In different historical eras, dishes were served on the table from products that were not known before or were forgotten after. A striking example of the former is the potato: for many decades this plant aroused only suspicion and mistrust, and then became a familiar ingredient in daily dishes. As for the latter, here we can name turnips and turnips. At one time, not a single table could do without them (and not only the common people, but also very high-ranking persons). Nowadays, turnips are remembered mainly through fairy tales for very young children. What can we even say about such a plant as turnip! "What is this?" - Perhaps 90% of the population will ask. And yet they are completely unfairly forgotten!

Close relatives

We can say about the same turnip that it is a relative not only of the abandoned turnip, but also of the beetroot or radish, beloved to this day. And he is able to have “children” who received the name rutabaga. Which, however, is now also familiar to few people in our country, both for its appearance and for its inherent taste. But, for example, Scandinavian, Swiss and German farmers willingly cultivate it, and housewives in these countries pamper their households with a variety of dishes from the rutabaga we have forgotten.

Beneficial properties of the despised root vegetable

Everyone knows that many vegetables and fruits are a storehouse of vitamins, and therefore health. The same applies to such root vegetables as turnips. What does it mean? And the fact that the mentioned fruit is very rich in useful substances. Among them, the most important is vitamin K, which is responsible for blood clotting. True, those who are strongly interested in it will have to turn their attention to the tops: this is where most of it is contained.

The root vegetable itself contains vitamins C and A and the most valuable folic acid, which is so necessary for the formation of red blood cells. Moreover, all this is on such a scale that the product in question only needs 70 grams to replenish the mentioned compounds. For comparison: to get the same amount of vitamin C, you will have to consume at least 200 g of radish, but it tastes much nastier!

You can also say about turnips that it is a preventive “grater” for the intestines. It contains a lot of coarse fibers that are difficult to digest; so, passing through our digestive system, they clean out everything “stagnant” and stimulate the gastrointestinal tract to work more intensely.

Correct selection and proper storage

If you did not grow the root vegetable yourself, but buy it at the market or in a store, know how to choose. It is better to buy a young vegetable - it is easy to identify by its thinner skin. From everything that is offered to you, choose a hard and uncracked specimen that has no wounds or defects. It is desirable that the tops are green and fresh. And most importantly, do not confuse what you are looking for with a radish! The easiest way to determine that this is a turnip (we study the photo carefully!) is by the white-lilac peel - radishes do not have this.

All that remains is to learn how to properly store vegetables. If you are going to use the tops, you need to cut them off, put them in water (like flowers) and put them on the refrigerator door. The vegetable itself must be washed, dried and stored in a cool and dry place.

Delicious to eat

They eat turnips mostly fresh - they are simply delicious in salads! To make you happy with the result, pour boiling water over the vegetable before adding it to the dish, and season the salad itself with a little lemon juice - it goes wonderfully with this root vegetable and reveals its taste. For example, a composition of turnips, parsley, cranberries and green sweet and sour apple would be wonderful.

Want healthy turnips? Follow the rules!

However, you won’t find fresh ones in every store; in this case, it’s the only way out. Especially if you have a summer cottage nearby. The culture itself is resistant to cold, not pampered, loves water, but does not require too much of it. Seeds are sown in early spring, as soon as the soil dries. A cool summer is not an obstacle to getting a great harvest. Turnips are quite suitable for areas where beans, cucumbers, onions, winter crops or tomatoes used to grow, that is, it is very flexible in terms of crop rotation.

So, if you have livestock (sheep, goats), turnips will become your reliable assistant in feeding them. And if not, grow it a little for your table. And you won't regret it!

Turnip root contains organic acids, flavonoids, and stearins in abundance. Saturated with fatty acids and essential oils, among which linoleic and linolenic oils predominate. The presence of mustard oil gives exceptional taste and original aroma.

The nutritional value of turnips is represented by proteins (1.05 g), carbohydrates (1.15 g), fats (0.2 g), dietary fiber (1.9 g), ash compounds (0.2 g), water occupies 95, 6%. The vitamin composition includes C, PP (NE), B3, B6; B1, B2, B9, A, E, K are also present. In the tops, the concentration of vitamins is several times higher. The mineral spectrum has 10 main elements: phosphorus, selenium, potassium, manganese, copper, iron, sodium, calcium, magnesium, zinc. An interesting fact is that after heat treatment, the glycemic index of turnips increases to 85, and the calorie content to 28 kcal.

How it affects the body

The benefit of turnip lies in the presence of medicinal components that remain unchanged after heat treatment and are not lost during long-term storage. When consuming the rhizome, the intestines are cleansed, the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is enhanced, sugar levels are normalized, and fats are burned. The symptoms of gout, arthritis, polyneuritis, and osteochondrosis are reduced. Joint pain is localized, problems of rheumatism and arthrosis are eliminated.

