Need tips on how to use rutabaga for its many health benefits? Read on to learn all about this intriguing root veggie. What Is a Rutabaga? SRUC. "Swedes and Turnips – SRUC". sruc.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 31 December 2019 . Retrieved 9 November 2013.

Brassica napus rapifera". International Plant Names Index (IPNI). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Harvard University Herbaria& Libraries; Australian National Botanic Gardens . Retrieved 30 October 2009.Turnips are slightly more bitter than rutabagas and another root vegetable, potatoes. They often look the same as potatoes when boiled and mashed, but you’ll definitely be able to taste the difference between the two. Peeling the turnip generously before boiling and mashing it will decrease the bitterness of the flavor.

Since turnips have lower calories, they can be great for people who want a low-cal diet. But keep in mind that it is also high in sodium compared to rutabaga.Thanks to its origins in northern Europe, rutabaga is called Swede or Swedish turnip in most of Europe, as well as other British Commonwealth countries like Australia and New Zealand. They can boiled and mashed or pureed – they’re delicious when you cook and mash or puree them with carrots, a bit of butter and a big pinch of brown sugar, or you can roast them as cubes or fries. If the size is daunting, peel (they’re thin-skinned) and cube them and keep them in the fridge or freezer for soups, stews or curries – or just cook a handful in a skillet with butter, salt and pepper. Delicious. Use the paring knife or vegetable peeler to remove the outer layer of the rutabaga, just like you would for a potato. Rutabagas are typically dipped in wax so they will hold up better in storage — so make sure to remove all of the wax before cooking.

Delange F, Iteke FB, Ermans AM. Nutritional factors involved in the goitrogenic action of cassava. Ottawa: International Development Research Centre, 1982. Uncooked and thinly julienned rutabaga is often served as a side dish salad in school and workplace lunches. Raisins or canned pineapple in light syrup are often added to the rutabaga salad. Sometimes, thinly sliced raw carrots are mixed with rutabaga. This is believed to have originated in the original Best of Bridge cookbook series – made with rutabaga, turnip or winter squash (or try a combination), the veggies are mashed and mixed with a bit of butter, brown sugar and egg, which makes it puff up slightly as it bakes, giving it a lighter texture. Some people assemble it ahead of time, refrigerate and bake it when they need it. I made it yesterday for the Eyeopener, and fed the leftovers to my dad, a longtime root vegetable non-enthusiast. It was a hit both times. Just one cup of rutabaga contains approximately 50% of your daily value of vitamin C. They’re also rich in fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, and magnesium — and low in calories. An entire medium-sized rutabaga has only 145.

Epidemiological studies suggest that brassica vegetables in particular are protective against cancers of the lungs and alimentary tract. In the US, rutabagas are not widely eaten but may be found as part of stews or casseroles, served mashed with carrots, or baked in a pasty. They are sometimes included in the New England boiled dinner. Turnips have been cultivated for centuries. People love them for their versatility and nutritional content. Finnish supermarkets sell alternative potato chips made from root vegetables, such as rutabagas, beetroots and carrots. The main way you’ll be able to tell apart rutabaga from a turnip is that rutabagas are much bigger than turnips. Typically, a rutabaga is almost twice the size of a turnip.

It also plays a key role in the synthesis of collagen, an important protein that keeps your skin strong. UV exposure can damage collagen, and vitamin C plays a role in both creating collagen and protecting it ( 14, 15). In addition to being rich in glucosinolates, the rutabaga is also a high-antioxidant food filled with powerful antioxidants known as carotenoids, some of which the body can turn into vitamin A. Both turnips and rutabagas like cool weather and the sweetness of both is greatly enhanced by exposure to hard frosts. Both like soils rich in potassium and phosphorus, but not in nitrogen. Adding bone meal and wood ashes to the soil before planting increases the potassium and phosphorus. Turnips can be planted in the early spring for a spring crop and midsummer through early fall for a fall to winter crop. Rutabagas prefer to be planted in mid to late summer for a fall or winter crop. Seed should be sown thinly, about ½ inch deep in rows 12-18 inches apart. Plants should be thinned to 5 inches apart. If you haven’t had rutabaga before, it’s a brassica vegetable also known as a yellow turnip or Swede (short for Swedish turnip) – it’s big, about the size of a coconut, and purply, making it look like a large turnip. They’re believed to be a cross between cabbage and turnip, but taste more like mellow winter squash – raw, they’re crunchy and snappy, and remind me of peppery radish. Cooked, they’re pale yellow, less starchy than potatoes, reminiscent of butternut squash with a hint of turnip.

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Pour in the water, red pepper flakes, and brown sugar. Stir to evenly coat the turnip greens and sautėe until the greens are just tender. Serve immediately with cornbread. Nutritional Value of Rutabagas and Turnips Rutabaga, on the other hand, is a great source of vitamins and minerals. It outweighs turnips a great deal with a higher value for Vitamin C, calcium, iron, and potassium. It also has higher dietary fiber content and protein despite the fact that it has more calories. Conclusion Rutabagas are about twice the size of turnips when mature due to the amount of time each crop gets left in the ground. Turnips tend to turn woody and bitter when allowed to stay in the ground too long.