BENEFITS OF TURNIPS
What are turnips good for?
Photo of turnips |
Turnips are a good protection against cancer.
Turnips are plants of the Cruciferae family grown as edible roots.
These plants, of the same family as cabbage, radishes, broccoli and mustard, are rich in a type of medicinal compounds called glucosinolates.
The glucosinolates are substances spicy and sour flavor, responsible for the characteristic, for example, the spicy mustard sauce or arugula.
In the body, glucosinolates have antioxidant and anticancer effects. Therefore, turnips, like many cruciferous plants are closely related to the prevention of cancer.
Compared with other brassicas, turnips have one of the highest percentages in glucosinolates, which makes it an essential food in diets for cancer.
There is scientific evidence that a diet rich in cruciferous vegetables like turnip, is protective against various cancers, including breast, lung, colon, rectum and prostate.
(More information on Cruciferae against cancer)
Turnips as anti-aging food.
Turnips, served with olive oil is an anti-aging food because it contains selenium and vitamin E (in the oil). Selenium is an antioxidant mineral that stimulates the immune system, protects cells from external agents and prevents degenerative diseases.
Turnips, a remedy for cold.
Turnips are traditionally used for chest, because they help treat chest congestion. They have diaphoretic properties, which increase sweat, and help treat fever. Because of its high content of vitamin C are helpful to fight infections.
Turnips for skin and hair.
Because of its richness in minerals and vitamin C, raw turnips are beneficial to improve the appearance of skin, nails and hair. (With 100g. of turnip we obtain 20mg of vitamin C, that is, one-third of the daily requirement of vitamin C in adults. It is ideal to take grated in cleansing salads)
Turnips, a diuretic resource.
This root is a remedy very well known because of its diuretic properties, because it is rich in minerals like potassium, an other components, just as arginine and fiber, which promote diuresis. It is a highly recommended food for gout and rheumatic diseases because it helps to purify the blood and eliminate toxins from the body. It is also a suitable food for people with fluid retention, edema and varicose veins.
Because of its detoxifying properties, turnip still appears in some studies as “anti-winy” (antivinous). This food was recommended to consume in people addicted to alcohol to help remove the toxins from the body.
Turnips, very suitable for obesity and diabetes.
Turnips are root vegetables highly recommended to take for weight loss diets in case of overweight or obesity or a diet for diabetes.
These vegetables have few calories, and they are rich in fiber and also have the benefits of diuretic and antioxidant phytochemicals, so, eating them can increase our body’s health. This is the case of folate present in turnip, which reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by regulating homocysteine levels.
One serving of turnip (200g.) contains only 54kcal., Which is less than half what gives us potato (110kcal./200g. Potato). The same amount of turnip gives us little carbohydrates and a considerable amount of fiber, which in turn, brings satiety and helps lower cholesterol.
| People who are overweight or those with diabetes can benefit from the properties of turnip in a hypocaloric diet, substituting potato dishes by turnip dishes. Indeed,turnip is an ideal food to replace potato in our diet, combined with vegetable dishes, soups or creams. The energy content is much lower, and it is also a proparation full of antioxidants. |
More information about turnips.
