Know2eat

Kohlrabi

Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes

What kohlrabi has been studied for

1 association assessed — none with dependable human evidence behind them yet. Strongest first.

  • 1 Insufficient
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About kohlrabi

A cabbage bred for its swollen above-ground stem, which is peeled and eaten raw or cooked. The texture is closer to a crisp apple than to a root, and the flavour is mild and faintly sweet.

Also known as German turnip, Turnip cabbage, Knol-khol

Heart Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Insufficient

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Cardiovascular risk markers

Heart Health
Insufficient evidence

Kohlrabi contributes to total cruciferous vegetable intake, which is associated with lower cardiovascular risk in cohort studies. No study has examined kohlrabi by itself, so nothing can be attributed to this vegetable specifically.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

No source is attached to this association yet, so it is rated insufficient by default. It is listed because people commonly ask about it — not because there is evidence for it.

Ask about Kohlrabi

Ask about Kohlrabi

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories27 kcal1%
Protein1.7 g3%
Total fat0.1 g0%
Carbohydrate6.2 g2%
Fibre3.6 g13%
Total sugars2.6 g—
Water91 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.013 g0%
Monounsaturated fat0.0070 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.048 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.02 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A2 µg0%
Vitamin C62 mg69%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E0.48 mg3%
Vitamin K0.1 µg0%
Thiamin (B1)0.05 mg4%
Riboflavin (B2)0.02 mg2%
Niacin (B3)0.4 mg3%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.165 mg3%
Vitamin B60.15 mg9%
Folate16 µg4%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline12.3 mg2%
Minerals
Calcium24 mg2%
Iron0.4 mg2%
Magnesium19 mg5%
Phosphorus46 mg4%
Potassium350 mg7%
Sodium20 mg1%
Zinc0.03 mg0%
Copper0.129 mg14%
Manganese0.139 mg6%
Selenium0.7 µg1%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene22 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin0 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash1 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Kohlrabi, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 168424).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • rawPreserves vitamin C and myrosinase

    Eaten raw, kohlrabi retains its vitamin C and its intact myrosinase, so chewing generates isothiocyanates directly. Both are reduced by cooking.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Worth knowing

    Goitrogens at high raw intake

    Kohlrabi is a brassica and releases thiocyanates when raw. Ordinary portions are not a problem, but very large sustained raw intakes on a low-iodine diet can interfere with thyroid iodine uptake.

  • Too much

    Fermentable fibre

    The stem is fibrous and contains fermentable carbohydrate. Eaten raw in quantity it is a common cause of wind and bloating, particularly for people with irritable bowel syndrome.

  • Worth knowing

    The leaves are edible and are not the same food

    Kohlrabi tops are cooked like other brassica greens and carry far more vitamin K and carotenoid than the peeled stem. The nutrient panel on this page is for the stem only.