Increasingly, you can see a vegetable that looks like a turnip or a radish in stores. Many do not pay attention to him and pass by, and very much in vain. After all, this is kohlrabi – an incredibly healthy cabbage. For its unusual appearance, it got its name, which in German means “Cabbage turnip”… It differs from other varieties of cabbage not only in appearance, but also in taste. The value for human health lies in the stem of the cabbage and its leaves.
Unusual and strange-looking kohlrabi cabbage
What is kohlrabi
Mediterranean cabbage with the unusual name “kohlrabi” is not a usual head of cabbage, but a stem plant. To the taste of kohlrabi distantly resembles tender and juicy radish pulp… It belongs to two-year-old plants. After planting, after a couple of months (depending on the variety), a short stem (stem crop) is formed. In the second year, a shoot up to 1 meter long grows from the upper bud, on which a brush appears, then flowers and a fruit in the form of a pod with seeds.
Stems in shape can be round, ovoid, orbicularly flat. The colors are also different: dark red, purple, pale green. The vegetable weighs differently, most often from 200 to 800 grams… Its leaves are green with a slight waxy bloom.
Different varieties of kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is an early ripening and unpretentious plant, so it fell in love with the inhabitants of the northern regions and it was there that it became widespread. For a record amount of ascorbic acid and a persistent attitude to frost, the cabbage root received the nickname “northern lemon”.
Origin and description
The family that is native to kohlrabi is cruciferous, as well as for white cabbage. All varieties have a whitish-pistachio-colored insides, but purple kohlrabi tastes more pungent, while green cabbage is more tender, with a sweetish flavor. In addition, the raspberry-purple stems contain slightly more potassium and folate.
This is how kohlrabi grows in the garden, one of the most ancient types of cabbage.
More than 2000 years ago… In ancient Rome, kohlrabi was eaten only by the poorest strata of the population – slaves and gladiators. There it was called the stem turnip, and it sounded like “kaulorapa”. In the XNUMXth century, it came to Europe, namely to Germany, where peasants began to actively cultivate it. From them, kohlrabi spread throughout Europe.
Today it takes pride of place on the tables of Italians, Dutch, Germans, Poles, Belarusians. In Russia, kohlrabi is not as popular as white cabbage, but many gardeners grow it and have already appreciated all the benefits of this unusual vegetable.
Chemical composition, nutritional value, calorie content
Kohlrabi is a dietary product. On 100 grams only fresh vegetables 44 kcal… Fats in it are practically absent (1,2%), proteins account for 21%, the rest is carbohydrates (77%). In kohlrabi, the composition is striking in a large amount of vitamins.
Vitamin vegetable cutaway
These include:
- thiamine (B1);
- nicotinic acid (PP);
- beta-carotene;
- Riboflavin (B2);
- tocopherol (vitamin E);
- retinol (vitamin A);
- pantothenic, folic acid;
- pyridoxine (vitamin B6);
- phylloquinone (vitamin K);
- choline;
- ascorbic acid (vitamin C).
Cabbage contains digestive enzymes, as well as sulfur, cobalt, magnesium, potassium, molybdenum, boron, calcium, phosphorus. Fructose and glucose give a pleasant sugary taste.
Useful properties of kohlrabi cabbage
Vitamins and minerals determine the benefits and harms of kohlrabi cabbage for humans.
It is important to know! Regular introduction of it into the diet helps to strengthen the immune system, protect cells from mutations and the effects of free radicals, improve intestinal motility, and support the functioning of the kidneys, stomach and liver.
It has a positive effect on the work of the heart muscle, the nervous system, has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects.
For men, women and children
A large amount of potassium in kohlrabi (14% of the daily value) improves heart function, reduces blood pressure. It contains glucoraphanin molecules that protect the body’s cells from inflammation. Also, during grinding, a substance sulforaphane is formed in cabbage, which has an anti-cancer effect.
Kohlrabi contains a lot of potassium, which is useful for the work of the heart muscle
The presence of sulfur in kohlrabi prevents the development of malignant tumor neoplasms in the bladder, rectum. Regular use of it cuts the chances of developing breast cancer in women by almost half.
Mediterranean cabbage juice contains a lot of calcium, and in an easily digestible form. According to this indicator, it can compete with cheese and other dairy products. This is very important for young children, because calcium is needed for the growth and strengthening of skeletal bones and the proper formation of healthy teeth, as well as for adults and the elderly (especially women) with osteoporosis.
