Green leafy vegetables · IFCT 2017
Knol-khol leaves: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, raw knol-khol leaves give 43 kcal, 3.1 g protein, 368 mg calcium and 71.1 mg vitamin C, according to IFCT 2017. The calcium ranks 3rd of 26 green leafy vegetables and 17th of 242 foods, about 37 per cent of the adult requirement. These are the leaves on top of the round kohlrabi bulb, often sold attached and too often thrown away.
About knol-khol leaves
Knol-khol, or kohlrabi, is a cabbage-family plant grown for its swollen, turnip-like stem, but each bulb comes with a crown of blue-green leaves on long stalks. In Kashmir the two are cooked together as monji haak, one of the valley's everyday dishes, and Bengal, Assam and Odisha cook the leaves as olkopi shak or ulgobi saga. IFCT 2017 records names in 15 languages, including ganth gobi ka sag in Hindi, hakh monji in Kashmiri, gedde kosu in Kannada and knol-khol keerai in Tamil.
The young leaves are tender and taste like a mild collard; the older outer leaves are tougher and need their stalks removed. Because they belong to the same family as kale and pak choi, the leaves share a useful trait: they are low in oxalate, so the calcium they carry is more available to the body than the calcium in spinach or amaranth.
What knol-khol leaves brings to a meal
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Calcium that ranks 3rd
Knol-khol leaves carry 368 mg calcium per 100 g, 3rd of 26 leafy vegetables and 17th of 242 foods. 100 g meets about 37 per cent of the ICMR-NIN 2020 adult requirement, and cabbage-family greens give up their calcium relatively well.
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Vitamin C near the full day
100 g of raw leaves holds 71.1 mg vitamin C, 16th of 130 foods. Knol-khol leaves therefore cover 89 per cent of a man's vitamin C need and 109 per cent of a woman's. Cook the leaves briefly to keep more of it.
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Vitamin K1 and vitamin E
The leaves supply 295 micrograms of vitamin K1 and 0.53 mg vitamin E per 100 g. Vitamin K helps blood clot normally and supports bone; vitamin E protects cell membranes.
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A little more carbohydrate
At 6.2 g carbohydrate per 100 g, knol-khol leaves rank 4th among leafy greens, giving a slightly sweet taste. At 43 kcal per 100 g, they remain a light vegetable.
Knol-khol leaves nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 43 kcal | 2% | 3% |
| Protein | 3.1 g | 6% | 7% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 6.2 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 2.8 g | ||
| Free sugars | 0.1 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.3 g | ||
| Water | 86.2 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.11 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.02 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.15 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 111 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 368 mg | 37% | 37% |
| Iron | 2.51 mg | 13% | 9% |
| Zinc | 0.42 mg | 2% | 3% |
| Magnesium | 66 mg | 15% | 18% |
| Phosphorus | 55 mg | ||
| Potassium | 309 mg | ||
| Sodium | 27 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.07 mg | ||
| Selenium | 10.5 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 71.1 mg | 89% | 109% |
| Beta-carotene | 12 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.06 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.15 mg | 6% | 6% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.86 mg | 5% | 6% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.28 mg | 12% | 15% |
| Folate (B9) | 42 µg | 14% | 19% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.53 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 295 µg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Knol-khol leaves: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/green-leafy-vegetables/knol-khol-leaves/
Where knol-khol leaves sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 25 green leafy vegetables and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In green leafy vegetables | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C | 71.1 mg | 8th of 26 | 16th of 130 |
| Calcium | 368 mg | 3rd of 26 | 17th of 242 |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.15 mg | 11th of 26 | 45th of 241 |
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 111 mg | 22nd of 26 | 74th of 202 |
| Magnesium | 66 mg | 13th of 26 | 76th of 242 |
How knol-khol leaves is eaten
- Monji haak in Kashmir: kohlrabi bulb slices and leaves simmered whole with mustard oil, hing, dried red chilli and a little water.
- Olkopi shak in Bengal: chopped leaves stir-fried with garlic, nigella seeds and green chilli.
- Leaves and bulb in a moong dal, cooked until both are soft, with a cumin and ghee tadka.
- Shredded young leaves added to a mixed vegetable poriyal with coconut and curry leaves.
- Blanched leaves chopped into a paratha stuffing with grated knol-khol and ajwain.
Before you plan around it
Knol-khol leaves wilt within a day of harvest. Separate them from the bulb as soon as you get home, wrap them in a damp cloth in the fridge, and cook them within two days. Remove the thick stalks from larger leaves or slice them thin and cook them first. Like other cabbage-family greens, they can cause wind in some people when eaten in large amounts. Their vitamin K1, 295 micrograms per 100 g, matters for anyone on warfarin, who should keep greens intake consistent.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about knol-khol leaves
Are kohlrabi leaves edible?
Yes. Knol-khol leaves are a traditional vegetable in Kashmir, Bengal, Assam and Odisha. IFCT 2017 lists them with 368 mg calcium and 71.1 mg vitamin C per 100 g, more of both than the bulb itself. Young leaves are the most tender.
Is knol-khol leaf a good source of calcium?
It is one of the better ones among vegetables. IFCT 2017 lists 368 mg calcium per 100 g, ranking 3rd among leafy greens. Because cabbage-family leaves are low in oxalate, the calcium is better absorbed than from spinach, though milk, curd and ragi remain the backbone of a calcium-rich diet.
What is monji haak?
Monji haak is a Kashmiri dish of kohlrabi, monji, cooked with its own leaves in mustard oil with hing and dried red chilli. It is simple, brothy and eaten with rice. IFCT 2017 records the Kashmiri name for the leaves as hakh monji.
Related foods and tables
Knol-khol (kohlrabi)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Cabbage
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Mustard leaves (sarson)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Cauliflower leaves
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Radish leaves
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Vitamin C content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by vitamin c per 100 g.
Calcium content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by calcium per 100 g.
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by riboflavin (vitamin b2) per 100 g.
All green leafy vegetables
26 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
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