Turnip

A turnip is a root vegetable that is grown to feed both people and agricultural animals. The term root vegetable means that the part of the plant that is eaten grows below ground as part of the root system. However, the leaves of the plant are edible as well and offer other health benefits. Turnips, along with their close cousins the rutabagas, are members of the Brassica genus, which also includes cabbages. Rutabagas, which are larger and slightly sweeter tasting than turnips, are most likely a hybrid that resulted from breeding turnips with cabbages. Turnips, rutabagas, and cabbage are part of the Brassicaceae family, or the mustard family.

In addition to being cultivated for human and animal food, turnips grow wild in some areas. Evidence indicates they have been eaten for centuries and have been important for other uses as well.

Background

The word turnip is believed to have developed around the year 1530 in Europe. It is thought that the word was originally turnepe, a combination of the words turn and naep. The turn portion of the name is thought to have originated from the idea of using a lathe to turn wood for shaping. It is believed this refers to the shape of the turnip, which is round and bulbous and gives the appearance of having been turned on a wood lathe. Naep is an Old English word from the Latin word napus, which means "turnip." The two parts of the name were combined in the sixteenth century and assumed the contemporary form near the end of the eighteenth century.

The botanical name for the turnip is Brassica rapa. Evidence shows turnips grew wild in Siberia for many centuries. Scholars believe that prehistoric humans were actively cultivating turnips for food. Evidence also shows that they were being grown in India as a farm crop before the fifteenth century B.C.E. At that time, growers were interested in the seeds, from which an edible oil can be extracted. The Romans and Greeks also grew turnips as a food crop at the heights of their power. The trend continued in Medieval Europe; however, while popular and eaten in huge numbers, turnips were held in very low esteem. They were considered a common food and only the poor consumed them out of necessity.

Once the turnip reached colonial America, it was adopted into the diet of African slaves and others who were accustomed to eating cooked greens. Where these slaves were cooks in white households, they often introduced dishes that featured turnips and their greens. Eventually they became staple foods in the American South.

At least six hundred years ago, people discovered that turnips could also serve as a forage, or a food crop for agricultural animals such as sheep and cows. Initially farmers grew and harvested the turnips for feed. Late in the twentieth century, however, researchers discovered that special varieties of turnips grow with part of the root exposed. This allows animals to graze in turnips fields. The animals are able to consume both the leaves and the roots, which provides them with the nutrition they need through a less labor-intensive process.

Overview

Turnips, like all members of the Brassica genus, are cruciferous vegetables. In addition to the turnip and cabbage, the cruciferous vegetables include arugula, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, bok choy, and Brussels sprouts. The turnip is frequently confused with another member of this genus, the rutabaga. While they are similar in shape and come in some of the same colors, rutabagas do not get bitter when they grow larger. Turnips are generally harvested when small for the best flavor.

Turnips are a biennial, which means it takes two years for them to complete their full growth cycle, including flowering and setting seeds. They grow better in cooler weather, so they are often grown as a fall crop. The greens respond well to a frost and can be consumed after the first frost, while the roots, if properly protected, can overwinter in the ground. The colder weather usually concentrates the plant's natural sugar content and increases the sweetness of the root.

In many areas, turnips are sowed and harvested for their greens, which are served cooked or in salad. Seeds are sown in rows that are at least six inches apart. The plants should be thinned to be about four inches apart once they have reached a few inches tall. Since even the very young greens are edible, the thinned plants can be used as food for people or animals.

For best taste and texture, the turnip root is harvested when it has reached a diameter of about two to three inches. Turnips may be cooked in many of the same ways as potatoes, including boiling, frying, roasting, and mashing. They may be used in a cold salad with a mayonnaise dressing (like potato salad). In some areas of the world, turnips are pickled.

Some experts consider both the turnip root and the leaves to be superfoods, providing many health benefits. They are high in fiber and low in calories while also being rich in many healthy nutrients, which makes them a good choice for dieters and those with chronic health conditions. The fiber is useful for helping to control the symptoms of diverticulitis, an inflammatory condition of the digestive system. Turnips also contain potassium and nitrates, both of which have positive effects on the cardiovascular system and help to control blood pressure. The vitamin C they contain is useful for healthy eyes and several other conditions.

Some people do not like turnips and other foods in the Brassica genus because they can have a bitter taste. This is caused by sulforaphane, a compound within the plants. However, researchers believe that sulforaphane also contains powerful cancer-fighting agents. Researchers have been working to determine how to leverage this as an advantage in treating various forms of cancer.

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