Health Benefits of Turnips - Turning up the Nutritional Value!

Turnips have a variety of health benefits, including the following:

protecting against cancers
anti-hypertensive (blood pressure lowering)
anti-diabetic
antioxidant
anti-inflammatory
hepatoprotective (protecting the liver)
nephroprotective effects (protecting the kidney)

All of these health benefits are discussed in this presentation. Also included are links to this nutrition article and my recipes incorporating turnips so you can reap the benefits in your diet! Nothing like turnips to turn up the nutritional value in your cooking. This content is from my blog, Lauren's Veggie Kitchen.

Hi, I’m Lauren, and I’d like to share with you a bit about Lauren’s Veggie Kitchen and why I started this blog. After completing a Master of Science in Health Communication from Boston University, I became extremely interested in researching the health benefits of certain foods, and I wanted to share my findings with the world. I also wanted to explore the creativity and joy of cooking, an art that many people have abandoned in today’s fast-paced, fast food world. I hope you will subscribe to receive healthy, vegetarian recipes, articles on healthy ingredients and nutrition, cookware recommendations, and more!

1. Health
Benefits
of
Turnips
Turning up the
nutritional value!
laurensveggiekitchen.com

2. Table of
Cotent
Turnip plant
Anti-cancer
Anti-aging
Flavonoids
Carbs and
Indoles
Fiber and
Vitamins
Antioxidant
Antidiabetic
Nephroprotective
Cruciferous
vegetables
Recipes

3. Turnip Plant
Turnips belong to the brassica
genus, same classification as broccoli
and Brussels sprouts
Originated in Europe, Russia, Central
Asia, and the Near East
Commonly cultivated as vegetable
and oil source all over the world
Great roasted along with beets
Healthy spring vegetable

4. Anti-Cancer
Turnips contain glucosinolates and isothiocyanates such as 2-phenylethyl, 4-pentenyl,
and 3-butenyl derivatives that protect against cancer.
Isothiocyanates can induce apoptosis (process by which the body rids itself of
abnormal cells) in various cancer cell lines.
The 2-Phenylethyl isothiocyanate in turnip root has demonstrated a tendency to
prevent the growth of human-derived hepatoma (liver tumor) cells. Possible inhibitor
of DNA oxidative damage and mutagens.
Isiothiocyanates 2-phenylethyl and benzyl may reduce the formation of lung cancer
caused by benzo(a) pyrene (a chemical emitted by certain substances when not burned
completely).
Study on three cancer cell lines (Hep-2, AMN-3 and Hela) in vitro (in the lab, not the
body) found that the aqueous (in water) extract of turnip showed significant inhibition
against ANM-3 (63%) and Hep-2 (42%) cells at a concentration of 1250 μg/mL, and
against Hela cells (64%) at a concentration of 10 mg/mL.

5. Anti-
Aging
Sulforaphane - anti-
aging compound
preventing stress-
induced inflammation
from continuing to occur
long-term in the body
Glucosinolates in turnips transform into sulforaphane
when broken down during the chewing process
Sulforaphane in turnips and other brassica vegetables
may combat leukemia
Sulforaphane may also minimize damage inflicted by
UV exposure

6. Flavonoids
Flavonoids are present in turnips as glycosides (compounds containing a sugar
where the hydroxyl group attached to the first carbon is substituted by an
alcoholic, phenolic, or other group)
Kaempferol, quercetin, and isorhamnetin are the most common aglycones (non-
carbohydrate compounds that result when the glycosyl group in a glycoside
molecule is replaced by a hydrogen atom)
While present in multiple parts of the turnip, flavonoids were most prevalent in
the turnip greens
Flavonoids protect against UV, pigmentation, stimulate nitrogen-fixing nodules
and resist diseases

7. CARBS AND INDOLES
Carbohydrates in turnips act as enzyme-activated irreversible inhibitors, which permanently
deactivate an enzyme by bonding covalently to a particular group at the active site.
Carbs in turnips also regulate the body’s inflammatory response to irritants to reduce chronic
redness, swelling, etc. that is detrimental to one’s health
Hepatoprotective agents, preventing damage to the liver, and potential therapeutic agents
against HIV, diabetes, and cancers.
Arvelexin, an indole derivative in turnip, may yield the following benefits:
1.reduce inflammation (anti-inflammatory)
2.lower blood pressure (anti-hypertensive)
3.lessen the concentrations of lipoproteins, which transport cholesterol and triglycerides in
blood (hypolipidemic)

8. FIBER AND VITAMINS
Fiber to keep you
feeling full and
detoxify
High in vitamin C
Turnip greens have
lots of vitamin C, as
well as vitamin A and
calcium

9. ANTIOXIDANT
Turnip sprouts have been found to
demonstrate higher DPPH free radical
scavenging activity than cauliflower or
mustard sprouts
Flowers and leaves of the turnip plant
were found to have the highest
antioxidant activity

10. Antidiabetic
Turnip extract has been found to demonstrate anti-
diabetic effects such as the following:
1.Improved glucose and lipid metabolism
2.Lower levels of serum biomarkers (AST, ALT, and LDH)
3.A reduction in harmful effects of free radicals
4.Improved levels of antioxidant enzymes
5.Better glucose and insulin tolerance

11. Nephroprotective
Nephroprotective effects - protecting the kidneys from damage
Cisplatin, a drug often used in cancer treatment, unfortunately is known to have
harmful effects on the kidney
Turnip extract may combat this harm by minimizing the following
1.oxidative stress, - Process under which oxidants such as free radicals attack lipids such
as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that may damage cells, tissues, and organs.
2.lipid peroxidation - Type of unstable molecule containing oxygen and that easily reacts
with other cellular molecules, aka free radicals or oxygen radicals. High volumes may
result in damage to DNA, RNA, and proteins, and may cause cell death.
3.production of reactive oxygen species - Result of too many damaging free radicals in
the body and insufficient amount of antioxidants. Can lead to cell and tissue damage,
aging, chronic inflammation, cancer, and other diseases.
4.glutathione depletion - Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant and detoxifying agent,
and reacts with free radicals to form harmless products.

12. Cruciferous Vegetables
As noted in Dr. Mark Hyman’s Book The Ultramind Solution,
turnips belong to the family of cruciferous vegetables, full of
detoxifying compounds.
Cruciferous vegetables are from the Brassica genus of plants
Known for their detoxifying properties and other nutrients, such
as the glucosinolates, isothiocyanates, and indoles

13. Recipes with
Turnips
Mashed Turnips
with Brown Sugar
and Cinnamon
Chop ‘Till You Drop
– Or Don’t! Easy
Prep for Mashed
Turnips

14. Blog
Article
Click here to read the
full article about
health benefits of
turnips on my blog,
Lauren’s Veggie Kitchen

15. Lauren’s Veggie Kitchen
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