Kohlrabi Juice: Benefits, Recipes, and How to Make It

Most vegetable juices have a problem: they taste aggressive. Beet juice is earthy to the point of tasting like soil. Celery juice is bitter and salty. Kale juice requires so much fruit to mask the flavor that it’s barely a vegetable juice anymore.

Kohlrabi juice is different. It’s mild, faintly sweet, and clean-tasting — closer to apple juice than to anything that screams “health food.” It blends easily with other ingredients without overpowering them, and it produces a surprising amount of liquid for its size. A single medium kohlrabi yields about 150–200ml of juice.

If you already enjoy kohlrabi raw — and if you know what it tastes like, you know why people do — then juicing it is a natural extension. You get the same mild sweetness and clean flavor, concentrated into liquid form.

Nutritional Profile of Kohlrabi Juice

Juicing kohlrabi preserves most of its vitamins and minerals while removing the fiber. Here’s what you get from the juice of one medium kohlrabi (roughly 150ml):

• Vitamin C: About 50–60mg, or roughly 60–70% of the daily recommended intake. Vitamin C is water-soluble and transfers almost entirely into the juice. This is kohlrabi’s strongest nutritional selling point.
• Potassium: Approximately 350mg. That’s about 7% of the daily value, similar to what you’d get from a small banana.
• Vitamin B6: About 0.15mg, or roughly 9% of daily value.
• Folate: Around 15–20mcg.
• Manganese: Small but meaningful amounts — about 8% of daily value.
• Glucosinolates: These are the sulfur-containing compounds found in all brassica vegetables. Research suggests they may have anti-inflammatory and potentially cancer-protective properties. Juicing retains a significant portion of these compounds.

For the complete nutritional breakdown of whole kohlrabi, see our kohlrabi nutrition guide. The key difference between eating it whole and juicing it is fiber — whole kohlrabi provides about 5 grams of fiber per cup, while juice provides almost none.

Health Benefits of Kohlrabi Juice

Vitamin C Delivery

This is the clearest, most evidence-backed benefit. Kohlrabi is one of the richest vegetable sources of vitamin C, and because vitamin C is water-soluble, juicing captures nearly all of it. A single glass of kohlrabi juice provides a substantial portion of your daily needs.

Vitamin C supports immune function, collagen production, iron absorption, and acts as an antioxidant. Because it degrades with heat, raw juice is a more efficient delivery method than cooked kohlrabi.

One important note: vitamin C also degrades with exposure to air and light. Drink kohlrabi juice within 30 minutes of making it for the highest vitamin C content. If you need to store it, keep it in a sealed, dark container in the fridge and consume within 24 hours.

Glucosinolate Content

All brassica vegetables — broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi — contain glucosinolates. When these compounds are broken down (by chewing, cutting, or juicing), they produce isothiocyanates, which have been studied for their potential anti-cancer properties.

The research is still developing, but several large-scale studies have found associations between higher brassica vegetable intake and reduced risk of certain cancers, particularly colorectal and lung cancer. Juicing may actually enhance glucosinolate availability because the mechanical breakdown of cell walls during juicing releases more of these compounds than chewing alone.

Hydration

This sounds basic, but it matters. Kohlrabi is about 91% water, and the juice retains all of that water along with electrolytes like potassium and small amounts of sodium. As a hydration drink, kohlrabi juice is more effective than plain water because the electrolytes help your body absorb and retain the fluid.

For post-exercise hydration or hot-weather drinking, kohlrabi juice mixed with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of citrus is a legitimate alternative to commercial electrolyte drinks — without the added sugars and artificial ingredients.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Kohlrabi contains several compounds with demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity, including vitamin C, kaempferol (a flavonoid), and the aforementioned glucosinolates. While no study has specifically tested kohlrabi juice as an anti-inflammatory intervention, the individual compounds it contains have each been studied and shown anti-inflammatory effects in both laboratory and human studies.

Digestive Considerations

Here’s an honest caveat. Juicing removes most of the fiber from kohlrabi, and fiber is one of the most beneficial components of whole vegetables for digestive health. If you’re juicing kohlrabi specifically for gut health, you’d be better off eating it whole or blending it into a smoothie (which retains the fiber).

That said, the reduced fiber content of juice can be an advantage for people with sensitive digestive systems who find whole brassica vegetables difficult to tolerate. Juice delivers the vitamins and minerals without the bulk that can cause bloating or gas in some people.

How to Juice Kohlrabi

Equipment

Any centrifugal or masticating juicer will work. Masticating (cold-press) juicers extract slightly more juice and produce less heat, which preserves more nutrients — but the difference is modest. Use whatever you have.

If you don’t own a juicer, a high-speed blender and a nut milk bag or fine mesh strainer will do the job. Blend the kohlrabi with a small amount of water, then strain.

Preparation

Peel the kohlrabi first. The outer skin is tough and fibrous and will produce a bitter, unpleasant juice. Peel generously — remove about 3mm of the outer layer to get past the fibrous zone. Cut into chunks that fit your juicer’s feed tube.

