Three reasons to try kohlrabi - a cancer-fighting, heart healthy, fiber rich veggie

(NaturalNews) Sometimes called a German Turnip, kohlrabi is a round tuber veggie in the same family that has produced broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage. It has a tough as nails exterior, but once you discover what is inside, you'll be hooked! Their taste is similar to broccoli stems but milder and with more of a crunch.

Kohlrabi is very rich in vitamin C (just one cup will give you 138 percent of your recommended daily allowance!), antioxidants, and potassium.

Here are three great reasons to add this unusual but super-healthy veggie to your diet:

1.) Kohlrabi belongs to the cancer-fighting family of the cruciferous vegetables.

Along with superfoods like kale, arugula and radish, kohlrabi contains myrosinase, an enzyme known to kick off a process that turns glucosinolates (sulfur-filled compounds) into isothicyanates, shown to fight cancer.

2.) Boost your heart health with kohlrabi.

Just one serving of kohlrabi gives you close to 25 percent of your recommended daily allowance of potassium, which is a crucial element in keeping cardiovascular disease at bay and also for lowering blood pressure.

According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, people consuming 4069 mg of potassium per day "had a 49 percent lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease compared with those who consumed less potassium (approximately 1000 mg per day)."

3) Kohlrabi is a fantastic way to help your digestive system.

With five grams of dietary fiber per cup - 19 percent of the recommended daily allowance - kohlrabi is a true go-to veggie for your digestive health. You can increase your amount of bowel movements which is critical for keeping intestinal health in top shape, decreasing your risk of digestive issues including hemorrhoids and even colon cancer.

How to enjoy and prepare kohlrabi

You can enjoy this veggie raw, just slicing it up into chip-like pieces and using it with various dips, or cutting it matchstick-style and including it in a homemade slaw. Perfect for warm weather picnics and parties!

Sources:

www.prevention.com

eatandbeatcancer.wordpress.com

www.menshealth.com

www.dovemed.com

www.healthbenefitstimes.com

About the author:
Raw Michelle is a natural health blogger and researcher, sharing her passions with others, using the Internet as her medium. She discusses topics in a straight forward way in hopes to help people from all walks of life achieve optimal health and well-being. She has authored and published hundreds of articles on topics such as the raw food diet and green living in general. >>> Click here to see more by Michelle