The Parsnip: Root Vegetable With Healing Powers

The parsnip is an autumn vegetable with a wide range of uses. Read about what nutrients, vitamins, and minerals the white root contain, what healing effects it has, how to make a tea from the parsnip, how to distinguish the parsnip from the parsley root, and of course how you can prepare the parsnip.

The parsnip: an autumnal root vegetable

The parsnip is a typical autumn and winter vegetable. The root vegetables can be harvested and bought from autumn to spring (October to mid-March). The root is eaten, which is visually reminiscent of a thick white carrot.

Even the ancient Romans were enthusiastic about the parsnip – also known as paste nak, bog root, or mutton carrot. In the Middle Ages, the parsnip was one of the most important staple foods. It was even used as a sweetener before there was cane or beet sugar. In the 18th century, parsnips were replaced by potatoes and carrots, particularly in Central European countries, and eventually fell almost entirely into oblivion.

Organic farmers who have turned their attention to forgotten vegetables, along with the natural and whole foods movement, have made parsnips make a comeback in recent decades. And rightly so! Not only does it taste particularly delicious, but parsnips are also very healthy, easily digestible, and can even be used as a remedy. Today parsnips, therefore, have a permanent place in the kitchen again.

The meaning of the word parsnip

There are several explanations as to what the term “parsnip” originally meant. On the one hand, the “Pastinaca” could have been derived from the Latin word “pastino”, meaning “preparing the soil for planting the vine”, perhaps because the thick and long root was able to loosen the soil. On the other hand, the term could also come from “pastus”, which means nothing other than “food”.

From wild parsnips to cultivated parsnips

Visually, the parsnip looks very similar to parsley root or a light-colored carrot. All three are root vegetables and, like celery, parsley, dill, and fennel, belong to the Umbelliferae family. However, they are different types. And there are also two different forms of the parsnip itself:

• The wild form (the meadow parsnip (Pastinaca sativa subsp. Sativa var. pratensis)) grows as a wild plant in meadows and along roadsides. The root is thin and hard, but still edible, albeit not a culinary highlight. In the past, the fruits/seeds were usually collected for naturopathic purposes (as a home remedy for the bladder and kidneys (e.g. for kidney stones), but also for rheumatism). Pour 250 ml of boiling water over 1 teaspoon, let stand for 10 minutes and drink slowly (max. 2 cups a day). But be careful, there is a risk of confusion: Poisonous umbellifers, such as the spotted hemlock, look very similar to the wild parsnip.
• The cultivar (the vegetable parsnip (Pastinaca sativa subsp. Sativa var. Sativa)), on the other hand, is a vegetable grown for commercialization and can develop a root weighing up to 1.5 kg.

The growing countries of parsnips

In England, Ireland, France, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, and Hungary, the popularity of the parsnip has never diminished, while in many other European countries – including the entire German-speaking area – it has been more and more forgotten since the middle of the 18th century. The main producing countries today include the Netherlands, Italy, China, and Spain, which are also the most important exporting countries.

In the meantime, however, the popularity of parsnips is growing again with us. In Switzerland, for example, parsnips were cultivated on just 6.5 hectares in 2008, compared to 38 hectares in 2018. In Germany, parsnips are mainly grown in Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Württemberg, and in the north of the country. Consumption has increased by around 80 percent in recent years.

The difference between parsnip and parsley root

The roots of parsnip and parsley look so similar that they can easily be confused with one another. Because both are white in color, are root vegetables, carrot-shaped, and have pinnate leaves.

But there are also differences. The parsley root in the head area is between 3 and 5 cm thick and at most 20 cm long. Parsnips, on the other hand, can be up to 30 cm long and the head part is significantly wider. The easiest way to tell the difference is by looking at the base of the leaf. Because with the parsley root it is curved upwards and with the parsnip it is sunken.

The nutritional values of parsnips

The nutritional values of parsnips are as follows per 100g of raw parsnips:

• 81.8 grams of water
• 0.4 grams of fat
• 1.3 grams of protein
• 12.1 g carbohydrates (9 g starch, 3.1 g sugars: 2.5 g sucrose, 0.2 g glucose, 0.2 g fructose)
• 2.1 g fiber (0.6 g water-soluble and 1.5 g water-insoluble fiber)

The calorie content of parsnips

100 g of raw parsnips have a calorie content of 59 kcal (246.8 kJ), which is slightly lower than that of potatoes (71 kcal).

The vitamins of parsnips

In terms of vitamin B2 and vitamin C in particular, parsnips can help to cover the recommended daily dose. In terms of vitamin C, parsnip provides almost twice as much as carrots. You can find all other values ​​for 100 g of raw parsnips in our vitamin table.

The minerals of the parsnip

When it comes to minerals, the parsnip performs even better than when it comes to vitamins. Potassium, phosphorus, copper, manganese, and zinc deserve special mention, with 100 g of parsnips covering 10 percent or more of the daily requirement. Here you will find our mineral table with the values ​​per 100 g of raw parsnip.

