Kohlrabi Promoted as a Superfood

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Created on 01, July, 2013

A Web article declares kohlrabi the new superfood.

There is nothing wrong with eating a variety of plant-based foods, but the claims that certain vegetables or fruits are way better than others because of X, Y, Z nutrient(s) is usually overblown or false. Kohlrabi is promoted in various articles as being “high in potassium,” and having “more vitamin C than cauliflower, strawberries... orange juice,” among other “super powers”. But even if we use the incorrect serving size given in the article of 100 g (rather than the FDA serving size of 85 g), and compare it to a true serving of fruit (140 g) or of orange juice (240 g), kohlrabi is no powerhouse: 1) it is not high in potassium (350 mg per 100 g serving is only a “good source,” and in a 85 g serving it isn’t even a good source) – but keep in mind that ALL vegetables/fruits contain potassium; 2) the vitamin C content depends on whether and how long kohlrabi is cooked, but it will not be much higher than the foods with which it is compared, if at all (a cup of fresh orange juice has twice the vitamin C, and even 100 g – less than a full serving – of navel oranges has more). When you see the term “superfood,” realize that ALL produce has nutritional attributes, but none has everything, so eat as many as possible.