Many pregnant women, especially first-time mothers, have several questions regarding the kind of foods they should eat and avoid to have a safe pregnancy. One such question is if it is safe to eat turnips during pregnancy. Among several other pregnancy-related pieces of advice, you may be flooded with suggestions about the diet you should follow and foods you must avoid. In addition, the plethora of information from various offline and online sources can leave you puzzled. So, dive into this post as we bring you information regarding the safety of turnips during pregnancy.
What Is Turnip?
Turnips are also called root crops or vegetables, but they are a part of the Cruciferous family. They are also called as “Neep” in the Northern part of Scotland and England. Turnips are a rich source of vitamins particularly Vitamin C (1). The vegetable has white-colored inner flesh. The outer skin color varies in color and can be purple or pink and sometimes red-colored. The skin color of its root bulb depends on the amount of sunlight it receives. It is a cone shape, but it can be a bit rotund as well. Turnips taste like mustard. Also, Turnip has a pungent taste with a tinge of bitter sweetness.
Can You Eat Turnip During Pregnancy?
Yes, you can eat turnip during pregnancy and it does not cause any harmful side effects (2). However, if you are allergic to cruciferous vegetables, then please consult your doctor before consuming them. Also, pregnant women should avoid eating large amounts of turnips due to their high starch content.
Health Benefits Of Eating Turnip During Pregnancy
Turnips are a storehouse of Health Benefits. Eating turnip greens during pregnancy also provides a bevy of health benefits.
1. Helps fight cancer
Cruciferous vegetables are known for their ability to lower down the risk of cancer. The Sulforaphane compound present in Turnips and other vegetables like Cauliflower and cabbage provides a bitter taste to these vegetables. Also, this compound gives the cancer-fighting ability to these vegetables (3).
2. For healthy lungs
Turnips are good for the lungs. Vitamin C content present in Turnips helps to maintain deteriorating lung condition, particularly in regular smokers (4).
3. Detoxifies the body
If you suffer from an irregular bowel movement, then incorporate Turnips into your diet for healthy digestion. Turnips help alleviate constipation due to the fiber content present in them.
4. Provides immunity
If you want to increase your resistance to diseases and want a robust immune system, then start eating Turnip during pregnancy. Turnips help boost immunity and increase the body’s ability to fight infections (4).
5. Improves fertility
Turnips contain high amounts of vitamin C, folic acid, iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc. These vitamins and minerals help improve blood flow to the uterus and increase the amount of oxygen and nutrients delivered to the baby. This helps to improve the fetus’s health and increases the chances of having a healthy baby.
Some other health benefits of Turnips are
Turnips help in fixing damages of bone joints.
It also improves the overall cardiovascular condition.
If you regularly consume turnip, then you lower the chances of osteoporosis in your body.
Turnip consumption also lowers the chances of Rheumatoid Arthritis.
The nutrients present in turnip help in the production of connective tissue inside the body.
Regular consumption of turnips decreases the chance of cognitive deterioration.
Eating turnips helps improve your hair growth, eyesight, skin, and liver.
Turnips also help in maintaining the proper functioning of the nervous system.
Turnips help to maintain blood pressure levels.
It also maintains fluid balance in the body.
Also, this root crop is low in calories. Therefore, it is good to eat turnips if you want to reduce weight.
Nutrient Value Of Turnip
Turnips are highly nutritious. Some of the nutrients present in Turnip include (1):
Vitamins A,C,E,K Folate Copper Fibers Protein Riboflavin Pyridoxine Niacin Potassium Phosphorous Sodium Zinc Manganese Magnesium Iron Copper Calcium Omega-3-Fats Pantothenic Acid