The glycemic index and glycemic load of parsnips

The glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) show how food affects the rise in blood sugar levels after eating. For parsnips, the GI is 85. Values ​​up to 55 are considered low. However, the GI always refers to 100 g of carbohydrates in the respective food – no matter how high the carbohydrate content per 100 g of food may be. For this reason, it is better to pay attention to the values ​​​​of the glycemic load (GL).

This refers specifically to the number of carbohydrates contained in each serving. 100g of fresh parsnips have a low GL of 10 (values ​​up to 10 are considered low). Foods with a low value have the great advantage that they provide long-term energy without causing cravings.

Parsnips in fructose intolerance

100 g parsnips contain only 3.1 g sugar, of which only 0.2 g glucose and 0.2 g fructose. In addition, the ratio of fructose to glucose is 1, which tends to make foods even more tolerable in the case of fructose intolerance. Parsnips are therefore usually well tolerated by those affected.

But it also happens that parsnips lead to symptoms in the case of fructose intolerance. This is because parsnips contain inulin (not to be confused with the hormone insulin!). Inulin is one of the dietary fibers, more precisely it is a complex fructose compound.

Foods that contain inulin, such as parsnips, are called prebiotics – not to be confused with probiotics (preparations with living microorganisms). Prebiotics are characterized by the fact that they serve as a source of food for beneficial intestinal bacteria, such as lactic acid bacteria, and strengthen the intestinal flora.

Actually, inulin is very healthy, but it can lead to symptoms in people with an ailing digestive system and thus also in people with fructose intolerance. If this is the case for you, it is better to avoid parsnips for 1 to a maximum of 4 weeks during the waiting period. After that, they are often well tolerated.

The parsnip in medicine

The parsnip has long been of great importance not only from a nutritional point of view but also from a medical point of view. For example, its juice was used as a remedy during the devastating plague epidemic in the 14th century, which is why the plant was also known as plague nape. Whether the parsnip is effective against the plague is of course questionable.

Nonetheless, researchers from the Iran University of Medical Sciences wrote in 2021 that studies show that the root vegetable has medicinal effects in the following conditions:

• Inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system
• respiratory diseases
• Gastrointestinal complaints
• liver disease
• skin diseases
• cardiovascular diseases
• Urogenital diseases (urinary and genital organs)
• infertility

Essential oils and other active ingredients

The healing active ingredients of the parsnip are found in the root as well as in the leaves and seeds. The proportion of essential oils is particularly high:

• Essential Oils: Aliphatic esters are the main components of parsnip essential oil. These scents attract animals, which in turn disperse the seeds. Laboratory studies have shown that parsnip essential oil is antifungal and antibacterial, with activity sometimes exceeding that of antibiotics.
• Coumarin: This phytochemical is also responsible for the scent of parsnips, is anti-inflammatory, and may inhibit the growth of cancer cells in the breast, colon, lung, and prostate.
• Furanocoumarins: Parsnips contain a whole range of these secondary plant substances, which the plant e.g. protect against insects. Angelicin is anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-respiratory, and neurodegenerative, while bergapten and xanthotoxin are already used to treat skin conditions like psoriasis and vitiligo.

The use of parsnips in Persian medicine

From the point of view of traditional Persian medicine, raw parsnips are difficult to digest. Therefore, it is better to cook them in terms of medicinal uses. Therefore, in addition to teas, parsnip jams and pickled parsnips are also used. And what could be better than being able to combine culinary delights with healing powers?

According to Persian medicine, the recommended daily allowance of parsnips is up to 700g of roots, up to 50g of jam, and up to 8g of seeds. However, since the seeds have an irritating effect on the mucous membranes if the dosage is imprecise, we advise against their use.

Parsnip Root Tea

The parsnip root tea – you could also simply call it unseasoned parsnip broth – has a diuretic, draining, antispasmodic and pain-relieving effect. In folk medicine, tea is used for kidney and gallstones as well as for stomach diseases.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp dried or 1 tbsp fresh parsnip root
• 200ml of water

Preparation:

• Cut the parsnip root into small pieces – e.g. B. Dice.
• Put the root in a cup of cold water and bring it to a boil.
• Cover and let the parsnip tea steep for 15 minutes, then strain.
• For a cleansing spring cure or to support the treatment of urinary tract infections, it is recommended to drink 2 to 3 cups a day.

Parsnip leaf tea

The parsnip leaves also have healing properties. Parsnip leaf tea can relieve stomach and kidney problems as well as sleep disorders.

For 1L of tea, you need a handful of freshly crushed leaves or 1 tablespoon of dried leaves that you boil for 10 minutes. Then strain the tea. 3 cups of parsnip leaf tea can be drunk per day.