Turnip has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, diuretic, and analgesic effects. Improves blood composition, tones the immune and cardiovascular systems, regulates central nervous system processes, reduces overexcitation, and has a calming effect. Restores water-salt balance, relieves exacerbations of asthma, laryngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia.

The ability of turnip to influence the secretory activity of the thyroid gland and promote the formation of iodine-containing hormones has been proven. Turnip is useful for bleeding gums, urolithiasis, angina pectoris, and vitamin deficiency. Relieves inflammation of the mucous membrane, regulates blood clotting, restores the integrity and elasticity of blood vessels.

How to choose correctly

When buying turnips, you need to know that the young root is the most useful, it has a more delicate, sweetish pulp, and there is practically no pungency. The quality of the root crop depends on the integrity of the peel. The color of the rhizome is usually purple or white-lilac; there are varieties with yellow skin. The shape of the fruit depends on the varietal characteristics and varies from round to oblong types. If you purchase a product with tops, it is important that they are without yellowness or signs of wilting. In any case, the pulp should be juicy.

Storage methods

At low temperatures, turnips retain their quality from two weeks to a month. In the refrigerator, it is better to keep it in a “breathable” plastic bag in the vegetable compartment. It remains indoors without signs of wilting for about a week. The root does not tolerate sunlight and after two days loses moisture, the pulp becomes fibrous and dry.

What does it go with in cooking?

Turnips are ideal for fresh salads. Combines with carrots, root celery, turnips, cucumber, chopped egg, onions, dill, mint. Mayonnaise and sunflower oil are used for dressing. When stewed, it is served with fried beef, lamb, and pork.

Healthy combination of products

The ability of turnip to burn fat and speed up digestion makes the product ideal for diets aimed at losing weight. Low calorie content makes it possible to use without restrictions in weight loss programs. It is used to make light salads with the addition of your favorite vegetables, root vegetables, parsley, cilantro, celery, and lovage. The tops are used as salad greens. If desired, remove the bitterness by scalding the root with boiling water.

Contraindications

There are cases of intolerance to the product in the form of flatulence and heartburn. Turnips can be harmful in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, inflammation of the bladder, dysfunction of the liver, pancreas, and exacerbation of gastritis. Can cause allergies in the form of a rash.

Application in medicine and cosmetology

Turnip has been mentioned in herbalists since the 18th century as a remedy for scurvy and bleeding gums. Today, folk healers use the root to eliminate swelling, relieve coughing and asthma. A decoction with the addition of honey treats the respiratory tract, cardiovascular system, vitamin deficiency, and is prescribed to cleanse the intestines and increase immunity.

Fresh turnip juice is taken on an empty stomach to reduce blood glucose, applied as a compress during exacerbations of gout, or on purulent wounds. Crushed pulp in combination with goose fat treats frostbite and bedsores. The extract from the seeds is used as an anthelmintic drug. The raw root is used for increased nervous tone, insomnia, and is included in the diet for obesity.

Doctors include turnip in the treatment of urolithiasis, thrombosis, dysentery, gout, whooping cough, and heart rhythm disorders. A decoction of the tops is prescribed to treat joints, strengthen the walls of blood vessels, and improve blood quality. The decoction is recommended for rinsing with stomatitis, laryngitis, sore throat, gingivitis, and periodontal disease. Drink warm for colds, gastritis, and acute bronchitis.

In cosmetology, turnip is included in toning masks, especially popular for aging and dry skin. They are used in different ways in procedures: fresh root, baked, boiled, mashed tops, infusion of seeds. The product is mixed with carrot juice, sour cream, honey, olive and essential oil. A decoction of the root with leaves improves hair structure; in combination with burdock oil and onions, it is used for early baldness.

Previously, not a single feast was complete without this root vegetable. Today, few people know about turnips, but in vain, because the vegetable is very healthy. If you grow it at home using organic technologies, you can get an environmentally friendly plant that is valuable for adults and children. Not everyone will like the taste, but periodic use of the product will have a beneficial effect on the body's systems.

What is turnip

The second name of the species is forage turnip. Turnip is a biennial plant from the Brassica family. A special variety of rutabaga was originally grown to feed animals, and over time, breeders developed tasty root vegetables suitable for human consumption. There are about ten wonderful varieties with juicy pulp and different gastronomic notes. Just 30-50 g of vegetable compensates for the daily requirement of some valuable substances.