The leaves are edible and can be juiced too. They add a more assertive, slightly peppery flavor — similar to juicing kale but milder. If you have fresh kohlrabi leaves attached, add a few to your juice for extra nutrients. They’re particularly high in vitamin A and calcium.

Basic Kohlrabi Juice

Ingredients:

• 2 medium kohlrabi, peeled and chunked
• 1 green apple
• 1/2 lemon, peeled

Instructions: Run everything through the juicer. The apple adds sweetness and body; the lemon brightens the flavor and adds extra vitamin C. Drink immediately.

Yield: About 350ml.

This is the baseline. It tastes clean and mildly sweet — approachable even for people who don’t usually enjoy vegetable juice.

Five Kohlrabi Juice Recipes

1. Green Kohlrabi Juice

• 2 medium kohlrabi
• 1 large cucumber
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 green apple
• Small piece of fresh ginger (about 2cm)

The cucumber adds volume and water content, the celery adds a savory note, and the ginger provides warmth. This is a good everyday green juice — mild enough to drink without grimacing.

2. Kohlrabi-Carrot-Ginger

• 2 medium kohlrabi
• 3 large carrots
• 1 inch fresh ginger
• 1/2 lemon

Carrot and kohlrabi are a natural pair. Both are sweet and mild, and the combination produces a juice that’s genuinely pleasant to drink without any fruit. The ginger adds enough bite to keep it interesting.

3. Kohlrabi-Beet Detox Juice

• 1 large kohlrabi
• 1 medium beet
• 1 green apple
• 1/2 lemon
• Small handful of fresh mint

The kohlrabi mellows the earthiness of the beet, which is a common complaint about pure beet juice. The apple and lemon add brightness. The mint makes it taste almost like a cocktail.

4. Kohlrabi-Pineapple Tropical

• 2 medium kohlrabi
• 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
• 1/2 lime
• Small piece of fresh turmeric (about 2cm), or 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

Pineapple’s acidity and sweetness transform kohlrabi juice into something that tastes genuinely tropical. The turmeric adds color and its own set of anti-inflammatory compounds. This is a good “introduction” juice for people who think they don’t like vegetable juice.

5. Kohlrabi-Pear-Fennel

• 1 large kohlrabi
• 2 ripe pears
• 1/2 fennel bulb
• 1/2 lemon

A more sophisticated flavor profile. Fennel and kohlrabi share a mild sweetness, and the pear rounds everything out. This is the juice to make when you want something that tastes considered rather than just healthy.

Kohlrabi Smoothie Alternative

If you’d rather keep the fiber, blend kohlrabi instead of juicing it. A kohlrabi smoothie retains all the nutrients of the whole vegetable, including the fiber that juicing removes.

For a basic approach, peel and roughly chop one medium kohlrabi, add it to a blender with 1 cup of liquid (water, milk, or plant milk), 1 frozen banana, and a handful of spinach. Blend until smooth. The kohlrabi adds body and mild sweetness without any detectable “vegetable” taste.

We have a full guide on kohlrabi smoothies with more recipes and combinations.

How to Store Kohlrabi Juice

Fresh kohlrabi juice is best consumed immediately. The vitamin C content begins to degrade as soon as the juice is exposed to air, and the flavor dulls after a few hours.

If you need to store it:

• Refrigerator: Sealed in a glass jar with minimal air space, kohlrabi juice keeps for 24–48 hours. Fill the container as full as possible to minimize oxidation.
• Freezer: Freeze in ice cube trays or small containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge. The texture may change slightly, but the nutrients are largely preserved. This is a good approach if you want to juice in batches.

Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Drink Kohlrabi Juice

Good candidates:

• People looking to increase vitamin C intake naturally
• Anyone who finds whole brassica vegetables hard to digest
• People who want a mild, approachable vegetable juice
• Athletes looking for a natural electrolyte drink

Use caution if:

• You’re on blood thinners (kohlrabi contains vitamin K, though less than leafy greens)
• You have thyroid conditions (brassica vegetables contain goitrogens, though the amounts in juice are small)
• You’re trying to increase fiber intake (eat the whole vegetable instead)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I juice kohlrabi leaves? Yes. The leaves are nutritious and juice well. They add a more peppery, green flavor. Start with a small amount mixed with bulb juice and adjust to taste.

Does kohlrabi juice taste like cabbage juice? No. Kohlrabi juice is significantly milder and sweeter than cabbage juice. There’s no sulfurous smell or harsh brassica bite. It’s closer to apple juice in flavor profile.

How much kohlrabi juice should I drink per day? There’s no established upper limit, but 250–500ml per day is a reasonable amount. As with any brassica vegetable, extremely large quantities could theoretically affect thyroid function in sensitive individuals, but normal consumption is fine.

Is kohlrabi juice good for weight loss? It’s very low in calories — roughly 25–35 calories per 200ml glass — and can serve as a satisfying, nutrient-dense alternative to higher-calorie beverages. It’s not a magic weight loss food, but as part of a balanced diet, it’s a good choice.