Root vegetables are the edible parts of plants that grow underground, but these super-nutritious, healthy foods are making their way into the spotlight and onto the plates of healthy eaters. Carrots are the most famous root vegetable – we eat the long, orange bottoms, not the leafy tips. These six other roots, like carrots, are rich in flavor and nutrients. They are also ideal for slow cooking in diet dishes that you warm up on cool autumn days. Here’s why everyone is a healthy addition to your eating plan, and some ideas to enjoy them:
1. Beets
Most of us recognize the dark red roots, although you can find varieties that are striped white on the inside and some with golden-yellow skin and flesh. All are naturally sweet – beets are a raw material for table sugar – but they are low to medium in size Glycemic Indexso that you can enjoy them too when you are trying to lose weight.
Food system category: vegetables
Nutritional information: One cup of raw beets has 58 calories, 3.8 grams of fiber, 13 grams of complex carbohydrates, 22 milligrams of calcium, and 442 milligrams of potassium.
Try: beet salad with rocket and goat cheese combines the sweetness of the roots with peppery green and the creamy texture of the cheese. When roasting beets, the sugar is caramelized, which gives it an even deeper, richer taste. Roasted rosemary beets and carrots is the perfect sweet and savory side dish.
2. Parsnips
They look like large, white carrots and have a similar mildly sweet taste and crunchy texture. Parsnips become very tender and even sweeter when cooked.
Food system category: SmartCarb
Nutritional information: Half a cup of raw parsnips is only 50 calories, but it provides you with 3.3 grams of fiber, 250 milligrams of potassium, and more than 10 percent of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin C, folic acid, and manganese.
Try: Steamed and pureed parsnips form a hearty basis for low-fat, creamy soups. Cut raw parsnips into “sticks” and bake them in the oven with a little oil, salt and pepper to make crispy “fries”. You can also spiral them into pasta like in ours Parsnip noodles with roasted paprika cream sauce recipe.
3. Beets
A plump onion in the shape of a large radish, beets often have a purple top and a white bottom, but some varieties are all white. The inside of these two root vegetables is creamy white. They taste slightly spicy. When shopping, look for smaller beets that are more tender than larger ones.
Food system category: vegetables
Nutritional information: In one cup of raw beets, you get 36 calories, 2.3 grams of fiber, 27 milligrams of vitamin C, and no fat or cholesterol.
Try: Try instead of regular mashed potatoes boiled and mashed beets with apples, a sweet and flavorful weight loss combo that might become a new family favorite right now. And don’t throw the green tips in the trash – they’re loaded with nutrients, too, and taste delicious raw or sautéed. Also try our recipes for Beet fries, Beet and vegetable patty and Fried beet salad.
4. Turnips
Swede, sometimes called swede or wax beet, are hybrid root vegetables made from beets and cabbage. Turnips are slightly hot, but taste sweeter when cooked. They look a bit gnarled on the outside, but have a smooth, starchy texture on the inside.
Food system category: vegetables
Nutritional information: One cup of raw turnip gives you 52 calories, 3.2 grams of fiber, 60 milligrams of calcium, 35 milligrams of vitamin C, and 427 milligrams of potassium.
Try: With their robust texture, turnips make a solid base for a vegetable tart made from layers of potatoes, carrots, and garlic. For a hearty and healthy side dish, toss turnips with mustard and dill and then roast them gently. Just like some of these other fall root vegetables, you can slice them up in french fries as a healthy alternative.
5. Kohlrabi
The bulbous exterior of kohlrabi can be light green or deep purple, but the inside is all white. Kohlrabi, like its close relative broccoli, has a mild, peppery taste.
Food system category: vegetables
Nutritional information: One cup of raw kohlrabi has 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 83 milligrams of vitamin C, 472 milligrams of potassium and a substantial amount of vitamin A.
Try: You can eat kohlrabi raw, cut into salads, or grated into your favorite salad. Add the kohlrabi cubes Vegetable soupswhere they become tender after slow cooking. Grated kohlrabi mixed with egg and a little flour make delicious donuts that your family will love.
6. Celery
Celery, also called celery root or celery root, is a variety of celery grown for its edible roots. While celery doesn’t win the vegetable beauty pageant, its scent is fresh and sweet, and when cooked, its aroma has a hearty smell that can remind you of Thanksgiving dinner in the oven. The taste is mild with gentle herbal notes, which make it an ideal companion to stronger aromas.
Food system category: vegetables
Nutritional information: In one cup of raw celery, you get 66 calories, 2.8 grams of fiber, 67 milligrams of calcium, 12.5 milligrams of vitamin C, and 468 milligrams of potassium.
Try: The smooth texture of celery (after peeling the rough skin) makes it perfect for purees that can be used to add flavor and nutrients Soups and stews. Fry it with pears to make a sweet side dish with grilled fish or turkey breast.
