Top 7 Parsnips Nutrition facts and Health benefits

Selection and storage

Inside Northern Europe, parsnip season begins soon after the first frost and lasts until March when fresh arrivals flood the markets. It is not uncommon to find many families grow parsnips and carrots in their home gardens during the season.

In the markets choose, fresh, firm, fleshy, medium size, even surfaced parsnips. Avoid long, thin, and tail-like roots as they are stringy and less sought-after in cooking. Furthermore, avoid woody, over-mature ones as they are off-flavored. Do not buy soft, shriveled, pitted, knobby, or damaged roots.

Store parsnips in a plastic bag and place in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator set between 0°C and 5°C. Do not put raw parsnips in the freezer compartment.

Preparation and serving methods

Salmon with roasted sweet potatoes and parsnips. Photo courtesy: plindberg.

Stew fried parsnips with carrot, brussel sprouts, potato, and nuts. Photo: janetmck

To prepare, wash them in cold water and scrub or gently peel the skin. Trim off its ends. Cut into cubes, discs, and pieces as you desire.

Parsnips cooked in a similar way to carrots. Do not overcook. Indeed, they quickly become soft since they contain more sugar than starch.

Here are some serving tips:

• Raw parsnips add unique sweet taste to salads, coleslaw, and toppings.

• It can be cooked and mashed with potato, leeks, cauliflower, etc.

• Slices and cubes added to stews, soups, and stir-fries and served with poultry, fish, and meat.

• It can be employed in bread, pies, casseroles, cakes, etc., in a variety of savory dishes.

Safety profile

Parsnip plant and its parts may cause hypersensitivity reactions like contact dermatitis and oral allergy syndrome (OAS) when handled in some sensitive individuals.

The reaction symptoms may include rash and skin lesions. Some of the common OAS symptoms may include itching or burning sensation in the lips, mouth, and throat. In severe cases swelling of the lips, tongue, and redness in eyes, and breathing difficulty may be observed. Individuals with a known history of allergy to birch category pollen agents like walnuts,
fig, carrots, parsley, etc., may develop cross-sensitivity to parsnip and should be avoided. (Medical disclaimer).

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Further reading:

1. Refer Stanford School of Medicine Cancer information Page- Nutrition to Reduce Cancer Risk.

2. USDA National Nutrient data base.

3. BBC News.