Kohlrabi is considered a typical German vegetable and healthy in many respects. In the domestic kitchen, the vegetable is therefore often used and in many variants. But what exactly is kohlrabi anyway and how healthy is the vegetable really? We explain what makes kohlrabi so popular.
Kohlrabi – what is it?
Kohlrabi is a vegetable plant and belongs to the cultivated varieties of vegetable cabbage. Usually only the tuber above ground is consumed. Depending on the variety, this can be spherical, platy or oval in shape; the colors range from whitish to a pale and strong green to reddish or purple. The long-stalked leaves of the vegetable plant are dark green and toothed.
Nutritional values: How healthy is kohlrabi?
Kohlrabi is characterized by its good digestibility. While other types of cabbage often bring an unpleasant bloated belly, kohlrabi can also be eaten well raw. This is because kohlrabi does not produce as much gas during digestion as other types of cabbage. The cabbage variety is rich in minerals and vitamins. The main minerals in kohlrabi include:
- Selenium
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Iron
But also the vitamin content in kohlrabi is not to be despised. But what vitamins are specifically in it? In the vegetable can be found, for example, beta-carotene and vitamin C. At the same time, the tuber contains vitamins B1, B2, B6 and E, as well as folic acid. Especially the vitamins of the B group are good for the nervous system, muscles and blood circulation. Vitamin E, on the other hand, is good for skin and hair. It also ensures better cholesterol levels. Vitamin C strengthens the immune system and makes the body less susceptible to infections. Just 100 grams of kohlrabi cover half of the daily requirement of vitamin C.
The leaves of kohlrabi also have valuable ingredients
Not to be despised are also the heart leaves of the vegetable. Because these have in part even more nutrients than the tuber itself and should therefore be used in cooking necessarily. Thus, compared to the tuber, the leaves have about twice the content of vitamin C, the content of beta-carotene is 100 times higher and that of calcium and iron is 10 times.
How many calories does a kohlrabi have?
Among vegetables, kohlrabi is particularly suitable for weight loss enthusiasts and all those who want to eat healthy. The vegetable provides only 24 kilocalories (kcal) per 100 grams and contains hardly any carbohydrates and almost no fats. This makes kohlrabi one of the ideal sources of nutrients in the cabbage world. Here are all the nutrients of kohlrabi per 100 grams listed:
- 91.6 grams of water
- 1.9 grams protein
- 0.1 grams fat
- 3.8 grams of carbohydrates
- 1.4 grams of fiber
Where does the flavor of kohlrabi come from?
Kohlrabi has little of the typical cabbage flavor and instead tastes slightly sweet and mild. The vegetable gets this characteristic taste from the mustard oil glycosides and fruit acids contained in the tuber. The latter are dominated by malic and citric acids. However, the mustard oils not only give the kohlrabi its flavor, but also support the immune system and the stomach and intestinal function from.
How long does kohlrabi keep?
Kohlrabi is a popular vegetable in the kitchen because of its healthy ingredients. In the supermarket, the tuber is available all year round. Those who want to use the healthy vegetable only in its season, buy it mainly in the summer time in the months of June, July, August and September. During this period, the tuber is available at a particularly low price. Crisp and green leaves as well as an undamaged skin are an important indication for a fresh kohlrabi tuber when buying it. The vegetable can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week. If you also wrap a clean, damp cloth around the tuber, you can extend its shelf life somewhat. It is especially important for storage that the leaves are removed.
Longer storage: freeze kohlrabi.
In general, the tuber is best prepared fresh. However, freezing is also possible. For freezing, it is sufficient to wash the fresh kohlrabi tuber beforehand, peel it, cut it into pieces and blanch it briefly (about 3 minutes). After that, the vegetable can go into the freezer. Here the tuber will then keep for a few weeks up to 12 months.
Why does kohlrabi become woody?
Kohlrabi basically needs a lot of moisture.If the tuber is still in the ground, it draws water from there. However, if you harvest the tuber and want to store it, there is a risk that it will become woody and taste bitter. The longer the vegetable lies in the ground, the more likely it is to dry out and become woody. Therefore, kohlrabi should be eaten as fresh as possible.
How to prepare kohlrabi?
Some people certainly wonder how to peel and cut kohlrabi. Generally, in the first step it is enough to free the tuber from its leaves and wash it. Then peel off the peel with a knife, remove the root base and then cut the vegetable – depending on the recipe – into strips, slices or cubes. Cutting out woody parts is worthwhile so that the vegetables do not taste bitter later.
How long do you have to cook kohlrabi?
There are several ways to prepare kohlrabi. The tuber can be eaten both raw and cooked. Whether eaten raw, as a healthy side dish, or stuffed and baked in the oven, kohlrabi can be prepared in a variety of ways. To preserve the nutrients as much as possible, you can prepare the vegetable in a steamer. Steam cooking is based on water vapor. This results in particularly gentle preparation. The cooking time depends mainly on the size of the vegetable pieces. The thicker the pieces, the longer the cooking time. Kohlrabi usually takes about 15 minutes. Tip: It is easy to check whether the vegetables are cooked with the help of a fork or knife: Just poke the pieces briefly. If the vegetable is soft, then it is cooked.
Versatile: recipes with kohlrabi.
Kohlrabi can be combined with many things in the kitchen. The tuber goes well with other vegetables such as potatoes, celery or carrots and also harmonizes particularly well with the spices tarragon, nutmeg, dill and parsley. Kohlrabi is not only suitable as a side dish to fish or meat dishes, but can also be a delicious dish on its own. Popular and delicious recipes with kohlrabi are for example:
- Kohlrabi potato casserole or kohlrabi gratin.
- Soup or stew
- Kohlrabi salad (for example, as a variation of a Waldorf salad).
- Breaded kohlrabi cutlets as a vegetarian meat alternative
- Kohlrabi lasagna, in which kohlrabi slices replace the layers of pasta
- Kohlrabi fries as a low-carb version of classic fries.
- Kohlrabi vegetables
Planting and harvesting kohlrabi – here’s how!
Kohlrabi is a biennial spring vegetable. To plant kohlrabi, a sunny to semi-shady location and humus-rich soil are already sufficient. At the beginning of February and March, the cabbage vegetable can already be grown as seeds. As soon as the seed germinates and young plants have formed, transplanting into the garden is recommended from April. Usually, the first kohlrabi can be harvested as early as June (approximately 8 to 12 weeks of growth). It is important, especially for the growth phase, that the soil is kept evenly moist, but not wet.
Origin: a typical German vegetable
This easily digestible variety of cabbage is consumed mainly in Germany and Austria. It is worth mentioning that its German name has been retained even in English, Russian and Japanese-speaking countries. However, it is not known where kohlrabi (scientifically: Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes L.) originally came from. In Europe, there is certain evidence in the form of drawings in herbal books only since the 16th century. In German-speaking countries, kohlrabi has spread especially in the 19th century.
