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Turnips for Weight Loss

Turnips are one of the lowest calorie vegetables in the garden and are very easy to grow.  

Unlike carrot tops, the tops - or greens - of the turnip can be eaten.  Chopped greens, chopped turnips, a dash of salt and a piece of raw lean bacon produce one yummy concoction for your weight loss plan.

People in the South enjoy adding just a bit of white distilled vinegar to their greens, along with slices of boiled egg. Add a wedge of cornbread prepared with stone-ground meal, and - it's a feast fit for a king.

Nutrition Facts & Diet Tips for Turnips

A one-half cup of boiled turnips contains about 14 calories.

Turnips also contain vitamin C (1 large contains 38.4 mg, raw) and dietary fiber (3.3 grams per 1 large, raw) and may even help regulate blood sugar.  They shine in the area of potassium - 350 mg per 1 large raw specimen.

The turnip is a cousin to the rutabaga.

 They are fabulous in their raw state; you can even peel away the thick hide and enjoy the flesh with a little salt.

When cooked into cubes they can be mashed just like potatoes and are quite delicious.

They also make an awesome addition to healthy stir fry recipes.

 You can go ga-ga by mixing a few turnips with white potatoes.

Sunshine Turnips, a Diet Recipe

Recipe Ingredients:
4 turnips - about 1 pound
2 Tablespoons of Reduced Fat Margarine
1/4 cup of snipped fresh parsley
Juice of one small lemon
1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of cracked black pepper

Peel the turnips and cut into fairly even slices. Boil in water on the stovetop in a covered pot until tender-crisp, about 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat, drain and add the remaining ingredients.

Makes four very generous servings for about 70 calories each.

Let's take a look at the nutritional values of this healthy vegetable in its boiled state as prepared with - and without greens:

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