We kicked off fall by taking a deep dive into enjoyable details about pumpkins, and now we’re digging proper into turnip diet.
Turnips are good for you, and so they make a tasty substitute for potatoes. Should you haven’t tried turnip fries but, they’re critically superb!
Even cooler?
“You may eat all elements of a turnip, from the crunchy root to the greens made up of the stem and leaves,” says Tamsin Jordan, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., a New York-based registered dietitian specializing in girls’s well being.
Turnip Vitamin Details
We’re tempted to name them “faux-tatoes,” however turnips are superior in their very own proper. The truth is, the dietary worth of turnips is fairly spectacular: A cup of cooked turnip cubes has 34 energy and three grams of fiber in comparison with 200 energy and a couple of grams of fiber in a cup of potatoes.
Should you’re consuming the stems and leaves, a cup of chopped turnip greens has solely 29 energy however 5 grams of fiber.
“One medium turnip is a wonderful supply of vitamin C and comprises different nutritional vitamins and minerals like potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and folate,” says Krista Maguire, R.D., C.S.S.D., and Vitamin Supervisor at Beachbody.
Now, about these carbs: “Completely different elements of the turnip include completely different quantities of carbs,” says Jordan. “The leafy greens are low in carbs and have a small impression in your blood sugar. The basis is extra carb-dense; nonetheless, in comparison with comparable greens, corresponding to potatoes and parsnips, turnips are on the decrease finish of the carb spectrum,” she explains.
That cup of cooked turnips offers 8 grams of carbs; the potatoes have 33 grams.
Turnip Well being Advantages
Consuming turnips can assist you keep a balanced weight loss program or crush a cardio class.
“Because it’s a root vegetable within the Brassicaceae household, the identical household as different cruciferous veggies, corresponding to broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts, turnips might present among the identical well being advantages as these do,” says Maguire. “Should you mix turnips with plant-based meals excessive in iron, the vitamin C can assist with the absorption of the non-heme iron.”
Along with that, vitamin C helps construct collagen for wholesome pores and skin and hair, provides Jordan.
“Turnips are an ideal addition to a weight reduction or wholesome consuming plan as a result of they’re excessive in fiber,” says Jordan. “Fiber retains you feeling fuller for longer, lowering the prospect of overeating between meals. It additionally balances out blood sugar and retains you common.”
Should you’re figuring out or taking part in sports activities, turnips can present a lift.
“Turnips have nitrates, which research present can profit our cardiovascular system,” says Jordan.
Methods to Prepare dinner Turnips
Turnips are finest identified for flavoring and thickening soups and shares, however you are able to do much more than boil them.
The basis is a good substitute for potatoes, candy potatoes, and different starchy greens, and the greens work as a substitute for spinach or collard greens.
“Turnips style like a cross between cabbage and radish,” says Jordan. “They’ve a barely candy, peppery taste and a crisp, crunchy texture. Select small- or medium-sized ones as a result of as they get greater, they get spicier and rougher in texture.”
For meals and snacks, you should use turnips in many alternative methods:
- Boiled and mashed as a aspect dish
- Sautéed in a stir-fry
- Cooked in a stew or soup
- Sliced uncooked for coleslaw or salads
- Shredded uncooked then quick-pickled as a garnish
- Sliced and baked as turnip fries
However one in all our all-time favourite methods is 2B Mindset’s crowd-pleasing Spiced Turnip Fries with Roasted Garlic Dipping Sauce.
Professional tip: With a 2B Mindset Membership, you’ll find that recipe and others like Turnip Your “Potato” Salad underneath the “Scrumptious Veggies” tab.
“You can even make turnip chips as an alternative of potato chips,” says Maguire. “Or roast them with different root veggies like candy potato, beets, and parsnips.”
