Health benefits of root vegetables

By Dr. Susan E. Brown, PhD

I often advise people to “eat with the seasons” to get the most health benefits and flavor from their food. There’s a huge variety of nutrient-rich roots out there for you to explore.

Let’s “go underground” and find out more about the health benefits of root vegetables — and how to enjoy them.

What’s different about root vegetables

The nutritional benefits of root vegetables are underrated. One reason is that this whole category of plant foods sometimes gets whittled down to just potatoes, onions and carrots. But there are so many root vegetables with much to offer:

• Tubers, corms and rhizomes, strange words for a class of root veggies that includes potatoes and yams, water chestnut, turmeric, and ginger
• Bulbs, which include onions, garlic, fennel, Jerusalem artichokes and shallots
• “True” roots, such as carrots, parsnips, beets, radishes, jicama, turnips and sweet potato

Another reason is that people often consider roots just another vegetable. But they aren’t! Root vegetables evolved to store nutrients for the plants themselves, so they offer us a true powerhouse of energy, minerals, vitamins and more.

3 healthy reasons to eat more root vegetables

1. Dietary fiber. Root veggies tend to be rich in complex carbohydrates. This includes dietary fiber, which promotes better blood glucose stability and improved digestive health. Dietary fiber is something most of us could definitely use more of!

2. Resistant starch. Many root veggies also have significant amounts of what’s called resistant starch. This is a type of complex carbohydrate that doesn’t easily break down in the gut. It arrives intact in the colon and ferments there, feeding gut bacteria and producing beneficial short-chain fatty acids.

3. Vitamins and minerals. Because of their close contact with the soil, root veggies are particularly rich in minerals like potassium, zinc, copper, phosphorus and magnesium. However, mineral content is dependent on the health of the soil they’re grown in — another reason why organic is better. Remember also that it is the high mineral content of root crops that make them such alkalizing foods. Measuring your pH can help you see just how well you are maintaining optimum alkaline pH balance.

As for vitamins, many roots are loaded with vitamins A, C and B6. Roots that come with edible greens, such as beets and radishes, are also good sources of Vitamin K.

In other cases, root crops can be important sources of nutrients that are hard to get in other places. Take the carrot, for example. You’ve probably heard that eating carrots is good for your eyesight because they are rich in beta-carotene, a Vitamin A precursor. But did you know carrots are also a good source of a rather rare trace mineral, molybdenum? This mineral aids in fat and carbohydrate metabolism, as does magnesium (important for bone health and many other processes).

But what about the carbs?

Limiting your carb intake because of concerns about weight gain or insulin resistance? You may be trying to avoid “starchy” root vegetables like potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, carrots and parsnips.

But “low carb” doesn’t mean no carb. If you’re “not eating carbs” it is better to focus on cutting out simple sugars like sucrose and fructose. Both are readily absorbed in the gut, unlike the resistant starch present in many of the root veggies we’re talking about.

Get all the health benefits of root crops

Many root veggies also have antioxidant properties. Some, like onions, ginger, beets and turmeric, have known anti-inflammatory capabilities.

A few, like garlic, contain natural antibacterial qualities that can help limit bacterial overgrowth in the gut. Radishes have long been known to have a mild hypoglycemic effect in diabetes. Ginger and turmeric both have widely been researched for their anti-inflammatory properties.

My favorite Roasted Root Vegetables recipe

This dish is so versatile that I have actually eaten it for breakfast alongside cooked quinoa and a poached egg. It is a great addition to almost any meal.

Ingredients:

6 large cloves of garlic, whole

5 medium-sized parsnips, diced into 1-inch cubes (or substitute carrots)

4 medium-sized potatoes, unpeeled and diced into 1-inch cubes

2 large sweet potatoes, unpeeled and diced into 1-inch cubes

2 large onions, sliced lengthwise

1 medium-size butternut squash, diced into 1-inch cubes

¼ cup light olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

Optional herbs: parsley, oregano, or rosemary

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat two 9 × 13 inch baking dishes with vegetable oil and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine garlic, parsnips, potatoes, onions, squash, and olive oil. Toss well.
3. Add sea salt (and any herbs you desire) to the vegetables and toss again.
4. Transfer the vegetables to the prepared baking dishes, spreading them out in a single layer.
5. Roast the vegetables for 35 minutes or until lightly browned and fork tender, and serve.

Yields 8 servings.

Timesaver tip: The first time you make this dish, cut up more than you need of everything except the onions and freeze the extra in a gallon-size freezer bag. Then the next time you want it, all you have to do is thaw it, cut the onions, season, and bake!

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