Foods that heal: kohlrabi

Kohlrabi comes from the same cruciferous plant family as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale and collard greens.  And although not the most attractive vegetable, it touts many health benefits. Read on to learn more.

Also known as the German turnip and the turnip cabbage, the kohlrabi is a round, stout and tuberous vegetable that can be eaten raw or cooked. It has a similar texture and taste as the broccoli stem or cabbage heart, mildly sweet, moist and crispy.

Because the bulb, the part of the plant most people eat, is not nearly as rich in nutrients as the flowers or leaves, kohlrabi is not considered to be in the same nutritional league as broccoli, brussels sprouts, and kale. Still, it is a good source of vitamin C and a one- to two-cup serving provides 60 percent of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adult women. It also has about 250 milligrams of potassium, some fibre, and only 25 calories. This vegetable is high in bioflavonoids, plant pigments that work with vitamin C and other antioxidants to prevent the cell damage that can promote cancer.

It's also important to note that Kohlrabi is high in indoles, the very chemicals that reduce the effects of estrogen. As such, this delicious vegetable may help reduce the risk of breast cancer. Isothiocyanates, another group of compounds in kohlrabi, promote the action of enzymes that could also help protect against colon cancer.

Kohlrabi should always be harvested before it reaches full maturity; otherwise, it can become woody and less flavourful. It can be sliced and eaten raw in a salad or julienned and eaten as a snack sprinkled with lime, but most people prefer it steamed until tender. Those who get gas after eating other cruciferous vegetables may have the same response to kohlrabi.

• High in vitamin C, potassium, and many cancer-preventing antioxidants and bioflavonoids.
• Great source of dietary fibre.

• May cause gas in some people.