Kohlrabi is a vegetable also known as turnip cabbage or top kohlrabi. It belongs to the cruciferous family and is a biennial plant. It is only in the second year that the tuber develops, which grows above the ground and can grow to a size of 20 centimeters.
This is what you should know about kohlrabi
Due to the mustard oils it contains, kohlrabi has a slight but always pleasant pungency. Kohlrabi contains more than 90 percent water and therefore has few calories. Of the kohlrabi, mainly the whitish-greenish tubers are offered for sale. However, there are also bluish to dark purple colored varieties. In health food stores or at particularly well-stocked market gardeners, you can find the colored tubers from time to time. Due to the dyes they contain anthocyanins, which is a pigment that can prevent cancer and also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Domestic kohlrabi is in season from May to October. Kohlrabi is grown mainly in Central Europe and is eaten almost exclusively here. It is not a typical winter vegetable, like other cabbages, but rather one of the first vegetables available in spring, whetting the appetite for fresh, juicy, crunchy vegetables. Kohlrabi is somewhat milder in flavor than other cabbages. The tender, fresh tubers are particularly suitable for raw vegetables. Due to the mustard oils it contains, kohlrabi has a slight but always pleasant pungency. Kohlrabi contains more than 90 percent water and therefore has few calories. At 100 grams, it is only 23 calories, and if you are sparing with fat during preparation, kohlrabi is an ideal vegetable if you want to lose weight or save calories.
Importance for health
Kohlrabi is rich in vitamins and minerals. Vitamin A, which is very important for vision and also for the skin, kohlrabi provides in sufficient quantities. Like all other cabbage varieties, kohlrabi also offers a lot of vitamin C. It protects and strengthens the immune system and helps prevent colds. Vitamins B1 and B2, among others, have a positive effect on the nerves. Niacin, the vitamin B3, is also good for the nervous strength, helps with irritability. Calcium and magnesium are also among the ingredients. Since they occur together, the body manages to absorb them more easily. Calcium is necessary for teeth and bone formation, magnesium protects muscles and is effective against cramps. Iron is also contained in the crunchy tuber. Iron is important for blood formation. A sign of iron deficiency is severe fatigue and loss of performance. Selenium, a cell-protecting trace element, and phosphorus, which is also essential for every cell, are other ingredients. Folic acid is also present, which is especially important during pregnancy for the healthy development of the child. As healthy as the ingredients in the kohlrabi tuber are, it is quite important to know that an even higher vitamin and mineral content is measured in the leaves than in the kohlrabi itself. Therefore, the use of kohlrabi leaves is really recommended. The leaves contain a hundred times the amount of vitamin A than the tuber and twice the amount of vitamin C. The minerals calcium and iron are also found in much higher doses in the leaves. Fresh leaves are suitable for adding to salads. They can also be added to soups and other vegetable dishes when cut into small pieces. The taste of the leaves is also slightly spicy. Kohlrabi contains a lot of fiber, which is well satiating and can be helpful for digestion.
Ingredients and nutritional values
| Nutritional information |
Amount per 100 gram |
| Calories 27 | Fat content 0.1 g |
| Cholesterol 0 mg |
Sodium 20 mg |
| Potassium 350 mg | Carbohydrates 6 g |
| Protein 1.7 g |
Dietary fiber 3.6 g |
Kohlrabi can do a lot for health and well-being. Eating this vegetable regularly can help protect against atherosclerosis and various cancers. The high content of magnesium and calcium makes kohlrabi an ideal food for athletes, who can use it to prevent muscle cramps and sore muscles. Vegans must pay special attention to take enough calcium. Kohlrabi should be on the menu often, especially for vegetarians and vegans, because they contain more calcium than many other vegetables.The mustard oils contained are nitrogen– and sulfur-containing chemical compounds from amino acids, as they are also contained in horseradish, cress and radish. The mustard oils are responsible for the slight pungency. They have an antibacterial effect and are good for the entire urinary tract, among other things. They help with inflammation and act like herbal antibiotics. Eating kohlrabi helps with diarrhea and upset stomach. Kohlrabi juice, on the other hand, is considered a home remedy for constipation.
Intolerances and allergies
As healthy and full of valuable vitamins, trace elements and phytochemicals as kohlrabi is, it is of course possible for this vegetable to have a food intolerance. Histamine intolerance can also be a reason why someone should avoid kohlrabi.
Shopping and kitchen tips
When shopping, the leaves already show whether the kohlrabi is freshly harvested or has been waiting for a buyer for some time. The leaves must be nice and green, fresh and not yellow, wilted and floppy. Kohlrabi tastes better the younger the tuber is. At the point where the leaves grow, kohlrabi is sometimes even still so soft that you can easily press it in here with a fingernail. Very large or overripe kohlrabi may become woody. These parts are not edible, but if the woody parts are cut out, the kohlrabi is still usable. The leaves draw moisture from the tuber. Therefore, if the kohlrabi cannot be used quickly after purchase or harvest, it is good to remove the leaves and store them separately. The leaves are much too good to throw away. In the refrigerator, kohlrabi will keep fresh for about a week if wrapped in damp kitchen paper. Later varieties can be stored in a cellar for a few weeks without any problems.
Preparation tips
Before eating, whether raw or cooked, kohlrabi must be peeled. You may also need to cut away the woody parts. Kohlrabi tastes wonderfully refreshing when eaten raw, and together with other vegetable sticks to a yogurt dressing, can become a healthy and popular snack in front of the TV. As a salad, kohlrabi adds variety to everyday salads. Kohlrabi is very suitable for stuffing, gratinating. It can be baked cut into slices. Kohlrabi is suitable for soups, casseroles and much more. It also tastes very good in combination with peas or carrots. Steamed with a little butter or oil, kohlrabi is an ideal side dish for meat dishes of any kind or even fish. Of course, meat does not have to be served with it. With a few fried potatoes to go with it, kohlrabi makes a wonderful vegetable meal. Kohlrabi is a vegetable that can turn children into vegetable eaters. The leaves of kohlrabi, which are so particularly healthy and rich in vitamins, are ideal for the green smoothies that are so popular.
