The saying goes that you can't get blood out of a turnip. You can, however, get quite a bit of nutritional value. Eating raw turnips offers a range of vitamins and minerals along with a satisfying crunch. This vegetable can be an acquired taste, particularly if you consume large turnips -- they have a strong flavor. For a mild, sweet flavor, look for young or baby turnips. Regardless of which you choose, eating this vegetable is good for your health.
Nutrition Basics
A 1-cup serving of raw turnip cubes serves up 36 calories and only trace amounts of fat. This root vegetable contains 1 g of protein, or 1.7 to 2.1 percent of the quantity you require each day. One serving has 8 g of carbohydrates, a macronutrient vital for your energy needs; men need 325 g of carbs daily and women need 225 g per day. Turnips serve as a good source of fiber, with 2 g per serving.
Vitamins
Eat turnips to boost your vitamin C intake; each serving of this vegetable provides 46 percent of the daily recommended intake. The vitamin C you get from turnips assists your body's iron absorption capabilities, although you may think of it as a nutrient your body needs to protect against colds. This vegetable serves up B vitamins as well, with 6 percent or less of the suggested consumption of vitamin B-6, folate, thiamin, niacin and pantothenic acid.
Minerals
Turnips contain 9 percent of the manganese your body requires daily, which helps you metabolize fat and carbohydrates and keeps your brain functioning correctly. You also take in 7 percent of the daily recommended intake of potassium and 6 percent of the copper you need per serving. Including turnips in your diet also provides smaller amounts of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.
Breast Cancer Protection
Consuming some types of turnips may decrease your risk of cancer. A study published in the June 2003 issue of the "International Journal of Cancer" indicates that a study of Chinese women indicated that eating Chinese white turnips may be beneficial for preventing breast cancer. More studies are needed to determine why turnips are useful for cancer prevention, the amount of turnip that provides the best protection and whether all types of turnips are useful for this purpose.
Considerations
Researchers worry that turnips may cause allergies, according to evidence in the August 2008 edition of the journal "Pediatric Allergy and Immunology." Finland researchers note that 11 percent of children with atopic dermatitis tested turned up a positive allergic reaction to turnips as well as oilseed. A study of 64 children with this reaction had been breast-fed for a period of four months or longer and had higher allergic reactions to other foods.
References
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Root Vegetables Move Into the Spotlight; K. Herzog; Oct. 12, 2010
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Turnips, Raw
- MayoClinic.com; Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork With These Nutrition Guidelines; February 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Dietary Fiber: Essential For a Healthy Diet; November 2009
- University of Florida Extension; Facts About Vitamin C; L. Bobroff, et al.; April 2006
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Manganese; Jun. 6, 2009
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