One of the oldest and toughest vegetables is the turnip. When dinosaurs still roamed the planet, they grew wild in Siberia and gained an early reputation as food for the underprivileged and farm animals. Many people today wouldn't recognize a turnip if they saw it or tasted it. Most frequently, people confuse it for the rutabaga, which is a hybrid of a turnip and a cabbage.
What is Turnip?
It belongs to the Brassicaceae family of mustard plants and is a root vegetable. In the spring and the fall, it is prepared for harvest. There are more than 30 kinds of turnips in various forms and colors, with the most popular having a light purple top and a white bottom. While some taste more like potatoes than carrots, others are sweeter.
Contrary to popular belief, turnips can be eaten raw; prepare them similarly to radishes. Baby turnips can be sliced and added to salads for a crisp, somewhat zingy flavor, or served as crudité with dip. They can also be used as a standalone salad; simply slice thinly and garnish with your preferred dressing. Similar to carrots, you can choose to peel them or not, but the thicker the skin, the more likely you are to need to peel it.
Unlike most other vegetables, the turnip's root and the top-attached leafy greens can both be consumed. They both benefit you.
Turnips contain many nutrients, including calcium, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamin C.
The vitamins A and C in turnip greens are abundant. 6,380 international units (IU) of vitamin A and 33 mg of vitamin C are both present in one cup of raw turnip greens.
The potassium content per medium turnip is 233 mg. That mineral is essential to nearly every process in your body, including helping your nerves relay signals and maintaining the health of your muscles and heart. You run the danger of having high blood pressure, a stroke, kidney stones, brittle bones, and high blood sugar when you don't receive enough.
There are many other benefits of turnips. These are:
Cancer Prevention
Turnips include glucosinolates, which are compounds derived from plants that may help prevent all cancers, from breast to prostate.
Eye Health
Turnips are high in the antioxidant lutein. This prevents issues like macular degeneration and cataracts and maintains the health of your eyes.
Bone Health
There are other ways than dairy to strengthen your bones and prevent the bone-weakening condition osteoporosis. Calcium is abundant in turnips, which benefits your heart, muscles, and nerves.
PDO I Kimberly M. Tanador, RND
References:
What Are Turnips?
https://www.thespruceeats.com/all-about-turnips-4772271
Health Benefits of Turnips
https://www.webmd.com/diet/benefits-turnips
7 Creative Ways to Cook With Turnips: Tips, Techniques, and Gordon Ramsay’s Glazed Carrots and Turnips Recipe
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/learn-about-turnips
What are the benefits of turnips?
