Turnips

his is the final installment of my year-long series on produce outcasts. This year, I‘ve written about several fruits and vegetables that don’t seem healthful but actually pack quite a nutritional punch. I thought I had run out of fodder, but then I was pleasantly surprised to learn about turnips. They are much more than hearty root vegetables; they’re also a part of our edible cancer prevention arsenal.

Turnips are a member of the Brassica family, which means they are related to cabbage and broccoli. This group of cruciferous vegetables, which also includes mustard greens, brussels sprouts, cauliflower and arugula, contains sulfur-rich phytonutrients called glucosinolates. Glucosinolates are considered “indirect” antioxidants because they signal our bodies to make our own antioxidants. The antioxidants that we make ourselves are fantastic because they can be produced for three or four days after we eat a food like turnips, whereas antioxidants that we eat tend to leave our systems in a matter of hours. These indirect antioxidants play an important role in cancer prevention, especially for breast, ovarian, prostate, lung, colon and stomach cancers. Glucosinolates also seem to help stimulate our body’s own internal detoxification system. Turnips are high in vitamin C, potassium and fiber.

A half a cup of cooked mashed turnips has 30 calories, 2 grams of fiber and 22% of your Daily Value of vitamin C.

Turnips are crisp, like carrots, but have a sweet peppery flavor. They are shaped like beets but are mostly a creamy white color, with the exception of their tops, which have been exposed to sunlight and are usually purple or green. The leaves are edible and very nutritious. Although some turnips can weigh up to 50 pounds, the variety that we carry at Gelson’s range from a quarter pound to one and a half pounds each, depending on the season. Turnips are in season from October through March, but they are available all year. When selecting turnips, choose those that are small and heavy for their size and are free from bruises. Larger turnips can be woody and tough. When you bring them home, remove any green tops and store them in a separate bag if you plan to eat them; store the turnip roots for up to a week and the leaves for a couple of days in the crisper drawer. To prepare turnips, cut off the roots and tops and peel the waxy coating. You can eat small, in-season turnips raw; shred them into salads and coleslaw. You can also steam and boil them but be careful not to overcook them as their flavor will turn bitter and strong. Turnip greens can be lightly sautéed in olive oil. This month, try my recipe for Braised Turnips and Leeks.

Anti-Acne Eating

our parents always told you that eating a lot of candy would give you pimples, but there is actually growing scientific evidence that what you eat can influence the presence of acne. Specifically, eating a diet high in refined carbohydrates and sugars, known as a high-glycemic load diet, can increase pimples in those who are acne-prone.

Researchers have found that eating a diet that substitutes whole, intact, minimally processed grains for highly processed carbohydrates, which is called a low-glycemic load diet, can help decrease the number of acne-related pimples as well as the severity of the acne because it improves insulin sensitivity. Eating a lot of sugar and highly processed carbs, on the other hand, raises blood sugar rapidly, which in turn requires the secretion of a lot of insulin and other hormones that may stimulate acne production.

High glycemic carbohydrates include sodas and other sweet beverages, sugar, flour, most bread, cookies, crackers, cakes, tortillas, white rice and mature potatoes. Low glycemic carbohydrates are brown rice, oats, flourless whole-grain bread, barley, quinoa, vegetables and most fruit. Always pair carbohydrates with some lean protein and healthy fats to help control blood sugar further.