Updated on November 20th, 2023
Whether you’ve never eaten Kohlrabi before or are averse to vegetables, there’s a good chance you’re wondering what they taste like. Thankfully, this veggie is very versatile and doesn’t have a particularly distinctive flavor. You can eat it raw or cook it in various ways, and here are a few different ways to enjoy Kohlrabi. Read on to find out what you should expect from this delicious vegetable!
This versatile vegetable is excellent raw or cooked, and it absorbs flavors well, making it an excellent accompaniment for salads and slaws. It is also an excellent substitute for celeriac, turnips, and white radishes. However, there are still a lot of misconceptions about the flavor of Kohlrabi, so it’s essential to make sure you know exactly what to look for before preparing the vegetable.
What Is Kohlrabi?
Kohlrabi, also known as German turnip or cabbage turnip, is a popular vegetable in northern and eastern Europe, including Germany and Hungary, northern Vietnam, and eastern India. Kohlrabi is a bulb with leaves sprouting from the sides, giving it an extraterrestrial appearance. It comes in white, green, or purple varieties, with little flavor difference, and has a mild flavor that makes it popular in salads and soups.
The only preparation required is peeling and cutting or slicing. Farmers prefer to plant the bulb because it is easy to produce in conjunction with other crops and has a long growing season, making it a favorite find at farmers’ markets. When compared to other farmers’ market vegetables, Kohlrabi is reasonably priced.
What Does Kohlrabi Taste Like?
The sour taste of Kohlrabi is similar to that of cabbage and is reminiscent of the flavor of broccoli. Its crisp texture and mild flavor make it a popular vegetable in salads and slaws. The leaves can be cooked and eaten just like Swiss chard or kale. The spice level depends on the bulb’s size; smaller bulbs have a milder flavor and sharper texture. Kohlrabi has a crisp texture without being harsh.
It’s best to be aware of its flavor and texture before cooking it. Its texture is similar to a cabbage head and has a bulbous tip. Its name comes from kohl-rabi, which means “turnip cabbage” in German and Arabic. This vegetable has been cultivated for centuries and can be grown in most temperate climates worldwide. It has a slightly sour, sweet, and savory flavor.
Which Nutrients Are Present In Kohlrabi?
- Vitamin C, an antioxidant that protects your body from free radical damage and aids wound healing, collagen formation, iron absorption, and immunological function, is abundant in the vegetable.
- It’s also high in vitamin B6, which helps with immunological function, protein metabolism, and red blood cell synthesis.
- It’s also high in potassium, an essential mineral, and electrolyte for heart health and fluid balance.
- Finally, 1 cup (135 grams) of Kohlrabi supplies about 17% of your daily fiber requirements. Dietary fiber aids in intestinal health and blood sugar control.
What Are The Benefits Of Kohlrabi?
Kohlrabi is also high in folate, an essential mineral for pregnant women since it can help prevent some birth abnormalities.
Kohlrabi also has several health benefits, including:
The health of the Metabolic System
Kohlrabi is a food with a low glycemic index. As a result, it may aid in glycemic management and satiety. When eaten as part of a balanced diet, Kohlrabi can assist in boosting metabolism and aiding weight loss.
Density of Bones
Kohlrabi leads to stronger bones due to its high calcium and magnesium content. Kohlrabi, along with other calcium-rich foods and weight-bearing activity, can help to build bone density.
Properties of Antioxidants
Kohlrabi is high in carotenoids and other antioxidants and vitamins, and minerals. Carotenoids protect your body’s tissues from free radical damage, which can cause serious diseases. Including Kohlrabi and other antioxidant-rich foods in your diet will help you live a healthier life.
Blood Pressure Can Be Controlled
In addition to its effect on energy levels, potassium also acts as a vasodilator, relaxing the tension in blood vessels and arteries lowering the burden on the cardiovascular system. This improves circulation throughout the body, oxygenates vital tissues, and reduces the risk of cardiovascular events such as strokes and heart attacks. Potassium collaborates with sodium to regulate fluid transport between cells, making it an essential aspect of fluid regulation in the body.
Is Kohlrabi Acidic Or Alkaline?
