The benefits and harms of kohlrabi for human health, what to cook

The now widespread variety of cabbage - kohlrabi, brings with it a reasonable use, excluding harm to health, undoubted benefit, has a number of medicinal properties, and culinary recipes based on it are simple and accessible to everyone. She gained popularity for her qualities: tasty, juicy, sweet, rich in minerals and vitamins, good in fresh and boiled form. Those who got acquainted with this vegetable, similar to cabbage and turnip, can no longer imagine their diet without it - it is so versatile and convenient to use.

Along with these qualities, the culture is attractive, accessible to all, agricultural cultivation technology and the possibility of use throughout the summer, shelf life.

Kohlrabi composition

The aerial part of the vegetable and young leaves are consumed. Of greatest value is the fruit (the thickened lower part of the stem) - it contains a large number of minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, aluminum, etc.), the vitamin group is widely represented (A, K, P, C, E, B vitamins), organic acids.

The low content of proteins (2.8 g), fats (0.1 g) and a large amount of carbohydrates (7.9 g) make the product dietary, which is valuable in medical, sports and children's nutrition.

Benefits, harms and contraindications

Regular use of yummy wonder vegetable affects the work of all organs and systems. Its use for the male and female body is doubtless, if there are no specific contraindications for its use.

Useful qualities:

• helps to reduce body weight - this contributes to low calorie content, a large amount of fiber and the ability to break down fats;
• fiber removes toxins, has a beneficial effect on the intestines, improving peristalsis and eliminating constipation;
• selenium and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) contribute to the elimination of free radicals, which, in the end, reduces the risk of cancer of the intestine, colon and rectum, genital area;
• participates in the removal of excess fluid, helping to improve kidney function;
• helps to increase immunity and, as a result, improves resistance to viral and bacterial infections;
• displays "bad cholesterol", which is important for atherosclerosis, metabolic disorders.

Kohlrabi and different age categories

At any age, eating kohlrabi benefits the body and, knowing this, you can use it in your diet with greater benefit.

Useful properties for different ages:

1. Children. The presence of kohlrabi in any form in the children's menu helps to improve the functioning of the immune system, which is the key to reducing the number of diseases, increasing resistance to stress, the child tolerates physical and mental stress more easily, and calcium in its composition is necessary for the formation of the skeleton. In addition, dishes from it give a feeling of satiety, contribute to the proper functioning of the digestive tract.
2. Elderly people. For this category, it is characteristic, in connection with age-related changes in the body, the presence of chronic diseases, diseases of the heart and blood vessels, hypertension, atherosclerosis. Kohlrabi, included in the diet, helps reduce bad cholesterol and sugar, stimulates the digestive tract, kidneys, which helps to improve heart function and vascular condition.
3. Pregnant and lactating women.A woman’s body, when she carries and then feeds the baby, requires a large amount of vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and carbohydrates, and kohlrabi helps replenish the body with these substances. Its use eliminates constipation, improves the functioning of the stomach, kidneys. Vegetable should be present in the diet in a reasonable amount, so as not to overload the gastrointestinal tract.

When you can not eat kohlrabi

Kohlrabi belongs to the category of vegetable crops that can be consumed by almost everyone. The exception is only those who have individual intolerance and increased acidity of gastric juice. Also, people with acute gastrointestinal diseases and with pancreatitis should use it with caution.

Kohlrabi in home cooking

An unusual vegetable is so versatile in use that on its basis you can cook a huge number of dishes: he is good in fresh, boiled, baked, stewed, stuffed and canned, and it can be stored in fresh and frozen form.

When preparing dishes from kohlrabi cabbage, one should focus on the age of the fetus - in the overgrown pulp there are hard fibers that spoil the taste. For dishes from fresh kohlrabi, it is better to take young juicy fruits, and for cooking you can use more mature, but not overgrown.

Options for simple kohlrabi diet meals

It is very simple to prepare diet dishes based on kohlrabi, the set of products is small, and the taste is excellent.

