Description, useful properties and contraindications of turnip

For a long time, many of the vegetables our ancestors used not only for food, but also as medicines for various diseases. Especially prized ordinary turnip, containing a diverse amount of trace elements, vitamins and other beneficial substances. We will discuss its useful properties and contraindications in this article.

What are turnips?

Turnip belongs to the cruciferous family. It looks like a plant with a large succulent root with a diameter of 8 to 20 centimeters, which usually goes as food and leaves, which are at the growth from above. In the first year, under good conditions, it only grows basal leaves, and the inflorescences and stem leaves appear next year.

Pink turnip Yellow turnip White turnip

Considered the native land of the vegetable is Western Asia, but it was also distributed in other parts of our world. For example, in ancient Egypt, the builders of the pyramids used it as food, since turnip replenished the forces lost in the work. The ancient Persians and Greeks considered this root crop to be too simple, therefore they fed only slaves.

In Russia, it was very important. She was boiled, baked, salted, stuffed and even sour for the winter. But after Peter the Great introduced potatoes into the widespread use, the root crop somewhat lost its former popularity.

It is because of this that turnip is respected in the modern world.

Useful properties of vegetable

Turnip is a very rich root vegetable. Two hundred grams of chopped vegetable contains:

Vitamins

• C, 21 mg.
• A, 18 µg.
• B1, 0.05 mg.
• B2, 0.04 mg.
• E, 0, 1.
• PP, 2 mg.
• Beta-carotene, 0.1 mg.

Vitamins and trace elements turnips

Minerals

• Calcium, 50 mg.
• Potassium, 240 mg.
• Magnesium, 16 mg.
• Sodium, 18 mg.
• Phosphorus, 35 mg.
• Iron, 0.8 mg.

Composition

• 90 g of water;
• 6 g mono- and disaccharide;
• 2 g dietary fiber;
• 0.8 grams of ash;
• 0, 3 g of starch;
• 0.1 g of organic acids.

Turnip is valuable because it contains a very valuable and rare element - glucoraphanin, which fights against cancer cells and has antiseptic properties.

100 grams of root vegetables contain 28 kcal.

Proteins: 1.5 g.( 6 kcal)

Fat: 0.1 g( 1 kcal)

Carbohydrates: 5.1 g( 21 kcal)

Benefits for the body

Due to the high content of nutrients and nutrients, the scope of the beneficial effects of turnips on the human body is large:

• Low-calorie vegetable. Suitable for those who are on diets, and for the prevention of excess weight, as it gives a feeling of satiety for a long time. From turnip you can cook a large number of various dishes, which means that its taste will not get bored.
• Antibiotic. Delays and prevents the development of certain pathogenic bacteria that are dangerous to human health.
• Improves the digestive process. It has a positive effect on the activity of the liver, preventing the development of gallstones. Also, the fiber contained in this root crop affects the contraction of the intestinal walls, protecting from stagnation of nutrients. Lowers the amount of cholesterol in the body.
• Dentist. Turnip juice and pulp strengthens the teeth and gums, cleansing them of harmful bacteria and preventing the development of diseases of the oral cavity.
• Natural antiseptic. Does not develop inflammation, accelerates wound healing, and also relieves pain.
• Cleansing the body of toxins. Quickly removes harmful substances from the body due to diuretic action.
• Prevention of beriberi. In winter, the vegetable is a source of large amounts of vitamins and trace elements, supporting immunity and protecting against viral diseases.
• For respiratory illnesses. Vegetable juice softens the symptoms of bronchitis and asthma, as well as relieves cold inflammations in the throat and restores the seated voice.
  Turnip improves digestion. Turnip leaves are rich in vitamins. Turnip decoction as a sedative. Turnip juice has a lot of healing properties.

• Soothing. Broths from the root helps to normalize sleep, affect the increased heart rate( for example, with tachycardia), calming and slowing it to normal levels.

Contraindications to the use of

• Due to the high content of cellulose in the fibers, it can cause bloating and gas in people who rarely eat this root vegetable.
• Harmful to people with thyroid disease, as it affects the production of hormones and iodine.
• Dangerous for people with diseases of the urinary system due to its diuretic action.
• It is better not to use turnip in raw form for people with dentures, as its flesh is quite hard and can spoil the artificial material.
• A raw vegetable is dangerous for patients with inflammation of the stomach and intestines.
• You can not use this vegetable and people with acute heart failure.

Rash as an allergic reaction to turnips

Allergy to this vegetable is rare, but still represents a danger. If a person is trying this vegetable for the first time, then he should eat a small slice of a root crop and begin to observe his well-being.

