A parsnip is like a carrot that had just seen a ghost — it looks like a carrot but it is cream colored. But kidding aside, a parsnip can impress just like a carrot because it also offers so many health benefits!
Before we discuss what those are, let us first tackle some important things you need to know about a parsnip.
Native to Europe and Asia, a parsnip was once used for medicinal purposes. These days, it is mostly consumed as a root vegetable. Just like a carrot, it’s something that can be eaten raw or cooked. What’s so nice about a parsnip is it taste sweeter than a carrot, and that’s why you are not going to have a difficult time loving it.
What makes a parsnip so impressive other than its very interesting appearance is the fact that it is loaded with vitamins and minerals, making it very good for your health.
So now that you are more acquainted with this unique-looking root vegetable, it’s now time for us to take a look at some of the reasons why it’s a good idea to have it included in your diet on a regular basis:
It Promotes Healthy Thyroid
One of the many nutrients present in a parsnip is manganese, which is so important for your thyroid gland. There are lots of tasks that your thyroid gland carries out, and that’s why it should be taken care of very well. Some of the tasks it performs are regulation of body temperature and metabolism.
It Helps in Weight Loss
Speaking of metabolism, the consumption of a parsnip regularly is perfect for people who wish to lose unwanted pounds. Not only does it help encourage normal metabolism by keeping the thyroid gland in a great shape, but also supplies the body with lots of fiber that can ward off overeating and hunger pangs.
It Promotes Regular Bowel Movement
Fiber is also important for sweeping out toxins and waste products along the GI tract. This is the reason why it can help in the prevention of constipation. Pair your regular consumption of parsnips with plenty of water and physical activity, and constipation will surely quit bugging you.
It Lowers Blood Pressure
Another amazing thing that fiber does to your body is it helps keep your arteries clean, and it’s something that can result in the lowering of the blood pressure. There’s another reason why eating parsnips is also great for keeping your blood pressure normal: it contains potassium that causes your blood vessels to dilate.
It Helps Blood to Clot Properly
To prevent unwanted blood loss, your blood clots each time you have a wound. One nutrient that’s important for proper blood clotting is vitamin K, and you can obtain good amounts of it from a parsnip. There is another important role that vitamin K plays, and it’s the one discussed next.
It Prevents Weak and Brittle Bones
Did you know that vitamin K is also important for the prevention of osteoporosis, which is a condition characterized by the softening of the bones. It’s because the said vitamin encourages the bones to absorb calcium present in the bloodstream. By the way, a parsnip also supplies your body with decent amounts of calcium.
It Boosts Immunity
Another vitamin that you can obtain from this root vegetable is vitamin C. As you may already know, it’s something that you need to make your immune system strong. Vitamin C also helps keep your skin looking healthy and young because it encourages collagen production, and it also has antioxidant properties.
It Wards Off Birth Defects
Women who are in the family way should include this vegetable in their diet on a regular basis, most especially during the early months of their pregnancy. That’s because a parsnip contains folate, a nutrient that helps prevent neural tube defects — abnormalities in the brain and spinal cord of a developing baby.
