How Each Root Vegetable Supports Your Health

Even though parsnips are a starchy vegetable high in carbohydrates, they still play an important role in your overall diet. Parsnips may also offer several potential health benefits. Here’s what you need to know about the benefits of eating parsnips.

• May offer medicinal properties: Historically, Persian cultures used parsnips to treat a variety of ailments, including headaches, stomatitis, ophthalmitis, dermatitis, and fever. It has also been used as a laxative, diuretic and frostbite healer.
• May improve specific skin conditions: Parsnips contain psoralen, a light-sensitive compound. Researchers have found that concentrated doses of psoralens can help treat certain skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and vitiligo.
• May reduce inflammation: One study found that aging parsnips after harvest improves their ability to reduce inflammation and act as an antioxidant. The researchers concluded that parsnips could become a functional food used to manage respiratory health and reduce inflammation.
• May strengthen your immune system: Parsnips contain about 17 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams, or about 20 percent of the daily value, depending on your gender. Researchers have found that vitamin C may help reduce the duration of colds and other respiratory infections. Meanwhile, parsnips are also rich in antioxidants, such as quercetin, kaempferol, and apigenin. These antioxidants not only improve immunity but also prevent infections.

Carrots are a rich source of vitamin A, with one carrot providing 110% of the daily vitamin A intake you need. They also offer several potential health benefits. Here’s what you need to know about the benefits of eating carrots.

• May support eye health: Since carrots are very rich in vitamin A, eating them regularly can help improve your eye health. For example, vitamin A is known for its role in preventing age-related macular degeneration. Meanwhile, if you have a vitamin A deficiency, you could develop xerophthalmia, which causes night blindness.
• May reduce your risk of cancer: Researchers have found that beta-carotene, found in carrots, may reduce the risk of certain cancers, such as colon cancer. Additionally, the lycopene in carrots may protect against other types of cancer, including stomach, prostate, lung and breast cancer.
• May help regulate blood pressure: A meta-analysis found that carrots, along with other fruits and vegetables, may have a significant impact on heart health. For example, the lycopene in carrots supports cardiovascular health and may help prevent heart disease. Meanwhile, the potassium in carrots can help improve blood pressure by helping your body get rid of excess salt and fluids, especially as part of a well-balanced diet.
• May improve brain health: The beta-carotene, vitamin E, vitamin C, and zinc in carrots may help improve cognitive function and support overall brain health. Meanwhile, if you eat purple carrots, the anthocyanins they contain may help protect you from neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.

Parsnips and carrots are rich in potassium. Therefore, some people with kidney disease may need to limit their intake of these root vegetables based on their potassium levels. However, it is recommended to consult a healthcare professional before eliminating them from your diet.

You may also need to limit your carrot intake if you are allergic to birch. Carrots contain proteins similar to those found in birch pollen, which can cause oral allergy syndrome or pollen-food allergy syndrome. The same goes for mugwort allergies.

Carrots and parsnips can be part of a nutritious and balanced diet. In fact, since they are both root vegetables, they pair well and can be included in a roasted vegetable dish as well as incorporated into soups or stews.

They can also be eaten raw, but most people prefer cooked parsnips, partly because they become sweeter when cooked.

You can also treat parsnips like potatoes and thinly slice them to turn them into chips. Meanwhile, the carrots make a nice puree when cooked. Ultimately, the choice comes down to your preferences for taste, texture, and sweetness.