Composition of turnips

One hundred grams of product contains approximately 28 kcal, 1 g of protein, 1 g of fat and 6 g of carbohydrates. The composition of the vegetable is extremely rich. The root vegetable contains the following nutrients:

vitamins: B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, C, E, K, PP;
trace elements: zinc, manganese, iron, selenium, copper;
macroelements: sodium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium;
carbohydrates: di- and polysaccharides, dietary fiber;
fats: linoleic, linolenic acids (contained in seeds), mustard oil;
physiologically active substances: flavonoids, sterols, organic acids.

Plant species

The work of breeders has given humanity many delicious varieties of turnips. They are divided into white and yellow meat. The latter contain more dry matter and are stored better, but varieties with white flesh are more productive. Popular varieties of yellow-meat root vegetables:

Long Bortfeld. The variety is sweet and tasty, the pulp is medium juicy. The tops are underdeveloped, the leaves are raised, bright green. The root crop is elongated, half peeking out from under the ground. The harvest is almost entirely intact, without damage.
Yellow violet-headed. The core is tasty and slightly juicy. The tops are underdeveloped, the leaves are bright green on purple petioles, raised. The root crop is rounded and flattened, dark purple above, yellowing below. There are damaged vegetables.
Yellow Tankard. The pulp is juicy and tasty. The tops are highly developed, the petiolate leaves are green, semi-raised. The root crop is elongated, half immersed in the ground. The top of the vegetable is green and the bottom is yellow. There is little damage.
Finnish-bortfeldsky. The edible part is tasty and juicy. The tops are green, well developed, the leaves are petiolate and raised. The root crop is elongated, half peeking out from under the ground. The damage is isolated.
Greystone (Grey Stone). The pulp is tasteless, low in juiciness - a typical fodder variety. The amount of tops is average, the petioles are green, there are some yellow ones, raised. The above-ground part of the root crop is green, scaly, the underground part is yellow. The shape is round, flattened on top, the vegetable is recessed by a quarter of its volume. The harvest contains many damaged roots.

White-fleshed varieties are also popular. The best representatives of the species:

Osterzundomsky (Esterzundomsky). The pulp is of medium taste, with a bitter taste. The tops are underdeveloped, the leaves are green with purple petioles, semi-raised. The root crop is elongated, half deep. The vegetable is purple on top and white on the bottom. There is little damage.
Norfolk white round. The core is juicy and has a medium taste. The tops are highly developed, the leaves are green with purple petioles, semi-raised. The root crop is rounded and flattened, the color is purple. Damage is rare.
Six weeks. The pulp is tasty and juicy. The tops are underdeveloped, the petioles are green. The root crop is round, slightly flattened on top. Recessed into the ground by a quarter of the volume, color white. There are damaged roots.
Round redhead. The pulp is medium juicy, pleasant taste. The tops are voluminous, the petioles are raised. The root crop is rounded and flattened, one third sits in the ground. The color of the edible part is dark purple, turning white. There is a lot of damage, there are vegetables that are empty inside.
White ball. The core is juicy and tasty. Root crops are round, half sitting in the ground. The aboveground part is purple, the underground part is white. The variety was one of the last to be bred.

Benefits and harms

People who regularly eat this vegetable are more effective in resisting ARVI and influenza. Experts recommend including the product in the diet for diseases of the circulatory system. The root vegetable thins the blood, which prevents the development of thrombocytosis and normalizes blood pressure. Turnip strengthens arteries, veins and capillaries, reduces their permeability. Useful for anemia as it increases hemoglobin. During colds, flu, and bronchitis, the vegetable promotes the removal of sputum, increases sweating, removes fluid from the body, and relieves inflammation.

The phytoncides and mustard oil included in the composition inhibit the activity of bacteria and viruses. The juice calms the nervous system, improves attention, memory, and thinking. Turnip is good for the intestines: coarse fiber relieves constipation, removes toxins, improves the secretion of digestive juices, and stimulates peristalsis. The root vegetable lowers blood sugar levels, helps to lose excess weight, and improves appetite. Rutabaga should be consumed by people with osteochondrosis, gout, and polyneuritis. Decoctions and infusions of vegetables get rid of worms.

Healthy people may feel discomfort if they overeat turnips. The product causes bloating, reflux, dizziness and headaches. It is prohibited to use the crop for the following diseases:

gastritis with high acidity, stomach and intestinal ulcers;
varicose veins;
nephritis;
hypothyroidism;
hypertensive crisis.

Uses of turnip

The vegetable is actively used in folk medicine. Freshly squeezed juice helps remove kidney stones, fights coughs, relieves pain of various localizations, improves heart function, and is used to treat joint diseases. Fresh eliminates bleeding gums. A decoction of the root vegetable is drunk for asthma, bronchitis, tachycardia, to improve sleep and loosen the intestines. They are used to gargle with sore throat, gingivitis, stomatitis, and inflammation of the gums. An ointment based on turnips and goose fat treats frostbite, and a poultice of boiled vegetables relieves pain from gout.