The child begins to give kohlrabi only after agreement with the pediatrician, given its beneficial properties and the presence of contraindications. It is usually allowed to enter it into the diet. after 6 months… Initially they try to give it in the form of a puree. Gradually, you can simply bake or stew and give to the baby in small portions. Fresh cabbage should not be given to children. It causes stomach upset due to its high fiber content.
Kohlrabi puree can be prepared for babies from 6 months
The benefits of kohlrabi for men lie in the general positive effect on the human body. With its help, the heart becomes stronger, the central nervous system and the digestive system function stably. In addition, the vegetable prevents the development of muscle pain and strengthens bones, which is important for men involved in active sports. This type of cabbage reduces the risk of prostate cancer, increases the duration of sexual intercourse by providing a general strengthening effect on the entire body.
Adding kohlrabi to the diet in stewed, boiled, fresh, baked form helps to improve the condition of a person suffering from excess weight, heart disease, kidney, liver disease.
During pregnancy and breastfeeding
For pregnant women, kohlrabi is also useful. It helps to improve the absorption of calcium, which is important for the formation of the skeleton and the formation of the baby’s teeth. During breastfeeding, cabbage stimulates the secretion of lactate, enriches it with useful vitamins and microelements. But it is important to ensure that the baby does not show signs of allergies.
Kohlrabi must be carefully introduced into the diet of a young mother and not overeat during pregnancy
During pregnancy, in the first months, kohlrabi helps to cope with toxicosis if consumed in salads together with carrots, herbs and olive oil. You can also ferment it or pickle it, so it helps to cope with nausea and quench the passion for salty. But in the 2nd and 3rd trimester, it is better to refuse sauerkraut, otherwise swelling will appear.
Despite the benefits of kohlrabi, it can still cause harm to the health of pregnant women, especially with frequent use of a raw product.
Therefore, in the last stages it is best to eat vegetables stewed, boiled and not overeat, so that there are no painful sensations in the stomach and increased gas formation, which can lead to increased tone of the abdominal muscles.
When breastfeeding, it is better not to introduce kohlrabi into your diet until the baby is 3 months old. After all, everything that mom eats goes into lactate, and then to the baby. And cabbage can cause him an allergic reaction and bloating.
In cooking
This variety of cabbage has a delicate and rather pleasant taste. It is eaten raw or subjected to any kind of heat treatment. You can cook young cabbage in just 5 minutes. So it becomes soft, and most of the nutrients are preserved. Kohlrabi is pre-cut into thin slices.
On a note! When frying, the vegetable acquires an unpleasant aftertaste, therefore, it must first be boiled or stewed. After that, all that remains is to fry the cabbage a little until golden brown.
You need to extinguish kohlrabi no longer than 12 minutesso that most of the nutrients and properties are preserved in kohlrabi. Stewed, it will be an excellent side dish for meat. You can make a vegetable stew out of it, as the vegetable goes well with almost all vegetables.
Appetizing cabbage “turnip” salad
Many cabbage varieties, including kohlrabi, are vegetables that go well with fish, meat, vegetables, cheese, mushrooms. Even if you just dip them in batter and fry, it will turn out so appetizing that even fastidious kids will not give up this yummy.
An excellent dish can be prepared from oven baked kohlrabi with béchamel sauce and cheese.
It is quite simple to do this:
- Cabbage is washed, chopped, left for 15 minutes in salted water.
- In a dry frying pan, bring the flour (a couple of spoons) to a creamy color, pour a glass of heavy cream into it and mix thoroughly until a thick sauce is formed. Salt and pepper to taste.
- 100 grams of cheese is crushed into shavings.
- Finely chopped kohlrabi is spread in a baking sheet, bechamel is evenly poured onto its surface, sprinkled with cheese shavings and placed in a preheated oven for 10-15 minutes.
The result is an unusually tasty, nutritious dish. Although, by definition, kohlrabi belongs to a cruciferous vegetable, you can cook from it not only side dishes and salads, but also such a dish as pancakes:
How to make kohlrabi pancakes
Many people eat only Mediterranean cabbage stalk. However, it also has tops (green top with 3-5 leaves), it is edible and is used in the same way as the stem crop. Only kohlrabi leaves should be juicy, not wilted, and washed thoroughly before use.
