This 22-calories-per-cup veggie will be the hot health food of 2026

Cauliflower is so 2025. A long-overlooked vegetable is poised to become next year’s breakout health food, with online searches already surging, according to the annual Pinterest Predicts report dropped this week.An added bonus: The nutritional powerhouse is as easy on your wallet as it is good for you.“In the year ahead, Boomers and Gen X will say goodbye to their cauliflower obsession and crown cabbage the new kitchen MVP,” the 2026 report forecasts.And the numbers back it up.

Searches for cabbage dumplings on the social media platform jumped 110% between September 2024 and August 2025 compared to the year prior.Interest in golumpki soup — a Polish dish of simmered cabbage and ground beef — spiked 95%.Searches for cabbage Alfredo, fermented cabbage and sautéed bok choy, a type of Chinese cabbage, also rose.

In other words, Americans are developing a “cabbage crush” — and experts say they have good reason.“It’s one of those foods that tastes better than it looks, and it has even more nutritional value than people expect,” Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian, told the Cleveland Clinic.“Plus, it’s versatile, affordable and easy to find.” The classic cruciferous veggie comes in a range of colors, shapes and sizes.

It’s also a staple in kitchens around the world, appearing in everything from hearty stews and fermented favorites like kimchi and sauerkraut to crisp salads, sandwiches and stir-fries.It’s easy to see why.Besides being cheap and long-lasting, cabbage is low-calorie and loaded with vitamins, antioxidants and fiber.In fact, just one cup of raw green cabbage delivers 54% of your daily vitamin C — essential for collagen production, wound healing, immunity, and iron absorption — and 85% of your daily vitamin K, vital for blood clotting and strong bones.It also contains a healthy dose of potassium, which helps keep blood pressure in check, and plant sterols that can reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol and lower heart-disea...