Turnips are used in cooking as a main and secondary ingredient. Fodder turnips are added to salads, cutlets, lamb, pork, beef, and poultry. The taste is sharp, without a pronounced aroma, reminiscent of something between fresh cabbage and radish. The vegetable is combined with sour cream, vegetable oil, potatoes, cheese, and tomatoes. A great combination is turnips and a boiled egg. Americans stew turnips with ham and bake them in pots, while the Japanese fry the root vegetable with salt.

Growing and caring for turnips

In the first year of life, the plant develops a rosette of leaves and roots, and in the second year, flowers and seeds. The vegetable is unpretentious, gives a good harvest, and grows quickly. It is not afraid of cold weather - plants can withstand frost down to -8°C, but if the root crop is already formed, such a drop in temperature is critical. The plant does not tolerate drought, extreme heat, and loves moderate sun.

Sowing seeds and growing seedlings

Spring sowing of seeds in the ground is carried out in late April - early May, summer - in the first ten days of July. Planting material is mixed with coarse sand in a ratio of 1:10. This mixture is poured into peat pots and sprinkled with a layer of sand 1-1.5 cm thick. The soil is moistened using a fine spray, the crops are covered with glass or film, and transferred to a warm place.

As a representative of Cruciferous plants, turnips do not tolerate picking well, so they must initially be planted in separate pots. After germination, the strongest seedling is left in the pot. The rest are plucked (not pulled out!) so as not to damage the root system of the developed plant. Caring for fodder turnip seedlings is similar to caring for rutabaga and radish.

Planting and care in open ground

The seedlings are transferred outside in the second half of May. In Siberia, fodder turnips are planted with the onset of consistently warm weather. It is necessary to choose a sunny or partially shaded place in a low area. Basic rules for planting and care:

The best predecessors: strawberries, beets, spring and winter grain crops, annual grasses.
You cannot plant the plant immediately after cruciferous crops.
Optimal soil for root crops: loams, soddy-podzolic peatlands with an acidity of 5.0-6.5 pH.
Preparing the soil in the fall: digging up the site; to a depth of 20-25 cm, it is necessary to add rotted manure at the rate of 1 bucket per 3 m2, wood ash (1 cup per 1 m2) or Nitrophoska (1.5 tbsp per 1 m2). Do not fertilize the soil with fresh manure.
Rules for planting vegetables: the distance between the holes is 20-30 cm, the row spacing is 40-60 cm. Remove the pre-watered seedlings from the cups along with the soil. Place them in the hole, cover with soil, compact the soil, and water. If the seedlings are in peat pots, you can place the seedlings in the ground directly with the dishes. After watering, mulch the bed with peat.
Plant care measures: watering, loosening the soil, timely removal of weeds, fertilizing. After watering or rain, the soil is loosened to a depth of 8 cm and weeding is carried out. Before the first loosening, the ground can be sprinkled with mustard and ash - this will repel cruciferous flea beetles. If seeds were sown in open ground, after 2-3 leaves of the plant appear, you need to thin it out.

Watering turnips

With a lack of moisture, root vegetables become bitter, and excessive moisture makes them watery. Forage turnips need abundant watering, but the water should not wash away the soil from the top of the root crop. Water consumption for young plants is 5-6 l/m2, for formed turnips – 3-4 l/m2. It is necessary to water 1-2 times a week, while watching the weather conditions.

Plant nutrition

On poor soils, fertilizing is carried out twice a season. To do this, use organic matter: slurry (1:10) or a solution of chicken manure (1:20). In July or June, superphosphate is added to the organic solution - this increases the sugar content of the crop. Minerals such as manganese, copper and boron are useful for fodder turnips. They are introduced into moist soil, then the soil is loosened. If the soil is fertile, there is no need for fertilizers.

