10 Top Health Benefits of Turnip Greens!

July 19, 2020

Did you know, you don't have to throw away the leafy part of Turnips? They are extremely nutritious and tasty!

We've found Turnip Greens are an underrated vegetable, there are many health benefits of Turnip Greens that many people aren't aware of. Read on to find out the top ten health benefits of Turnip Greens!

turnip greens

Turnip Green Nutrient Information

Before we start, let's look at the nutrient information for 100g of Turnip Greens.

Vitamin	Amount	RDA
Vitamin A	7626 IU	153%
Vitamin C	27.4mg	46%
Vitamin E	1.9mg	9%
Vitamin K	368mcg	459%
Thiamin	0.0mg	3%
Riboflavin	0.1mg	4%
Vitamin B6	0.2mg	9%
Folate	118mcg	29%
Pantothenic Acid	0.3mg	3%
Choline	0.3mg

Mineral	Amount	RDA
Calcium	137mg	14%
Iron	0.8mg	4%
Magnesium	22.0mg	5%
Phospherus	29.0mg	3%
Potassium	203mg	6%
Sodium	29.0mg	1%
Zinc	0.1mg	1%
Copper	0.3mg	13%
Manganese	0.3mg	17%
Selenium	0.9mcg	1%

Misc	Amount	RDA
Calories Total	20 (83.7KJ)	1%
Protein	1.1g	2%
Total Fat	0.2	0%
Fibre	3.5g	14%
Sugars	0.5g
Carbohydrate	4.4g	1%

Turnip Greens are high protein, low in saturated fat, low in cholesterol and a good source of fibre, Vitamin A, C, E, K, Folate, Calcium and Iron!

1. High In Nutrients and Low in Calories

Turnip Greens are part of the cruciferous vegetable family, which is the same family as kale and broccoli. Cruciferous vegetables, including Turnip Greens, are extremely high in nutrients and low in calories. Turnip Greens are among the highest-rated in the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI), which compares the Nutrient to Calory ratio, with the highest possible score of 1000 points.

2. Weight Loss

Turnip Greens are high in fibre, which makes people feel fuller for longer. Turnip Greens are also low in calories for their nutritional value, so they are the perfect vegetable for weight loss.

3. Maintain Strong and Healthy Bones

Turnip Greens have one of the highest calcium levels per gram of any fruit or vegetable. Calcium is essential for healthy bones. Turnip Greens also contain vitamin K which improve bone health by boosting the absorption of Calcium. Calcium also places a key role in maintaining healthy heart action.

4. Digestion

As Turnip Greens are high in fibre and water content, they promote healthy digestion and help to reduce constipation.

5. Treating Iron Deficiency and Anemia

Iron deficiency is a leading cause of Anemia. Turnip Greens are high in iron and vitamin C, vitamin C is important for the absorption of iron in the body.

6. Good Source of Antioxidants

Turnip Greens are high in vitamin C and vitamin A, which act as antioxidants to fight the formation of free-radicals in the body. Free-radicals have been linked to heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

7. Protect Heart Health

Turnip Greens contain choline, which has been found to protect heart health and reduce the risk of stroke. It also indicates it can reduce blood pressure and therefore increase general cardiovascular health.

8. Improve Brain Memory, Mood, Energy and Learning!

Turnip Greens contain Alpha Lipoic acid, which has many properties to support your brain:

Alpha Lipoic acid protects neurons in the brain, reducing oxidative stress.
Studies have even shown that Alpha Lipoic acid can reduce brain damage after a stroke.
Alpha Lipoic acid also boosts the production of acetylcholine and glucose uptake in the brain, which has been shown to help prevent and manage Alzheimer's disease.
Alpha Lipoic acid helps to regenerate other depleted anti-oxidants (Vitamin C, E and glutathione) which reduces inflammation and boosts energy and memory.

Turnip greens also contain choline, which is an important nutrient shown to improve mood and memory and reduces fatigue and brain fog. Choline is so beneficial for the brain, that it is a popular "Nootropic" taken by people to try to boost their brain performance.

9. Pregnancy and Fertility

Due to the high iron content in Turnip Greens, consuming more Turnip Greens can promote fertility in women. Furthermore, the high folic acid content in Turnip Greens is beneficial to protecting the fetus against neural tube defects in pregnancy.

10. Exercise and Athletic Performance

Leafy vegetables like Turnip Greens are a high source of nitrates, which have been showing to improve vasodilation and muscular oxidation during exercise.