21 Parsnip Recipes That Will Make You Fall for This Underappreciated Root Vegetable (2024)

FAQs

Which is healthier, potato or parsnip? ›

In fact, if you opt for parsnips over potatoes you'll get nearly four times the amount fibre per serve. Along with this, they are also a good source of folate, potassium, and Vitamin C. Parsnips have a sweet flavour and can be cooked in a variety of ways.

As a vegetable, in particular as a root vegetable, parsnips provide a significant amount of fiber. This makes them an excellent choice for people with digestive issues, since fiber has a great ability to help regulate bowel movements, reduce chances of indigestion, constipation, and other related digestive problems.

Parsnips are one of those rare starchy vegetables with a very high glycemic index score of 97, but containing almost no sugar carbs, so if you eat a parsnip your blood sugar isn't going to change much.

Being a rich source of fibre, it's no surprise that parsnips help promote digestive regularity. They may also benefit a number of other gut-related conditions, including reflux and diverticulitis. Rich in both soluble and insoluble fibre, parsnips help promote a greater mix of beneficial gut microbes.

The CDC assigns nutrition density scores to produce based on their concentration of essential vitamins and minerals. Usual suspects like spinach, chard, and beet greens all have scores ranging in the 80s. But the only vegetable to earn a perfect score of 100 is watercress. “What's watercress?” you may ask.

How to prepare parsnips. Young, small parsnips don't really need peeling – just scrub clean and serve whole. Older parsnips should be peeled very thinly with a peeler or sharp knife, then chopped into evenly sized chunks. If the central core is very fibrous, this should be cut away.

Some sensitive people may experience oral allergy syndrome (OAS) and contact dermatitis after they consume parsnip. Rashes or burning sensation in the lips, mouth and throat are some of the symptoms of OAS.

In some cases, people consuming parsnip for the first time may also experience allergic conditions like dermatitis, bloating, gas, stomach cramps, and food allergy symptoms like burning, itching, and swelling of lips and tongue, redness in the eyes, and breathing difficulty.

The concentration of the toxin is usually highest in the peel or surface layer of the plant or around any damaged areas. One of the furocoumarin toxins can cause stomach ache and may also cause a painful skin reaction when contact with the parsnip plant is combined with UV rays from sunlight.

Parsnips contain toxins called furocoumarins. They are concentrated in the peel and outermost surface layer, along with any damaged areas. Toxin levels drop when parsnips are cooked. These toxins can cause stomach ache and skin reactions.

Is parsnip good for weight loss? ›

Parsnips are low in calories and rich in fiber, which can support weight loss efforts when included in a well-balanced diet. One cup of sliced parsnips provides 6.5 g of fiber and just 100 calories.

For example, foods containing insoluble fibre such as beans, cauliflower and cabbage can produce more wind since they take longer to break down in the bowel. Other foods that may cause flatulence include lettuce, apples, turnips, lentils, parsnips, swedes, onions, Brussels sprouts, garlic and leeks.

Root vegetables are still fresh whole foods that contain many vitamins and minerals. Eating a variety of them is good for your health. Fung says that, if you're healthy, you can probably eat one serving of root vegetables every day.

Put simply, we need to eat more calories to help us generate heat from within. Relatively high in sugars, as most of them are, root vegetables including parsnips are an excellent source of the extra energy our bodies crave.

Rich in Antioxidants

In particular, parsnips are high in ascorbic acid (vitamin C) — a water-soluble vitamin that doubles as a powerful antioxidant ( 1 ). It also contains polyacetylenes, compounds that may have anticancer properties according to some test-tube studies ( 4 , 5 ).

What sets parsnips apart is their low-calorie content and high fiber, making them an excellent alternative to starchy vegetables like potatoes. In fact, for two centuries, parsnips were the primary source of dietary starch in the US before potatoes took over. But there's more to parsnips than just nutrition.

Parsnips are low in calories and rich in fiber, which can support weight loss efforts when included in a well-balanced diet. One cup of sliced parsnips provides 6.5 g of fiber and just 100 calories.

Turnips are a healthy alternative to potatoes; they're lower in calories and have fewer carbs. Smaller, sweeter turnips can be sliced into wedges and eaten raw like an apple.