pixabay / RitaE)
In addition to possible pesticides, the test laboratory took the Sugar and salt content take a closer look. Here too they cut Organic products are generally better than conventional red cabbage because they only contained small amounts of sugar and salt.
However, Öko-Test found that five conventional products contained significantly too much salt: they exceeded the threshold of 1.1 grams of salt per 100 grams. Above this limit, products such as jarred red cabbage must carry a warning in Finland because of excessive salt content.
The high sugar content was also noticeable in two products. One portion of red cabbage corresponds to more than half of the maximum daily amount recommended by the WHO.
and not enough apple
Another test criterion was the Apple contentbecause Öko-Test only examined declared “apple-red cabbage” or red cabbage with apple components. At two products the laboratory provided one too low apple content firmly. The “Tegut “Apple-red cabbage” consisted of less than three percent apple pieces or apple juice.
Tipp: If you want to make sure that your red cabbage doesn’t contain too much sugar and salt and enough apples or apple juice, you can Make your own red cabbage.
Test loser: Hainich apple-red cabbage
The loser of the red cabbage test is the “Hainich apple-red cabbage”. He got with “insufficient“ the worst rating. On the one hand, this is because the product Pesticides and in particular contains metabolites of the suspected anti-reproductive substance spirotetramat.
On the other hand, it is not clear to consumers when purchasing how much apple juice concentrate is actually contained in the red cabbage. After all, red cabbage can too not convincing in taste. According to the taste test, it is “hardly sweet and sour”.
You can find all the details and test results in the Issue 12/2024 or on ökotest.de read.
Read more on Utopia.de:
** Links to sources marked with ** or underlined in orange are partly partner links: If you buy here, you are actively supporting Utopia.de, because we then receive a small part of the sales proceeds. More info.
Was this article interesting?
Thank you for your vote!
This article presents interesting findings from a recent review of canned red cabbage by Öko-Test.
Here are some open-ended questions to prompt discussion and explore different perspectives on the article’s content:
**Section 1: Pesticides and Organic Produce**
* What are your thoughts on the presence of pesticide residues in some conventional red cabbage products?
* The article highlights the “pesticide-free” status of organic red cabbage. Do you think the potential health benefits of organic produce justify the often higher price tag compared to conventional options?
* What steps can consumers take to minimize their exposure to pesticide residues in food, beyond choosing organic?
**Section 2: Sugar and Salt Content**
* The article notes that some store-bought red cabbage products had excessive sugar and salt levels. How concerned are you about the potential health risks associated with these high levels?
* How do you think manufacturers could adjust recipes to reduce sugar and salt content without sacrificing taste?
* Do you think clearer labeling regarding sugar and salt content would empower consumers to make healthier choices?
**Section 3: Transparency and Consumer Choice**
* The article points out that it was unclear how much apple juice concentrate was in certain red cabbage products. How important is ingredient transparency to you as a consumer?
* Do you think regulatory bodies should set stricter standards for labeling and ingredients in processed foods?
* What role do you think taste plays in your food choices, especially when considering the nutritional value of a product?
By exploring these questions, we can delve deeper into the complexities of food production, consumer choices, and the balance between taste, convenience, and health.
