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The Tui Veggie & Garden Club

Turnip

Turnips are an outstanding source of nutrients that have unique health benefits. The greens of tops of turnips are full of powerful glucosinolates which have been linked to activities that help prevent cancer and can also help in the regulation of helpful gut bacteria. Turnips are also an exceptional source of calcium, vitamin C and vitamin A.

 

Alongside valuable nutrients, turnips are also high in fiber. Fiber is helpful in cleansing us internally as it acts as a broom sweeping waste, debris and toxins out of our system.
The high calcium content in turnips is very useful to us. Every day we need calcium to replace calcium stores in our bones, to regulate nerve function and help keep our systems alkalinized. Everyday foods can cause an acidic environment, such as high protein, without dietary sources of calcium to alkalinize us our system will retrieve calcium from our bones. Ensuring a steady dietary intake helps preserve the calcium stores in our bones and assists in maintaining bone density.

 

While both vitamin C and vitamin A are useful antioxidants, the turnip also contains glucosinalates that are thought to enhance the activity of natural detoxification systems. They are called gluconasturtiian and glucotropaeolin. This is not the end of turnips cleansing and detoxing properties, it has also been shown to contain antioxidant phytonutrients like quercetin which help disarm toxins.

 

Turnips are a lesser known powerhouse of valuable nutrients that can help strengthen and detoxify your system naturally. Including foods like turnips, along with the turnip greens is an excellent way to maintain optimum health.