Diseases and pests

Leaves and roots suffer from the same diseases and pests as other members of the Cruciferous family. Prevention measures, methods of control and treatment are indicated in the table:

Name	Prevention	Treatment/fight

	When planting, add lime milk to the holes: dissolve 800 g of powdered lime in 10 liters of water, pour 250 g into each hole or add a suspension of colloidal sulfur 0.5%.	Remove diseased plants from the ground and burn over high heat. In the fall, treat beet tops with the preparation “Siyanie-1” and bury them in the ground.
	Thoroughly destroy weeds and bury the remains of cultivated plants to a depth of at least 0.5 m.	Remove all affected plants and burn. The disease is incurable.
Blackleg	Disinfect the soil with hot water, treat the seeds with Planriz or Fundazol, water the soil moderately, and do not overfeed with nitrogen fertilizers.	Disinfect the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate (1%), burn the diseased plant.
Vascular bacteriosis	Remove weeds in a timely manner, replant cruciferous vegetables no earlier than after 3-4 years, treat the seeds with garlic puree (25 g of garlic per glass of water, keep the seeds in the solution for 20 minutes, rinse). Dip the roots of the seedlings into a mixture of mullein, clay, and 0.4% Fitolavina-300 solution.	In the early stages, spray the tops and treat the soil with a 0.1% solution of the drug Binoram: 3 ml of the substance per 1 liter of water.
Pests
Cabbage fly	Adhere to the rules of crop rotation, dig the soil deeply, use repellents - naphthalene, tobacco dust. Plant garlic, tansy, dill, onions, caraway seeds, and mint between the beds.	Treat with insecticides: Karbofos, Topaz, Zemlin, pour in burdock infusion, use Agril or Lutarsil shelters.
Cruciferous flea beetle	Dig up the soil, remove weeds, plant dill, tomatoes, potatoes, marigolds, nasturtiums around the beds, and cover with special material in hot weather.	Treat with insecticides: Bankol, Actellik, Inta-vira. Folk remedies: treatment with a vinegar solution (10 liters of water + 1 glass of 9% vinegar), installation of glue traps.
	Plant repellent plants (coriander, onions, garlic, fennel), attract sparrows, tits, linnets and other birds that feed on aphids.	Wash off the aphids with water, spray with ash-soap, onion, garlic, tobacco solution, fumigate with tobacco smoke.
	Follow the rules of crop rotation, isolate Cruciferous plants, destroy Cruciferous weeds before they bloom. In autumn, burn plant remains and fallen leaves.	Spray the plants with a 0.4% suspension of DDT, 0.05% emulsion of thiophos or methylethylthiophos (400 l per 1 ha).

Cleaning and storing turnips

The root crop matures approximately 24 weeks from the moment of sowing. Signs of technical ripeness: yellowing, wilting and drying of the lower leaves. Plants sown in spring are harvested from the end of June. Early fodder turnips do not store well. Winter varieties are harvested in September/October, taking into account the temperature - frosts below -6°C should not be allowed. Root crops are pulled out or dug up, cleared of soil, and the tops are cut, leaving 2 cm of stems.

You can only store whole, dry and healthy turnips. Frozen root vegetables spoil quickly. The vegetable is kept at a temperature of 0-2°C and a humidity of 85-90%. The turnips are laid out on a flooring of boards, each layer sprinkled with sand. You can dig a trench up to 1 m in the garden, facing south-north, put root crops in it, sprinkle them with peat or dry soil, and cover the top with moisture-proof material.

How to cook turnips

A good quality vegetable is crunchy, has a sweetish taste, no bitterness or is felt very distantly. The product makes excellent cold soups and snacks. If the root vegetable is used to prepare a side dish, it must be combined with other ingredients, because not everyone will like the concentrated, sharp taste. Want to experiment in the kitchen? Try the recipes below.

Baked turnips with onion and cheese

Time: 40 minutes.
Number of servings: 4 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 1500 kcal.
Purpose: for lunch, for dinner.
Cuisine: Russian.
Difficulty: easy.

Gratin made from forage turnips turns out tender, pleasant to the taste, and aromatic. The combination with onions and cheese will appeal to many lovers of simple but delicious dishes. All products are available, the cooking process itself is quick and enjoyable. The amount of cheese can be varied, and if you want to get a delicious crispy crust, keep the gratin in the oven longer.

Ingredients:

turnips – 4 pcs.;
onions – 3-4 pcs.;
grated cheese – 2 cups;
butter – 4 tbsp. l.;
chicken broth – 100 ml;
heavy cream – 100 ml;
salt, pepper, herbs - to taste.

Cooking method:

Appetizer of pork, turnips and apples

Time: 85 minutes.
Number of servings: 8 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 2320 kcal.
Cuisine: Russian.
Difficulty: medium.

You can surprise guests during a feast with such an unusual appetizer. It's easy to prepare, but it takes time to cook. There are 290 kcal per serving. If you want to reduce the energy value of the dish, use chicken drumstick, rabbit instead of pork, or do not add butter. To keep the meat soft, you can marinate it in a medium-acid marinade.

Ingredients:

water – 3.5 cups;
pork shin – 400 g;
turnip leaves – 1 kg;
turnips – 600 g;
apple – 3 pcs.;
butter – 3 tbsp. l.;
apple cider vinegar – 2 tsp;
sugar – 2 tsp.

