What is the Difference Between Rutabaga and Turnip

It is generally accepted that rutabaga and turnip are one and the same vegetable. They are similar to each other in appearance and taste, and are successfully grown by domestic gardeners on the plots. However, these are different vegetables with specific traits and characteristics. What is the difference between rutabaga and turnip - we will tell you in detail below.

Description and features of cultures

Turnip and rutabaga belong to the cabbage family, although outwardly they do not look like cabbage at all.

Turnip

Turnip - perennial plant. In the first year of growth, a root rosette and a root crop are tied rounded or elongated with a diameter of 3-7 cm.

In the second year, the plant forms a flower shoot - produces a long stem of 1.5 m with a peduncle. From the peduncle departs the fruit - the pod - and the inflorescences in the form of a shield with light yellow petals, which contain seeds.

The vegetable is unpretentious. They grow 2 types: regular and fodder turnipscalled turnips. Root crops are flat or flattened, ranging in size from 700 to 900 g.

Interesting! Turnips were grown in ancient Rome. Her harvest was no less valuable than the wheat harvest. Some root crops reached impressive sizes and weighed up to 16 kg. It is believed that it was from the large-fruited forms that its forage varieties appeared in the future.

Root crops are shallowly sunk into the soil, have a light yellow, pink or greenish color. The pulp is juicy, sweetish, slightly tart, with a lack of moisture it is usually bitter. The tops are low, abundant, purple or coppery.

Swede

Swede Is a hybrid of turnip and cabbage. Belongs to the same family and genus as the turnip. The plant develops according to the same laughter: in the first summer it gains a leaf mass and forms an edible root crop, in the second summer it forms a peduncle and seeds.

The root vegetable is dense, green or reddish, oval-cylindrical or rounded, similar to beets. A rosette of root foliage develops in the garden bed around the root crop.

Important! Rutabaga has a more valuable mineral composition and surpasses turnips in iron, phosphorus, potassium and sulfur content. It contains carotene and vitamin C, which makes it resistant to long-term storage.

The most delicious in the root vegetable is hidden under the dense skin - juicy fleshy pulp light shades of two types: light yellow goes to the table for people, and white - for livestock feed.

The root vegetable taste is milder than that of turnips, without pronounced bitterness... Gardeners often prefer rutabagas, because, in addition to taste, it has a high nutritional value and medicinal properties.

How turnips differ from rutabagas

Similar at first glance vegetables differ in a number of ways.

Appearance

The main external difference between these vegetables is the size and color of the root vegetables.... Rutabaga is similar to beets, the same round, with a reddish skin at the top, at the base of the leafy part, with an abundant leaf rosette. However, oval and cylindrical shapes are not uncommon. The pulp is dark, rich yellow.

The taste is soft, without bitterness. Turnip has a less delicate taste and harder flesh, more often there is a slight bitterness. The root vegetable is smaller in size, light yellow, milky or black ("Swedish turnip").

Interesting! Every year in Switzerland, the rutabaga festival is held on the shores of Lake Zurich. A lot of figurines made of rutabagas, the production of which takes about 30 tons of selected root crops and 50 thousand candles annually, illuminate the surroundings of the town of Richterstville.On the day of the celebration, traditionally at 8 o'clock in the evening, the city lights are turned off, and the whole city is illuminated by lanterns made of hollow rutabaga with carved patterns. This colorful parade moves through the streets of the city, accompanied by music and dancing.

Chemical composition

The value of any product is usually determined by its chemical composition. Turnip and rutabaga are almost identical in this respect, but there are differences..

Calcium predominates in turnips from minerals... Unlike swede, it contains succinic acid, sugars and vitamin PP. Turnip is slightly less nutritious: the calorie content of the root crop is 32 kcal per 100 g of product, and the rutabag has a caloric content of 34 kcal per 100 g.

Rutabaga is richer in chemical composition in minerals and vitamins... Its pulp contains pectins, B vitamins, carotene. It contains less calcium than turnips, but it contains iron, magnesium and sulfur. Ascorbic acid in swede is not lost even during prolonged storage and can withstand prolonged cooking.

Application

Turnip has analgesic and antiseptic effect, is able to prevent premature gray hair and baldness. Turnip dishes used to slow the development of eye diseases. Raw vegetables are a source of calcium.

Turnip relieves symptoms of rheumatism and arthritis... Due to its low sugar content and the presence of glucoraphanin, it is useful for diabetics. Turnip decoction relieves toothache, facilitates the flow respiratory diseases... Thanks to the diuretic effect, turnip relieves swelling.

Attention! It is not recommended to eat turnips in their raw form for people with problems of the gastrointestinal tract and genitourinary system.

Despite the fodder purpose, rutabaga has become popular among the population precisely as a food product.... Turnip remains the fodder option, which is grown for these purposes all over the world.

In addition to nutritional value, rutabaga has a number of beneficial properties.... On its basis, expectorant and diuretic tinctures are prepared. Especially popular is a medicinal smoothie - a root vegetable chopped in a blender with honey and lemon. To relieve coughing, take it in 1 tbsp. l. 3 times a day with a glass of warm water. Rutabaga juice squeezed in a juicer, mixed with rosehip infusion or cranberry juice, helps with dry cough.

Fresh swede juice is also used to heal wounds, burns, pustular skin lesions.... In folk medicine, rutabagas are used to prevent diseases of the pancreas, edema, atherosclerosis, liver and kidney diseases.

Attention! You can not eat raw rutabagas with inflammation of the intestines and gallbladder and acute hepatitis.

Raw root vegetable salads have a positive effect on metabolic processes in the body and remove cholesterol. Raw rutabaga helps cleanse blood vessels and prevents the development of atherosclerosis... Due to the high content of calcium, rutabagas are useful for people suffering from softening of bone tissue; they are eaten to strengthen teeth.

Rutabagas, like turnips, use also baked, boiled and stewed... Fresh rutabaga tops are put in salads, and dried - in soups and sauces.

Origin

Until the 18th century, turnip in our country was on the table every day for both the poor and the rich... But then the root crop was completely replaced by foreign potatoes. The French and Italians still use turnips in everyday and haute cuisine today. It is fried, consumed baked and raw, and not only root vegetables, but also green tops.

Rutabaga appeared by accident, by crossing wild cabbage with one of the turnip varieties... Its place of origin is considered to be the Mediterranean. The first mentions of this culture date back to 1620. In this year, the famous Swedish scientist K. Baugin first mentions a vegetable in his works, which then received a second name - "Swedish turnip".

According to another version, the swede is a native of Siberiafrom where it later came to the Scandinavian Peninsula. This fact is supported by its natural frost resistance.In the wild, as a weed, this root crop grows only in some areas of North Africa.

Conclusion

In Russia, turnips and rutabagas are practically forgotten as food products because of their simple and unusual taste. Dishes from rutabagas and turnips are most often salads and medicinal tinctures.

With the history of Russian stoves, steamed turnips have become exotic on our tables. Although this is an extremely useful product, it is easily absorbed by the body when baked. Rutabaga in separate recipes is recommended even for baby food.