Health Benefits of Turnips / Health بهداشت Hygiène - 557

Published on December 11, 2023

Kierra Brown, RD

Turnips (Brassica rapa L.) are part of the root vegetable family, along with plants like beetroot, radish, carrots, and celery.1 Turnips provide countless nutrients, including immune-supportive vitamin C, dietary fiber, disease-fighting antioxidants, and more.

In season from spring through the winter, turnips can be roasted for a cozy dinner side or added to hearty soups and stews for a nutritional boost.2

Here’s everything you need to know about the evidence-based health benefits of turnips, plus simple ways to add them to your diet this season.

Great Source of Vitamin C

Move aside oranges, turnips may be the unsung hero of immune health. The root vegetable is rich in vitamin C, a nutrient that supports the immune system by bringing white blood cells to infection sites to kill off pathogenic (or disease-causing) invaders.3

Vitamin C has long been studied for its ability to ward off the common cold. So far, research suggests that vitamin C supplements don't seem to prevent the common cold, though they may help reduce the severity and duration of the illness.4

Skip the supplements and start by getting enough vitamin C from whole foods first. Just one cup of raw turnips can provide an impressive 30% of your daily vitamin C needs.5

Good for Your Gut

Like all plant-based whole foods, turnips contain dietary fiber. Fiber is a non-digestible carbohydrate that serves important functions in the body, including maintaining healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels, promoting regular bowel movements, and supporting weight management, among others.

For most people, adding more fiber to their plate is warranted. Only 4% of men and 12% of women in the U.S. consume an adequate amount of dietary fiber daily.6 Putting turnips on your plate can help you sneak in a few extra grams of fiber.

Rich in Antioxidants

Antioxidants are nutrients that help scavenge molecules called free radicals in the body. Free radicals damage cells and increase your risk of developing chronic diseases over time.

Diets high in antioxidant-rich foods—like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains— have consistently been associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality.7

The good news? Turnips are packed with powerful antioxidants, including flavonoids like anthocyanins (which are responsible for some turnip variety’s vibrant purple skin) and quercetin, a molecule with anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine properties.891

May Have Anti-Cancer Activity

Turnips are part of the Brassicaceae family along with other cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, arugula, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts.

Cruciferous vegetables deliver key nutrients like dietary fiber, vitamin K, and glucosinolates. Glucosinolates are sulfur-containing compounds that have been shown to reduce DNA damage and fight cancer activity in animal studies.10

In humans, eating glucosinolate-rich vegetables appears to activate proteins that assist in the body’s breakdown of hormones like estrogen. This may be one reason why breast cancer survivors who ate more cruciferous vegetables were found to have fewer menopausal symptoms compared to those who ate less cruciferous vegetables.11

Support Healthy Blood Pressure Levels

While the nitrates added to processed proteins like lunch meats and bacon are suspected to form cancer-causing compounds (called nitrosamines) in the body, vegetables rich in natural nitrates are not thought to carry the same risk.12

This may be due to the fact that vegetables contain other beneficial compounds that can prevent the formation of nitrosamines in the body, whereas processed meats are otherwise low in healthy vitamins and minerals.13

What’s more, the nitrates found in vegetables like turnips stimulate the production of nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide is a molecule that can help lower blood pressure, reduce clotting, and maintain the lining of blood vessels.14

Nutritional Facts of Turnips

Turnips are best consumed cooked. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one cup of cubed turnips contains:5

• Calories: 36.4
• Protein: 1.17 grams (g)
• Carbohydrates: 8.36 g
• Fiber: 2.34 g
• Vitamin C: 27.3 milligrams (mg), 30% of the daily value (DV)
• Potassium: 248 mg, 5% of the DV

Turnip greens—the vegetable’s leafy tops—are also an excellent source of vitamins. Just one cup of raw turnip greens contains about 35% of your daily needs for both vitamin C and vitamin A.15

Risks of Eating Turnips

While turnips are safe when eaten raw, they tend to be easier to digest and less likely to cause gastrointestinal discomfort if consumed cooked.

Certain people who are sensitive to FODMAPs might also experience GI symptoms when eating more than 3.5 ounces (or about ⅔ of a medium-sized turnip) of turnips in a sitting. That’s because the root vegetable is moderately high in the naturally occurring sugar alcohol called sorbitol.

Turnips also contain compounds called goitrogens that can interfere with thyroid activity.16 However, goitrogenic foods only seem to pose risks when consumed raw, in very large quantities, and in people with established iodine deficiency.17

Even for those diagnosed with thyroid conditions, eating moderate amounts of cooked goitrogen-containing foods is likely safe and recommended given these foods’ extensive nutritional benefits.

Finally, like all vegetables grown in soil, turnips may come in contact with contaminants like heavy metals or pesticides. Don’t let this discourage you from eating produce, though. Low levels of these substances are unlikely to pose health risks to the average person.1

Tips for Consuming Turnips

Turnips are fairly mild in flavor, so they can be used in numerous ways. Try:

• Roasting turnips with other seasonal vegetables, like Brussels sprouts and butternut squash, for a hearty dinner side
• Adding turnips to homemade vegetable soups
• Using them in a root vegetable gratin
• Pureeing them for a lower-carb alternative to mashed potatoes
• Sautéeing turnip greens (the tops of the plant) for a new variety of leafy greens
• Using a microblade to slice them ultra thin to add to salads or toasts

A Quick Review

Turnips are a nourishing source of vitamin C, dietary fiber, and antioxidants that support the immune, digestive, and cardiovascular systems. The root vegetable is also versatile and can be added to tons of different meals. Try sneaking chopped turnips into your go-to recipes for a nutritional boost that won’t taint the dish's flavor.

Source: https://www.health.com/turnips-840491

Published on this Iranian Blog

Sunday, December 17, 2023

The time of producing Turnip in Iran is Fall and Winter

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