Cooking method:

Pour water into a large saucepan, add chopped turnip leaves, meat, ¼ tsp. salt. Bring to a boil, add butter, simmer over low heat for 20 minutes (the leaves should become soft).
Peel the apples and cut into small pieces.
Cut the turnips into small pieces. Add vegetables and apples to the pan, add vinegar, sugar, ½ tsp. salt, pepper Cook for another 20 minutes (apples and turnips should be soft).
Remove the meat and cut into small pieces.
Place the contents of the pan in a colander and allow the liquid to drain.
Mix the ingredients from the colander with the meat. The appetizer is ready.

Vegetarian soup

Time: 35 minutes.
Number of servings: 10 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 988 kcal.
Purpose: for second breakfast, for a snack.
Cuisine: Russian.
Difficulty: easy.

This soup is not too thick and not too thin. The dish is prepared in a four-liter saucepan. The undoubted advantages are the original taste, benefits for the body (it contains a lot of vitamins and minerals!), excellent variety of diet. The soup is very nutritious; if you wish, you can add other vegetables to it, such as zucchini. If vegetarianism is not for you, cook the dish with chicken broth.

Ingredients:

potatoes – 400 g;
carrots – 2 pcs.;
turnips – 400 g;
leeks – 2 pcs.;
onion – 1 pc.;
pearl barley – 100 g;
bay leaf, parsley, salt - to taste.

Cooking method:

Cut the potatoes and turnips into medium cubes and place in boiling water with pearl barley.
Cut the onion into small cubes, leeks into thin slices, celery into cubes/slices, carrots into medium cubes.
Sauté the vegetables in vegetable oil, add to the pan and cook until tender. Add some salt.
5 minutes before the end of cooking, add parsley, peppercorns, bay leaf.

Video

Photo of turnip

23.09.2017 8 100

Turnips – what is it and can it be eaten?

Today the question, what is turnip, does not arise among experienced gardeners; it is grown and eaten in many countries. But many people don’t even know what it looks like, what the benefits and harms of the vegetable are, and what can be prepared from it...

Turnips - what is it? – description of the root vegetable

Many gardeners grow root vegetables such as turnips in their garden plots; another name for this vegetable is fodder turnip. Few people know that this biennial plant belongs to the cabbage family and is a type of rutabaga.

Initially, fodder turnips were grown on state and collective farms to feed domestic animals, and only after a while did breeders manage to create a new variety of this plant, not only edible, but also incredibly tasty.

What does turnip look like? Visually, it resembles a turnip, only smaller in size. The shape of the root crop can be oval or round, slightly flattened at the poles. The color of the edible part of the plant is light purple; inside the turnip pulp is white or has a slightly yellow tint.

Turnip root vegetable - pictured

Important elements in the composition of vegetables

Interesting appearance and pleasant taste are not all the advantages of the root vegetable. Turnip is also a very beneficial vegetable for human health; it contains numerous substances important for the body. By eating 70 grams of this member of the cabbage family, you will replenish your body with the daily norm of nutrients.

Turnips includes the following elements:

Acids of organic origin
Squirrels
Carbohydrates
A large number of flavonoids, etc.

Vegetable seeds include linoleic and linolenic acids, oils based on the natural fats of the plant. Fiber and a whole complex of B vitamins, as well as vitamins A, E, K and others are also beneficial for humans. Turnips contain sufficient quantities of such an important element for human health as vitamin C. That is why this vegetable is recommended for consumption, first of all, for those who need to strengthen the walls of blood vessels.

Turnips - pictured

Mineral substances are also contained in turnips in large quantities, among them macroelements such as P, Mn, Mg, Ca, etc. Fe, Zn, Cu, related to microelements, are also present in turnips in the required quantities.

Due to the fact that there is no mustard oil among the beneficial substances that make up the root vegetable, turnips have a pleasant and rather unusual taste.

Turnips - what is it? This is an incredibly healthy food, ideal for those on a diet. Turnips for weight loss are used by women quite often, because they contain extremely few calories - 30 kcal per 100 grams of product.

Beneficial properties of turnip for the human body

Turnips, whose beneficial properties have long been appreciated, are necessarily included in their menu by people with many diseases, both acute and chronic. It is not only useful during an exacerbation of the disease, but also has an excellent preventive effect.

Scientists have been able to reveal that people who eat root vegetables at least sometimes are significantly less susceptible to infectious diseases and the influence of viruses. The scope of beneficial properties of turnip is quite extensive:

Positively affects the condition of the blood, thinning it, therefore, the risk of blood clots is significantly reduced
Promotes better sputum separation during ARVI
Normalizes blood pressure
Strengthens the walls of blood vessels
Helps relieve inflammation
Has restorative and regenerative abilities, heals wounds
Helps reduce pain when applied topically, etc.