Kohlrabi is an alkaline vegetable. Once digested, Kohlrabi has a pH of 8.0. According to Marjorie Nolan, an American Dietetic Association representative, clinical studies have indicated that consuming high-alkaline foods and being adequately hydrated lessens the risk of cancer and other diseases.
When you eat something, it breaks down into ash, which might be neutral, acidic, or alkaline. Alkaline ash is produced by minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, silver, copper, and iron, whereas acid ash, is produced by sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine, and iodine, which are found in meat, coffee, dairy, and alcohol.
Is Kohlrabi A Gluten-Free Vegetable?
Kohlrabi does not contain gluten, and gluten isn’t found in Kohlrabi. Kohlrabi is a type of vegetable, which means it is naturally gluten-free.
You may have a gluten sensitivity, even if celiac disease isn’t as common as many marketing trends encourage us to assume.
Recurrent abdominal discomfort, persistent diarrhea, constipation, tingling, numbness in hands and feet, chronic lethargy, joint pain, unexplained infertility, and low bone density indicate celiac disease and gluten sensitivity (osteopenia or osteoporosis). Hundreds of symptoms are possible, many of which are also symptoms of other illnesses.
How To Eat Kohlrabi?
- Its flesh is relatively tiny, and it is easy to peel using a potato peeler. Moreover, the stalks and roots can be used to make soups, stews, and casseroles. If the Kohlrabi is still tender, you can save the greens to eat. If they’re too harsh, however, don’t eat them.
- Regardless of how it’s cooked, Kohlrabi is a tasty vegetable. All parts of the Kohlrabi are edible, but most people stick to the bulbous part, which is the most nutritious. You can also eat the leaves and stems of Kohlrabi, but it’s best to cook the bulbs with the same spices like the rest of your vegetables. If you’re looking for a milder version of Kohlrabi, try sauteing it with carrots and adding it to stir-fry.
- Kohlrabi can be eaten raw or cooked. The best way to eat Kohlrabi is to saute it in a pan or grate I, and the stems are also great for stocks and stir-fries. The bulb is the most popular part of Kohlrabi, but you can also eat it in many ways, including mashed, sauteed, and roasted.
- The Kohlrabi has a slightly sweet, tangy flavor, similar to the radish and cabbage. Its leaves are great raw or cooked in salads, but it is mostly the bulb that you’ll want to eat. While it’s hard to cut, it’s an excellent choice for pickles, coleslaw, and vegetable side dishes. Its crunchy skin also makes it an excellent substitute for radish.
Is Kohlrabi A Common Allergy In Foods?
Kohlrabi, on the other hand, is not an everyday food allergy. Some people may have allergic responses to Kohlrabi; however, this is uncommon compared to other vegetables.
The Big-8 is a set of eight main allergenic foods that comprises milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. In the United States, these foods account for over 90% of all food allergies.
Severe food allergies can be fatal. A person with food allergies can have a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis after consuming a food allergen. Other than the eight foods designated by the law, people can still be sensitive to them and have dangerous responses.
How To Store Kohlrabi?
It’s simple to store kohlrabi leaves, but how about keeping the kohlrabi “bulb” fresh? Kohlrabi bulb storage is similar to that of the leaves. Remove the bulb’s leaves and stalks (the swollen stem). Keep this bulbous stem in the crisper of your refrigerator in a Ziploc bag without a paper towel. Kohlrabi will keep for about a week in the crisper of your refrigerator if kept in a sealed bag as instructed above. However, eat it as soon as possible to get the most out of its delightful nutrients. One cup of diced and cooked Kohlrabi contains only 40 calories and 140 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C!
Conclusion
The flavor of Kohlrabi is a mix of radish and cabbage. It has a crisp texture and tastes similar to radish and cabbage when it’s raw. Its flavor becomes more pronounced as it ages and is eaten in salads. It has a softer texture and a more pronounced radish flavor when cooked. It is not difficult to prepare and is delicious in salads and slaws.
When cooking Kohlrabi, you can prepare it in a variety of ways. It is best served raw and can be baked, steamed, roasted, or fried. When cooked, it becomes soft and tender. Add lemon juice and olive oil to the dish to make it more appealing. Aside from these, Kohlrabi can also be eaten as a side dish. If you’re a fan of kale, it’s easy to discover its savory cousin.