Food intolerance of the root is manifested as:

• nausea;
• lip swelling;
• acute abdominal pain;
• vomiting and diarrhea;
• rash on the body.

In traditional medicine

The use of turnips in traditional medicine is very common. Most often, decoctions, compresses, and infusions are prepared from it and are simply ground to a slurry for ingestion.

Treatment of respiratory diseases. The antiseptic properties of the root, as well as its ability to relieve swelling, are suitable for treating colds and alleviating asthma attacks. For this purpose, a decoction is prepared and taken during the whole illness. And chopped boiled turnips are eaten to restore the vocal cords.

Turnip Salad for Avitaminosis

Bruises and small wounds. For disinfection and rapid healing of the edges of the wound is treated or vegetable juice, or impose a slice of turnip on it. To remove the edema and bruises use a bandage, inside which is wrapped the pulp of the root.

For the prevention and treatment of beriberi. In this case, the raw vegetable is added to various salads, or 3 tablespoons of grated pulp is used several times a day. It is also useful for improving visual acuity.

With gout. Chopped boiled turnip mixed with ghee put on a sore point. In addition to the healing effect, it relieves pain.

With arrhythmias. Drinking a few tablespoons of root juice per day has a beneficial and calming effect on heart rhythms, bringing the number of contractions of the heart muscle to the normal health of a person.

For diseases of the oral cavity. To relieve a toothache, turnip juice rinsing your mouth 3 times a day. Also, this procedure prevents the development of pathogenic bacteria. If the gums bleed, then you should rinse your mouth with decoction.

A turnip slice helps with minor wounds.

During a diet. Since with a low calorie turnip, a turnip is a very satisfying product, potatoes are often replaced in the diet. In addition, it regulates digestion and improves bowel function.

Insomnia Cure. A decoction of this vegetable is consumed before bedtime. And you can also put a saucer with frayed pulp in the room, its smell calms and promotes deep healthy sleep.

Use of turnip in cosmetology, medicine and life

Because of its rich content of vitamins, turnip was used as a cosmetic in ancient Russia. To get the skin more nutrients, the pulp of the root crop was applied as masks, and the face was rubbed with juice, and the hair was rinsed with a decoction of vegetables.

To cleanse the skin of the face: with a piece of peeled vegetable, wipe the skin in a circular motion, and then rinse it with clean water at room temperature and dry it with a towel with a hard nap.

From freckles: apply root juice on clean, dry skin with a cotton pad and hold for 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. To heighten the effect, you can add lemon juice, but provided that the skin type of the face is oily. For dry skin, the vegetable flesh is mixed with a small amount of milk or kefir, and is applied in a thick layer on the face. Such a mask can be done every other day.

Turnips are used in cosmetology for making masks.

For moisturizing and nourishing the skin: for a deeper effect, the flesh of the turnips is best mixed with the fresh pulp of other vegetables, such as cucumber, tomato, carrots. Such a mask in addition to nutrition, also removes signs of fatigue from the skin, smoothing it, making it more fresh and elastic.

To normalize the function of the sebaceous glands: the ground vegetable pulp is mixed with egg white and keep the mask on the face for about 15 minutes.

If there is no redness after 10-15 minutes, you can use a root vegetable as a cosmetic.

In modern medicine, turnip is most often used as an expectorant and diuretic. But doctors are very careful with this vegetable, so it is not widely used in classical medicine.

As an

foodstuff The most important value of a turnip in everyday life is eating. It can be cooked like:

Simple snack. Thinly chopped root pulp is mixed with chopped cucumber and curd cheese, salted. The resulting mass is put in tartlets.

Turnip puree Caramelized turnip Baked turnip Turnip porridge

Main course. Small root vegetables, peeled and cut into floors, pickled for half an hour in a mixture of mayonnaise, soy sauce and crushed garlic. After wrapped in foil and baked on coals or in the oven. Serve, decorated with greens.

Dessert. In the pan, preheat the sugar with a small amount of water( 3 to 1), after the mass thickens, it is completely dipped in slices of the root crop, strung on skewers. Next, caramelized turnips sprinkled with powdered sugar and served to the table.

Recipes from the traditional Russian vegetable, there are a large number, moreover, even with heat treatment, it does not lose most of its beneficial properties.

Turnip is a very valuable and nutrient-rich vegetable, the correct use of which not only nourishes, but also heals the entire body in different directions, contributing to a slim figure and outward beauty.