According to scientists, eating turnips helps tidy up the nervous system. The study showed that lovers of root vegetables improve their memory, normalize their mental state, concentrate their attention, etc.

Turnips - what is it: it is also an excellent product for normalizing the functioning of the stomach and intestines due to the large amount of fiber it contains, which helps cope with constipation and excess weight, and improve intestinal motility. Experts recommend eating turnip dishes for those who suffer from diabetes, joint diseases, for example, osteochondrosis, gout, etc.

Who is this root vegetable contraindicated for?

Of course, turnip is a very healthy vegetable that has a positive effect on health. However, in some cases, consuming this root vegetable has negative effects.

After taking it, symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, discomfort in the intestines and other troubles may appear, and if these sensations are familiar to you, you should not eat this root vegetable. Turnips is contraindicated for people with the following indications:

Increased stomach acidity, gastritis
Varicose veins
Nephritis
High blood pressure, hypertensive crisis, etc.

What dishes are prepared from turnips?

Today there are quite a lot of recipes using turnips. As a rule, its main purpose is as a side dish for meat dishes. You can eat this vegetable as an independent vegetable. To do this, cut the root vegetable into cubes, add salt, pepper and other seasonings to taste and fry in oil until a crust forms. Place the fried pieces in a stewing container, pour in tomato paste and simmer for 15–20 minutes.

Turnips- one of the varieties of rutabaga, a plant of the Brassica family. Root vegetables are round in shape, sometimes oblong (see photo). Under the thin white-purple skin there is dense and juicy pulp. Its color can vary from white to yellow.

Turnip rutabaga first appeared in Southern Europe and Afghanistan. Today this vegetable grows on almost all continents.

Initially, turnips were used exclusively as animal feed, but later varieties were developed that could and even should be eaten.

Types and varieties

There are a large number of types and varieties of turnip rutabaga. Species are divided according to the color of their flesh into white-fleshed and yellow-fleshed. These varieties differ not only in the color of the pulp, but also in other factors. For example, yellow-meat turnip contains more useful microelements than white-meat turnip, but at the same time it is significantly inferior to it in terms of the amount of yield obtained. Also, these types of rutabaga differ slightly in the size of the root crops. In addition, yellow-fleshed turnip can be preserved much longer than its white-fleshed relative.

Each type of turnip rutabaga includes several varieties, which we will tell you about right now.

Yellow meat varieties include the following varieties:

« Bortfelskaya long" is a variety of rutabaga, which is characterized by underdeveloped tops and rich green leaves. The root vegetable has a yellow skin and is half buried in the ground. The root system is well developed, there are a lot of roots, so extracting a vegetable from the ground can be quite problematic.
« Yellow purple-headed"is a rutabaga with green leaves that have purple petioles, and the root vegetable itself is purple on top, gradually turning yellow below. There are few roots, making it easy to remove rutabaga from the ground. The pulp of the vegetable is juicy, soft and tasty.
Rutabaga " grayson"is distinguished by its green root crop, which turns yellow in the underground part. This variety is usually used as feed for livestock or birds, since the pulp of this rutabaga is dry and not very tasty.
« Yello-tankard" is a variety of yellow-fleshed rutabaga that resembles Grayson in appearance, as the upper part of the fruit is green in color, which turns yellow in the underground part of the vegetable. It has a large number of roots, which makes it difficult to remove from the ground. The flesh is dark, juicy and sweet.

White-fleshed turnips are also divided into several different varieties, of which the following are the most popular:

“Östersundom” rutabaga has a purple tint on top and white below, a slightly elongated rounded shape and a large number of roots, which makes the vegetable difficult to remove from the soil. The pulp is white, slightly bitter in taste.
"Norfolk" is a completely purple root vegetable that has a round and slightly flattened shape, as well as white and juicy flesh. Due to the fact that this variety of rutabaga is only one-fourth of the way into the ground and has a small number of roots, it is very convenient to remove it from the soil.
The “white ball” turnip variety of rutabaga was developed relatively recently. The root crop is purple-white in color and is impressive in size. The pulp is white, soft and sweet in taste. The vegetable has a small number of roots and is easily removed from the ground.
“Six-week-old turnip” is a completely white root vegetable with light and sweet flesh. The tops have a light green color. The shape of the vegetable is round, slightly flattened.

Any of the varieties of turnip rutabaga has underdeveloped tops, which makes it different from other relatives. The number of roots may vary depending on the variety.

