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Turnips and radishes are similar in appearance, but this resemblance 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 folk methods of treatment. Various properties and contraindications of cultures require detailed consideration, because these two vegetables need to be prepared and used in different ways.
Radish and turnip – is it 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 mention of them is found in the culture of Ancient Greece and Egypt, and turnips were 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, radishes and turnips each constitute a separate genus, including up to several dozen varieties.
What does turnip and radish look like
A distant botanical relationship provides cultures with a similar fruit shape. The edible thickening of the root in both cases is rounded. But in the case of radish, the fruit is more often elongated or gradually thins 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 turnips and radishes, you can get an idea of the main differences in vegetables in shape and color.
The genus Radish includes many varieties with different surface colors, but most often with white or slightly colored flesh. There are varieties with a bright pink center with a light cream peel. The texture 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 painted in light yellow tones. In some varieties, the shade appears weaker, almost to white. But the peel and pulp do not have sharp differences in color. The brightness of the yellow color indicates the content of carotenes in the fruit, so it may depend on soil fertility or light conditions.
During the growth period in the garden, the plants are also similar. The leaves grow in a bunch from the rosette and rise to a height of up to half a meter. But the turnip foliage is elongated or heart-shaped. Radish, on the other hand, most often has leaves that are 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 cultures differs. Turnip is fast-growing, it is ready for use in 45 days. The radish must ripen for more than 100 days.
The taste of vegetables is different. Varieties of radish differ in the concentration of bitterness, but all have a distinct sharpness. 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 Our Country. It was steamed, baked, boiled and consumed as a separate dish. The vegetable can be used raw, but is more usable cooked. During heat treatment, turnip acquires a delicate, crumbly texture, combined with both salty and sweet tastes.
Radish, with its inherent sharpness and spiciness, is a savory appetizer, the basis for salads. It is often served fresh, sliced or finely grated. Heat treatment spoils the characteristic taste. Radishes are boiled or baked, usually for the preparation of medicinal formulations.
How to distinguish a turnip from a radish
Two similar crops are applicable for different purposes, so their characteristic differences should be highlighted to select the desired root crop for sale:
- Form. It is oblong, pointed or rod-shaped in radish and pronouncedly round, flattened (often with a depressed top) in turnips.
- Color. A variety of surface colors (from white to black), with a predominantly white center near the radish. Pale yellow, uniform throughout the pulp – in turnips.
- The size. Both cultures can form 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 tell a turnip from its spicier cousin by taste. The sweetish-neutral taste of a yellow vegetable cannot be confused with the crispy, juicy flesh of a radish with a distinct bitterness.
What is more useful – turnip or radish
Both vegetables are useful and can be included in the diet to replenish the substances necessary for a person. In terms of calories, 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.
Root crops 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 leads in the content of vitamin C among root crops.
The sterol in the composition helps to cleanse the vessels of cholesterol deposits. The rare substance glucoraphanin is a unique anti-cancer element. Turnip contains vegetable analogues of antibiotics, which allow to restrain the growth of fungi, some bacteria, and disinfect mucous membranes.
Valuable substances in the composition of 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 turnips on the body is manifested in the regulation of the gastrointestinal tract, bile production, providing nutrition to muscles (including the heart), maintaining strength, and bone density. Especially appreciated are the properties of the vegetable to improve sleep, strengthen the nervous system.
Radish also has a valuable composition, where the most significant concentrations are of such substances:
- 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, gives 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. A strong effect of these active substances is used for rheumatism, sciatica, to reduce joint pain.
Active elements provide a tonic, vitaminizing, immune-strengthening effect. The elasticity of blood vessels increases, atherosclerotic deposits are washed away. Expectorant and disinfectant properties of radish are used for any pathologies 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 its effect on the body is significant. So the yellow root crop is an excellent remedy for eliminating gastric and intestinal diseases, and radish is contraindicated for most of them.
During pregnancy, turnip is a means of supporting the mother’s body and ensuring the development of the fetus. Due to its strong action, radish is advised to be limited during this period, and taken moderately after childbirth, to enhance lactation.
The elements that support the work of the heart contain both root crops. But radish is not used after a heart attack or with serious cardiovascular pathologies. Turnip, on the other hand, is able to calm the heart rhythm, gently affects the blood vessels, therefore it is indicated for dietary nutrition for 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, useful food on the table that ensures a healthy metabolism. Radish is applicable as a vitamin supplement to the diet, a savory seasoning, and sometimes a strong medicine.