Turnips belong to the same family as swedes. They have been cultivated for centuries. They maybe globular, flattish or cylindrical in shape and generally white in colour with a tinge of red, pink,purple or green. The flesh is usually white. They have a stronger flavour than swedes. Turnips area good source of Vitamin C.
Nutritional Content
A 1-cup serving of boiled, mashed turnips contains 51 calories and provides 76 milligrams of calcium, 21 milligrams of magnesium and 407 milligrams of potassium. The same serving size also provides 26 milligrams of vitamin C. A 1-cup serving of raw turnip greens provides 104 milligrams of calcium, or 13 percent of your daily requirement, and 163 milligrams of potassium. Turnip greens are also a good source of vitamin C, with 33 milligrams per cup, vitamin A, with 6,373 International Units, or IUs, per cup — about 64 percent of your daily requirement — and vitamin K, with 318 IUs per cup — about three times the daily adult requirement. While the turnip root is considered a starchy vegetable, it contains only a third of the calories in a potato.
Cancer Prevention
Turnips contain a category of phytonutrients — substances in plant foods that improve health but are not essential to life — called indoles. Indoles in turnips may reduce your risk for lung and colorectal cancers, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. A tissue culture study published in the March 2012 issue of the “International Journal of Oncology” found that brassinin, a type of indole compound, killed human colon cancer cells. Researchers noted that their experiment was the first to determine the particular stage of cancer cell growth that the turnip compound affected.
Glucosinolate Antimicrobial and Anti-Inflammatory Benefits
Turnip sprouts provide high levels of glucosinolates, sulfur-containing compounds that may help protect against some forms of cancer and provide antifungal, antibacterial and antiparasitic benefits. A study published in the November 2012 issue of the “Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry” found that, among nine different cruciferous vegetables, turnip sprouts showed the second highest levels of glucosinolates, after white mustard sprouts. Researchers of a study published in the August 2012 issue of the journal “BJU International” found that glucosinolates provided some protection against benign prostatic hypertrophy, an inflammatory condition that can lead to prostate cancer.
Considerations
Turnips and all members of the cabbage family contain a compound that can interfere with the thyroid gland, causing low thyroid function, or hypothyroidism. Excessive consumption of glucosinolates in turnips results in production of a compound called goitrin, which inhibits thyroid hormone production. High levels of indole glucosinolates break down into compounds that compete with iodine for absorption. If you have a hypothyroid condition, talk with your doctor about including turnips in your diet.
Resources:
Best In Season http://www.bestinseason.ie/a-z/turnips/
SFGate “The Health Benefits of Turnips by Tracey Roizman, D. C., Demand Media
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/health-benefits-turnips-6796.html