Beneficial features

The beneficial properties of turnip rutabaga are very diverse, and all because this root vegetable has a rich composition of useful substances. For example, it contains more ascorbic acid than citrus fruits. You can learn more about the vitamin and mineral composition of the root vegetable in the table at the very end of the article.

This vegetable has a diuretic and anti-inflammatory effect on the body. In addition, it can be used as an antiseptic and wound healing agent. Turnips can also be an excellent pain reliever.

The juice of this vegetable can be used as a sedative and expectorant. The bactericidal effect of rutabaga is ensured by the presence of mustard oils and phytoncides.

Use in cooking

The useful root vegetable has found wide application in cooking. Most often, turnip rutabaga is used to prepare salads that go perfectly with meat dishes and various side dishes. In addition, root vegetables are added to stews, soups, side dishes, and they are also used to make very tasty and original sauces.

Turnips can be subjected to any type of cooking: frying, boiling, baking and stewing.

Young leaves of the plant, which taste similar to mustard, are also used for food. They are mainly added to salads, but sometimes also to stews to add flavor.

The benefits of rutabaga turnips and treatment

The benefits of turnip have been appreciated by traditional healers and scientists. For example, some doctors recommend including this root vegetable in their menu for people with obesity and diabetes. It is useful to use this vegetable as a means to improve intestinal health. This turnip is recommended to be used for polyneuritis, gout and salt deposits.

In folk medicine, there are many different recipes that include turnips. For example, a decoction of this vegetable is recommended for people with bronchitis and asthma. In addition, it helps normalize sleep and acts as a sedative for the heartbeat. This decoction also has a mild laxative effect.

A decoction of turnips is prepared in this way: the root vegetables are peeled and crushed, poured with boiling water (1 glass of water per 2 tablespoons of pulp), simmered over low heat for 20 minutes, filtered and cooled. Drink the decoction, dividing it either into 4 doses during the day, or drink it at once before bed.

If you rinse your mouth with a decoction of these root vegetables, you can get rid of toothache.

An ointment prepared from fresh root vegetables can be used to treat frostbite. And it’s very simple to make: approximately 60 grams of grated pulp are mixed with 4 tbsp. goose fat. This product is applied to the affected areas.

Turnip rutabaga is used as an anthelmintic and antitussive.

Boiled and crushed rutabaga turnips can be used as compresses for gout.

Damage to rutabaga turnips and contraindications

Turnips may cause harm to people with stomach and duodenal ulcers. Consumption of vegetables can cause bloating and increased gas formation, characteristic pain in the intestines. People with severe gastritis should avoid eating this root vegetable. In general, turnip is contraindicated for varicose veins, gastritis with increased acidity of gastric juice, hypertensive crisis, hypothyroidism, and nephritis.

Growing: planting and care

Growing, planting and caring for turnip rutabaga requires some knowledge if you want to get a quality harvest. We invite you to read the useful information from our article to grow this healthy and tasty vegetable.

First of all, I would like to mention that turnip rutabaga is a frost-resistant vegetable, which distinguishes it from its relatives. Root seeds are able to germinate at temperatures as low as one degree of heat, and young seedlings are able to continue growing in frosts up to five degrees below zero. However, if root vegetables have appeared, with frosts of three degrees below zero, the vegetables may deteriorate and stop growing. Most often, the plant does not tolerate high temperatures well, preferring coolness, so turnip rutabaga grows best in September and October, especially if autumn is rainy.

As for the type of soil, turnip rutabaga grows best on turf and peat soils, the acidity of which is not too high.

Now let's look at how to properly sow rutabaga and care for the harvest at home:

Before sowing, it is necessary to collect the seeds and subject them to air-heat treatment for five days.
When sowing, there should be a distance of at least sixty centimeters between the rows.
The sowing time for rutabaga turnips is from the end of May to the end of August.
Before planting seeds in the ground, you must first fertilize the soil with vegetable humus.
The sowing holes should be two centimeters deep.
After the first shoots appear, it is necessary to plant them in such a way that the distance between them is about fifteen centimeters.

After sowing rutabaga seeds, you just have to wait for the shoots to appear. After you plant them, you need to provide the plants with proper care. Be sure to remove all weeds and loosen the soil between the sprouts. Rutabaga also needs regular watering. Do not overwater the vegetables so that the water does not drain away for a long time; it will be enough to moisten the soil so that the moisture penetrates to the roots. After the root crops appear, the amount of water for irrigation should be reduced by half.

To harvest rutabaga in the fields, a tractor with special attachments is used, and when harvesting by hand, you will need a small shovel. It does not need to be used if the rutabaga variety allows you to extract the root crop without effort. If the vegetable has a large number of roots, you need to carefully dig, freeing the rutabaga from the ground, and freely pull it out of the garden bed.