Science & Health: ‘The turnip, princess of the cold season’

It is a vegetable that belongs to the Brassicaceae family, the same as cabbage, savoy cabbage, radish. Turnip is the protagonist of the new episode of Il Gusto della Salute, the online column created and coordinated by the immunologist Mauro Minelli responsible for the South of the Personalized Medicine Foundation, in collaboration with Adnkronos. “The collection of the turnip inflorescences takes place when the flowers are still closed, – recalls the agronomist Eleonora Tauro – and the fasciculated roots develop on the surface, while the vegetation cycle can vary, according to the earliness of the plant, from 50 to 60 days or up to 180 in the later varieties “.” Typically winter vegetable, the turnip was associated with the diet of the poorer social classes, then from being a poor dish it has become the protagonist over time of the national and international gastronomic offer- explains Marco Renna, popular culture expert – think for example of the Apulian orecchiette with turnip greens. In common language, however, the saying ‘turnip head’ is known referring to people of low intelligence, due to the caloric intake of this food , all too ‘essential’ and ‘light’. ”The biologist of the network Polismail Dominga Maio speaks of the nutritional properties.” The turnip contains many fibers, and is very rich in water. i therefore a low-energy food. It also contains iron – adds Maio – therefore indicated to compensate for the anemic states of iron deficiency, and calcium, useful for bone health. Many vitamins, from those of group B, to vitamins A and C, but in the turnip the chlorophyll content is also strategic, especially for purifying activities for the benefit of the liver and other organs “. On the clinical front Mauro Minelli recalls” the many benefits of a vegetable used until the recent past to stem the critical effects of various disease states and, on the other hand, if together with the vitamins we add the mineral salts of which the turnip is the guardian, then it is well understood that it is of a vegetable that is allied to human health. There is no shortage – warns the immunologist – however, the contraindications, warns the immunologist; the turnip, in fact, grows in the ground and extracts large quantities of metals from it. So watch out for any sensitivity to nickel, and beware of those suffering from heart and kidney problems due to the effects generated by nitrogenous substances and iodine which turnips can load. “” And if it is true – concludes Minelli – that their consumption is not healthy. however, it must be abused. The richness of fibers in predisposed subjects can lead to flatulence, abdominal swelling and sometimes even diarrhea. “These are practical, valid and effective advice to always guarantee a healthy diet and above all consciously calibrated to the needs of each and every one.