Content
Turnip and radish are similar in appearance, but this similarity will not deceive anyone who has ever tasted vegetables. Fleshy, juicy fruits are very useful and nutritious, rich in vitamins, minerals, but still their use is different both in cooking and in traditional methods of treatment. Various properties and contraindications of crops require detailed consideration, because these two vegetables need to be prepared and used in different ways.
Radish and turnip are the same or not
Both vegetables belong to the cabbage family and have a fleshy edible root. Root crops were cultivated several thousand years ago. Moreover, the first mentions of them are found in the culture of Ancient Greece and Egypt, and the turnip was the basis of the diet of the Slavic peoples. In the wild, radish is still found in Europe, but there are no uncultivated varieties of turnip in nature.
Belonging to the Cruciferous family, both crops have a similar two-year development cycle, in which a root crop is formed in the first season, and a stem with flowers and seeds in the second. However, radish and turnip constitute each separate genus, including up to several dozen varieties.
What turnips and radishes look like
The distant botanical relationship gives crops a similar fruit shape. The edible root thickening is rounded in both cases. But in the case of a radish, the fruit is more often elongated or gradually thinns towards the tip. There are varieties with spherical or cylindrical roots. Turnip always has a smooth, round shape with a characteristic flattening. From the photo of turnip and radish, you can get an idea of the main differences in shape and color of vegetables.
The genus Radish includes many varieties with different surface colors, but most often white or slightly colored pulp. There are varieties with a bright pink center with a light creamy skin. The consistency of the fresh fruit is crispy, glassy. The peel of different varieties can be black, white, greenish, or even pink and purple.
Turnip is always colored in light yellow tones. In some varieties, the shade appears weaker, almost to white. But the peel and flesh do not have dramatic color differences. Brightness of yellow color indicates the content of carotenes in fruits, therefore it may depend on soil fertility or light conditions.
During the growing season in the garden, the plants are also similar. The leaves grow in a bundle from the root rosette and rise to a height of up to half a meter. But turnip foliage is elongated or heart-shaped. Radish, on the other hand, most often has leaves dissected or divided into lobes.
What is the difference between turnip and radish
There are many similarities between root crops in terms of tolerance to any soil, undemanding care when growing. The ripening period of crops differs. Turnip is fast-growing, it is ready for consumption in 45 days. The radish must mature for more than 100 days.
The taste of vegetable crops is different. Radish varieties differ in concentration of bitterness, but all have a distinct pungency. Turnip has a sweetish flavor and a more delicate texture. The differences between turnips and radishes determine their culinary uses.
Turnip, before the appearance of potatoes, was the basis for soups, cereals, vegetable stews in Russia. It was steamed, baked, boiled and consumed as a separate dish. The vegetable can be used raw, but is more useful cooked. During heat treatment, turnip acquires a delicate, crumbly consistency, combined with both salty and sweet tastes.
Radish, with its inherent sharpness and pungency, is a spicy appetizer, a basis for salads. It is often served fresh, chopped or finely grated. Heat treatment spoils the characteristic taste. Radish is usually boiled or baked for the preparation of medicinal compositions.
How to tell a turnip from a radish
Two similar crops are applicable for different purposes, so their characteristic differences should be highlighted to select the right root crop for sale:
- The form. Oblong, pointed or pivotal in radish and pronounced round, flattened (often with a depressed tip) in turnips.
- Color. Varied surface color (from white to black), with a predominantly white radish center. Pale yellow, uniform throughout the pulp - in turnips.
- The size. Both crops can produce fruits of different weights, from 50 to 500 g, depending on growing conditions. But only turnips are able to grow up to 10 kg. Radish usually does not exceed 0.5 kg, which is considered a fairly large specimen.
It's even easier to distinguish turnips from their spicier cousins in taste. The sweet-neutral taste of a yellow vegetable cannot be confused with the crispy, juicy pulp of a radish with a distinct bitterness.
What is healthier - turnip or radish
Both vegetables are useful and can be included in the diet to replenish the nutrients that a person needs. In terms of calorie content, root crops are classified as dietary products: turnip has 32 kcal, and radish - 36 kcal per 100 g of edible part. Vegetables are rich in healthy fiber, about ¾ of them are light carbohydrates.
Roots are rich in vitamin C. However, when heated, most of it is lost, therefore, carotenes play an important role in the value of turnips, which, on the contrary, are easier to digest during heat treatment. In its raw form, the vegetable is the leader in vitamin C content among root crops.
Sterin in the composition helps to cleanse blood vessels from cholesterol deposits. The rare substance glucoraphanin is a unique anti-cancer element. Contains turnip plant analogs of antibiotics, which can inhibit the growth of fungi, some bacteria, and disinfect mucous membranes.
Valuable substances in turnips:
- B vitamins: especially a lot of pyridoxine (B6), folic and pantothenic acids (B9, B5);
- nicotinic acid (PP, NE);
- silicon, potassium, magnesium, calcium;
- cobalt, copper, manganese.
The beneficial effect of turnip on the body is manifested in the regulation of the gastrointestinal tract, bile formation, providing nutrition to muscles (including the heart), maintaining strength, bone density. The properties of the vegetable are especially appreciated to improve sleep, strengthen the nervous system.
Radish also has a valuable composition, where the following substances have the most significant concentrations:
- vitamins B5, B6, B9;
- vitamins K and PP;
- silicon, potassium, chlorine, magnesium;
- molybdenum, cobalt, iron, zinc.
The presence of bitter glycosides, as well as various essential oils, impart to the radish the ability to stimulate the secretion of the stomach, as well as the gallbladder, which is useful for sluggish digestion, but undesirable for any disorders accompanied by high acidity, gastritis, ulcers. The strong effect of these active substances is used for rheumatism, radiculitis, to reduce joint pain.
Active elements provide a tonic, vitaminizing, immunity-strengthening effect. The elasticity of blood vessels increases, atherosclerotic deposits are washed out. The expectorant and disinfecting properties of radish are used for any pathology of the respiratory tract with cough, runny nose, stagnation of thick sputum.
With a significant similarity in composition, the difference between turnip and radish in the effect on the body is significant. So the yellow root vegetable is an excellent remedy for eliminating gastric and intestinal diseases, and radish is contraindicated for most of them.
During pregnancy, turnip is a means that supports the mother's body and ensures the development of the fetus.Because of its strong effect, it is advised to limit radish during this period, and to take it moderately after childbirth, to enhance lactation.
The elements supporting the work of the heart contain both roots. But radish is not used after a heart attack or for serious cardiovascular pathologies. Turnip, on the other hand, is able to calm the heart rate, gently affect the blood vessels, therefore it is indicated for dietary nutrition to the cores.
Conclusion
Turnip and radish are similar in appearance, but completely different in taste, method of application, and therapeutic effect. A yellow vegetable can become a permanent, healthy food on the table, providing a healthy metabolism. Radish is also applicable as a vitamin supplement to the diet, a piquant seasoning, and sometimes a strong medicine.
