Health Benefits of Parsnips, Uses And Its Side Effects

Parsnip or Pastinaca sativa is a biennial plant belonging to the Apaiaceae family. It resembles a carrot so much that many may confuse the two. However, the skin and flesh of parsnip are white to cream-coloured while the carrot’s skin is orange in colour.

This vegetable has a nutty, sweet taste. Apples, orange zest and spices like cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg can amplify the sweetness of this vegetable. They can be eaten raw or can be cooked and utilized in a number of ways.

Parsnip is a very versatile vegetable with a wide range of health benefits due to the presence of a number of nutrients and vitamins. It contains minerals like phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, manganese, zinc and iron. Parsnip is rich in folate and also has vitamins like Vitamin B, C, E and K which are very beneficial for our health.

After getting the nutritional benefits of parsnips vegetable. Let's check out how you can use parsnips in your cooking. Mentioned below are the best health benefits of consuming parsnips.

Parsnips can be eaten raw but the cooked vegetable is an integral part of the cuisine of various cultures of the world. They can be baked, roasted, boiled, fried or pureed. It gives a rich flavor when it is used in soups and stews. Parsnips were also used as an aphrodisiac and also used in herbal medicine.

Parsnip tea acts as an excellent diuretic and helps to cleanse our body by stimulating the production of urine.

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. Thus it is advisable for people with a history of allergies to consult a doctor before incorporating this vegetable into their diet.

Parsnips have a long history but edible parsnips were actually the result of continuous cultivation. Besides being used as a staple food, this vegetable was also used as a natural sweetener for breads, cakes and jams. This vegetable is believed to have originated in the East Mediterranean and it later spread to different parts of the world. The early settlers and colonists might have introduced this vegetable to America.

Parsnips are generally planted before the winter season as it produces its unique sweet flavor in the cold months. This plant requires a long growing season and so the seeds have to be sown as soon as the soil is workable. It requires exposure to the sun and grows best in loamy or sandy soil. Slightly acidic to neutral soil is ideal for the plant.