Appetizer:

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• fresh kohlrabi cut into thin strips or thin plates;
• salt, mix with grated garlic, herbs, season with any vegetable oil and let it brew for 20-30 minutes (take the amount of ingredients to your liking);
• you can mix kohlrabi with fresh carrots, chopped the same way, and adding sesame seeds or chopped nuts will increase the nutritional value of the salad.

Mashed soup (the number and composition of ingredients is taken arbitrarily, taking into account your preferences):

• cut cabbage, carrots, onions (you can add any other vegetables), boil;
• grind vegetables with a blender, add vegetable broth, cream, salt, spices (optional);
• bring the resulting mass to a boil;
• Serve with herbs, crackers or croutons with garlic.

Chicken fillet with vegetables (the amount and composition of the ingredients can be varied):

• Lightly beat the fillet with a sharp knife, salt, mix with grated garlic, finely chopped herbs, spices, salt, season with sunflower or olive oil and leave to marinate for 2-3 hours;
• put meat on a baking sheet, put kohlrabi (thick straws), carrots (circles or thick straws) around the edges, you can cut daikon, zucchini, pumpkin, put bell pepper on the meat (large straws);
• cover the baking sheet with foil and put in a heated oven (170 ° -180 °);
• 10-15 minutes before cooking (cooking time depends on the size of the pieces of meat and vegetables) remove the foil and sprinkle with grated cheese;
• after the cheese is melted, the dish is ready;
• can be consumed both hot and cold.

Tips for using Kohlrabi for medicinal purposes

The presence of a large number of useful substances in kohlrabi, easy assimilation of dishes from it and the absence of serious contraindications allows you to use a vegetable for medicinal purposes.

Drink for diseases of the heart and blood vessels:

• squeeze the juice from 220 g of kohlrabi and 120 g of cucumbers;
• grind 5 g of parsley;
• mix everything well;
• within 1 month, take 80-100 ml three times a day.

Juice with honey to enhance immunity in heart disease:

• squeeze juice from 250 g of kohlrabi;
• mix with 20 g of honey;
• within 1-2 weeks, take 50 ml three times a day.

Juice and honey for hepatitis and cholecystitis:

• prepare 150 ml of juice;
• mix with 20 g honey;
• with hepatitis, take 150 ml 4 times a day strictly before meals, with cholecystitis - 2 times a day for 2 months.

Decoction with bronchial asthma and tuberculosis:

• 60 g of tops of kohlrabi pour 400 ml of water, bring to a boil;
• boil for another 20 minutes over low heat;
• take in a warm form, 100 ml 2 times a day for asthma, 80 ml 3 times a day for tuberculosis.

Reviews

 

Marina Sergeevna, Omsk

I will share my experience in the use of kohlrabi. Initially, having met her, I made exclusively salads from her, i.e. used fresh. But I do not have the opportunity to store vegetables for a long time, and I began to preserve it: I make assorted dishes with white cabbage, cucumbers, sweet peppers, green beans, onions and garlic. Snacks from canned kohlrabi are excellent.

We have patients with chronic gastritis in the family, and it is undesirable for them to eat fresh kohlrabi, so I began to include it in hot dishes: carcass with onions and potatoes, bake with meat, put in pies, add to soups, make mashed potatoes. In this form, the dishes are dietary and healthy. Now I advise all my friends to grow kohlrabi, especially since it is easy to grow it.

 

Anfisa, Ufa

She began to grow kohlrabi recently - about two years ago. The plot is small and there is no separate place for it, so I plant it between other crops, for example, between rows of white cabbage, along the edge of the ridge with carrots and beets, I even decorate flower beds with it, planting 1-2 heads. After I remove the cabbage, the place is vacated, then again I plant the next portion of kohlrabi or another vegetable with a short ripening period: radish, radish or sow greens. Very comfortably. Over the summer, I harvest twice, and for storage I plant a small amount of cabbage in the middle or at the end of July.

It is well-deserved kohlrabi revered by lovers of wholesome, healthy and natural foods. The main thing is to start using it, and application options, taking into account your tastes and preferences, can gradually be diversified.