Why Eat More Root Vegetables?

Are you looking for a warm, wholesome vegetable side dish for your Thanksgiving feast? Consider adding root vegetables beyond the white potato.  Here’s why:
Root vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and turnips, are a rich source of nutritious complex carbohydrates. Instead of upsetting blood sugar levels like refined sweet foods do, they help regulate them.
Long roots – carrots, parsnips, burdock, and daikon radish – are excellent blood purifiers and can help improve circulation in the body. Round roots – turnips, radishes, beets, and rutabagas – nourish the stomach, spleen, pancreas, and reproductive organs.
Which root vegetables do you eat most?  If you’re like most of the world, it’s carrots and potatoes. Here are a few others to explore:

• Beets contain an abundance of antioxidants and are highly detoxifying.
• Burdock is considered a powerful blood purifier. This long, thin veggie is a staple in Asian and health food stores.
• Celery root (celeriac) is rich in fiber and has a respectable amount of antioxidants.
• Jicama is crunchy and refreshing and contains a generous amount of vitamin C. It’s a favorite in its native Mexico and South America.
• Onions are rich in antioxidants and other phytonutrients, making them prized for their ability to strengthen the immune system.
• Parsnips, which look like giant white carrots, boast a sweet, earthy taste. They’ve also got plenty of fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, niacin, thiamine, magnesium, and potassium.
• Radish is an excellent source of vitamin C. It’s also rich in calcium, molybdenum, and folic acid.
• Sweet Potatoes contain unsurpassed levels of beta-carotene and are also rich in vitamin C, phytonutrients, and fiber.

Excited to add more roots to your diet? Here’s a fun, easy recipe:

Roasted Root Vegetables
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25-35 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:

• 1 sweet potato
• 2 parsnips
• 2 carrots
• 2 turnips or 1 large rutabaga
• 1 daikon radish (or substitute/add in other favorites, like squash)
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• herbs: rosemary, thyme, or sage (fresh if possible)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Wash and dice all vegetables into bite-sized cubes.
• Place in a large baking dish with sides.
• Drizzle with olive oil; mix well to coat each vegetable lightly with oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herbs.
• Bake uncovered for 25-35 minutes until vegetables are tender and golden brown, checking every 10 minutes to stir and make sure veggies are not sticking.
• TIP: any combination of vegetables will work. Roasting only one kind of vegetable also makes a nice side dish.

Take action this week by trying the recipe above or choose a root veggie you haven’t tried before and search for creative dishes in online recipes sites or Pinterest. Enjoy!
 
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Sara Wolfsen is a Certified Health & Lifestyle Coach who specializes in helping people make their own healthy changes by providing private health coaching, nutrition education and wellness classes, and gentle weight-loss guidance and support.  Schedule your complimentary coaching session and learn more online at www.sarawolfsen.com.