Advice! When choosing kohlrabi for cooking, you should focus only on fresh specimens with small stems. Old cabbage becomes less tasty and wood-like. The leaves should not have black dots, they show that the plant has accumulated nitrates and is dangerous to human health.
For weight loss and diet food
The low calorie content of kohlrabi cabbage, a large amount of fiber and water in it helps to maintain normal weight. The fat-burning effect of the vegetable is also due to arginine in its composition. This substance speeds up metabolic processes, improves the functioning of the digestive tract. When dieting, kohlrabi is best eaten stewed or steamed, without adding fatty sauces and oil.
In folk medicine and cosmetology
Kohlrabi can be used for various diseases as an additional prophylactic agent with restorative and medicinal properties.
Beautiful “Vienna” kohlrabi – table decoration and benefits for the body!
It helps in the following cases:
- Strengthening immunity… Just one spoonful of juice of this cabbage variety daily before meals helps to quickly restore the body’s defenses.
- Cold… To lower body temperature, get rid of cough, 200 ml should be warmed up. milk, pour into it freshly squeezed kohlrabi juice in an amount of 150 ml, a teaspoon of onion juice. Drink the product warm 6 times a day, 2 tablespoons, as soon as a cough appears or there is an increase in temperature.
- Cholecystitis… With exacerbation of cholecystitis, use cabbage juice mixed with honey. For cooking, you need 2 stems and a teaspoon of natural honey. Kohlrabi is peeled, finely chopped, squeezed out of juice. From 2 stems, you get about a quarter of a glass of juice. Honey is added to it, everything is mixed and taken every day 20 minutes before lunch. An improvement in well-being is noted 10 days after the start of treatment.
- The cardiovascular system… To maintain blood vessels and the heart in a normal state, it is necessary to prepare a drink from a glass of kohlrabi juice and 2 tablespoons of grapefruit juice. Take a vitamin, fortifying agent twice a day, half a glass for a month.
In cosmetology, this variety of cabbage is used for masks. It whitens the skin, has a lifting effect, helps to cope with shallow wrinkles, tighten pores and eliminate inflammation.
A moisturizing mask can be made by combining fresh kohlrabi and cucumber crushed into gruel in equal amounts. The resulting mixture is applied to the skin in an even layer. After 25 minutes, cleanse the face with warm water. For an additional whitening effect, you can add a little fresh cream to the cucumber-cabbage mass.
Contraindications to use and possible harm
Kohlrabi cabbage is useful, but in the presence of certain diseases it is better to refuse it. Otherwise, the use of this product can provoke their exacerbation.
Fresh fruits can harm people with acute gastritis and ulcers
It is recommended to refrain from Mediterranean cabbage in the following cases:
- allergic reactions;
- gastritis;
- low pressure;
- ulcer of the digestive tract.
You should not eat a vegetable with pancreatitis in an exacerbation stage. A large amount of fiber forces the pancreas to work to the limit of its capabilities, provoking a painful attack. During remission, cooked cabbage can be consumed in small portions. So it will not damage the gland, and the benefits for the body will be much greater.
Attention! It is not recommended to use kohlrabi for hypothyroidism (hypothyroidism, autoimmune thyroiditis). During ripening, goitrogenic (goitrogenic) toxins accumulate in the vegetable, which scare away pests. They suppress thyroid function.
For healthy people, there are no restrictions on the use of kohlrabi cabbage. It is only important to listen to yourself. Due to the large amount of fiber, a vegetable heavily loads the digestive organs, which can cause unpleasant bubbling in the abdomen, bloating. Therefore, it is best to consume it in small quantities. But this only applies to fresh product. Heat-treated cabbage in stews, meat or fish casseroles can be eaten almost without restrictions.
Conclusion
Now on the shelves, in addition to the usual white cabbage, you can see many interesting representatives of the cruciferous family.
A mixture of radish, turnip and radish is all kohlrabi cabbage
For example, kale, savoy cabbage, familiar broccoli and Peking. If you are confused about these vegetables and cannot learn the names, remember – kohlrabi looks like our Russian turnip with protruding antennae leaves, the rest still look like heads of cabbage or resemble lettuce leaves. Also, green kohlrabi differs from most other types of cabbage with a more delicate taste without obvious bitterness. It helps to cope with many diseases, improve health and simply pleases with its “dissimilarity”, but at the same time and simplicity.
Cabbage for every taste and color!
