TURNIP

Introduction

The turnip is a member of the cabbage family, a cruciferous vegetable. Like most of the cruciferous vegetables, it hails from Europe and North Asia. It is unsure how long they have been in use, but we do known that the Romans were particularly partial to them and cultivated them on a large scale.

Turnips are a root vegetable: the part generally eaten grows below ground, sometimes protruding slightly. They are normally around 2-3 inches across and grow in conical or round shapes. There is also a giant variety that is yellow in colour as opposed to white.

Turnips became popular in central Europe around the 15th century and were common in England by the reign of Henry VIII. Traditionally the best turnips are those grown in Hackney, London, but this is probably not the case any longer due to urban development. Turnips are used today across the world, but particularly in European and Far Eastern cookery.

What do they do?

The root part of the vegetable, the part that we eat most commonly, is not amazingly full of vitamins and minerals, apart from a small amount of vitamin C. It does, however, contain powerful anti-mutagenic agents known as glucosinolates and indoles. These are characteristic for most members of the cabbage family. It is not certain quite how these agents work, but they have been proven to prevent development of polyps in the intestines, the growths that can turn malignant. These compounds will prevent numerous sorts of mutation in the intestines, stomach, colon and rectum.

The only other nutritional value in the root is the large amount of insoluble fibre. This is the part of the vegetable that the body cannot digest, so it has to excrete it through the rectum. This solid matter moving through the intestines pushes the rest of the undesirable waste out with it. When fibre is eaten regularly, bowel movements also become regular. This means that the body disposes of its unwanted matter efficiently and regularly. This in turn reduces the chances of physical damage in such areas of the body.

Besides the value of the root part of the vegetable, it is important to emphasise the enormous value of the leaves. They contain far more vitamins than the root and these are important vitamins - vitamin C and pro-vitamin A. Vitamin C boosts the body’s immune system to make it far more capable of defending against any sort of virus or infection.

Beta carotene (the pro-vitamin which converts to vitamin A in the body) and vitamin C are known as antioxidants, which act as guards for the cells. When an oxygen free radical enters the body, whether it be via cigarette smoke, pesticides or an air-borne pollutant, it will head straight for the healthy cells. When it reaches a cell it will actually alter the cells’ basic DNA structure, leading to a mutation which will cause dysfunction of the cell. However, if it meets an antioxidant then the threat is neutralised and the disruption is avoided. Therefore, the more antioxidants that are consumed, the less likely it is for a carcinogen to actually reach a cell and mutate it into cancer.

The leafy greens are much like spinach and can be eaten with almost anything. Salads or soups made from them are delicious. However, it is important to remember when cooking them that very quick steaming preserves the nutritional value of vegetables the most. Long boiling will destroy some of the vitamin C. The Chinese know how best to cook vegetables, using the steam method regularly, and that is why they have some of the lowest rates of malignant disease in the world.