Rutabaga - what kind of vegetable is it and what are its beneficial properties. Useful properties and recipes of rutabaga Rutabaga tops benefits

Rutabaga (Swedish turnip, rutabaga, kalega) is one of our local root vegetables. It tolerates cold well, but heat negatively affects its taste. It is believed that rutabaga was the result of crossing collard greens and turnips.

If rutabaga appears on your table extremely rarely or does not appear at all, then this article is for you. She will tell you about the beneficial properties of this root vegetable, after which you will understand why rutabaga is loved and revered by many folk healers.

Use of rutabaga. The taste and cooking methods of rutabaga are similar to turnips. Rutabaga can be eaten raw, or you can steam, boil, stew, fry, stuff. Rutabaga tops, both fresh and dried, are used as greens in salads, soups, and stews.

Rutabaga is most respected in Finland. There it is used in all soups, salads and side dishes. One of the traditional Christmas dishes is rutabaga casserole. In Scandinavia and Great Britain they make mashed potatoes, which include potatoes, rutabaga, carrots, and onions. It is served with milk, cream or butter. Canadian chefs use rutabaga to fill holiday pies.

Composition of rutabaga:
♦ a large amount of dietary fiber;
♦ proteins are easily digestible, and fats are healthy;
♦ minerals (phosphorus, iron, potassium, magnesium, sodium, calcium);
♦ vitamins (C, B, H, A, E, PP).

The benefits of rutabaga for the health of the body.

♦ Reduces the possibility of bruising by strengthening capillaries. This effect is explained by the presence of vitamin C in rutabaga, which remains in it throughout the winter.

♦ Affects the cardiovascular system. Lowers blood pressure in hypertension and prevents heart attacks.

♦ Saturates the body with vitamins and nutrients, preventing vitamin deficiency and providing energy.

♦ Cleanses the intestines and improves its functioning. Fights constipation and dysbiosis.

♦ All beneficial properties and substances are preserved in the root crop even after heat treatment.

♦ Diuretic effect. Rutabaga removes excess fluid from the body and relieves swelling, which is useful for hypertension.

♦ Increases the body's defenses, prepares the immune system for winter.

♦ Has wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties. Fresh rutabaga juice is used to heal wounds from cuts and burns.

♦ Treats skin pustular diseases.

♦ Treats polyarthritis and helps replenish calcium deficiency. To do this, drink half a glass of rutabaga juice twice a day with 1 tbsp. l. honey.

♦ It has mucolytic properties, thinning mucus in respiratory diseases.

♦ Improves the condition of bronchopneumonia, tracheitis. To do this, take a fresh root vegetable, peel it and grind it using a meat grinder. Honey is added to the pulp so that for 1 part of the pulp there are 2 parts of honey. The mixture is consumed 1 dessert spoon 5 times a day, washed down with water or warm milk.

♦ Removes radionuclides from the body. To do this, it is recommended to boil the peeled and chopped root vegetables in salted water. The water must be drained, and the rutabaga should be poured with sour cream and eaten.

♦ Has anti-cancer properties. Consume rutabaga systematically in any form.

♦ Helps get rid of extra pounds by cleansing the intestines of toxins, improving peristalsis and removing excess water from the body. Instead of mashed potatoes, you can safely eat rutabaga puree. This will help you get more benefits, since the calorie content of rutabaga puree is lower and the composition is healthier. Rutabaga can be added to salads, stews, and soups, which will help reduce the calorie content of these dishes.

Preparation of rutabaga. Peel the rutabaga, cut into slices or strips and leave to dry. Place the dried rutabaga in a dry, dark place. This way you will have healthy crackers all winter.

He advises you to add rutabaga to various dishes to saturate your body with necessary and beneficial substances.

Useful properties and recipes from rutabaga.

To select a recipe, click on “PLAYLIST” in the upper left corner of the video.

Vegetable growers, unfortunately, have forgotten about the beneficial qualities of rutabaga, we will try to remember and tell about this vegetable. The root vegetable contains a lot of ascorbic acid; its valuable properties have been known for a long time. Rutabaga is a vegetable plant. According to nutritional and medicinal properties the root vegetable looks like a turnip. Contains many vitamins and microelements.

Biological features of rutabaga

This is a biennial plant with fleshy leaves of the cruciferous family. During the first year of ripening, a flat-rounded root crop and leaves develop, rising above the soil. In the second year it flowers and produces seeds. The root crop thickens on the fortieth day after germination. It has soft, firm white or yellow flesh.

Vegetable crop our ancestors discovered. Some are confident that nature, by crossing turnips and cabbage, gave us this valuable root vegetable.

It is loved in many countries around the world, especially in Germany, where delicacies are prepared from the vegetable. The country even has a fairy tale about rutabaga, similar to our fairy tale about the turnip. It became widespread in Russia not so long ago, from the sixteenth century, and immediately gained fame. Potatoes gradually replaced it, but the reason for this is unknown. In the Baltic countries and far abroad, there are entire plantations where rutabaga is grown.

What are the benefits of rutabaga?

Contains proteins, fiber, sugars, starch, vitamins B, C, carotene, essential oil, mineral salts, rutin . Ascorbic acid very resistant to heat treatment and lasts a long time.

The root vegetable has a high calcium content, which is why it is used to treat patients who suffer from softening of bone tissue. In the past the vegetable was used for the treatment of measles in children, caress the throat and mouth for inflammation. Rutabaga was considered a wound-healing, anti-burn, diuretic, and anti-inflammatory agent. In spring and winter, the vegetable is a very valuable food product due to the lack of vitamins in the body. Recommended for constipation and atherosclerosis. If you have diseases of the digestive organs, eating rutabaga is contraindicated.

The composition of the vegetable normalizes the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, reduction of edema and loose stools. Rutabaga has a mucolytic effect - it thins sputum.

It used to be believed that the root vegetable supported vitality, especially in the elderly. Young people used it for colds, because rutabaga contains a lot of ascorbic acid, which strengthens the immune system. Transforms a dry cough into a productive cough with sputum, which leads to recovery. Helps well with chronic diseases of the lungs and bronchi.

Due to its diuretic effect and removal of excess fluid from the body, rutabaga was used to relieve swelling in kidney and cardiovascular diseases.

The root vegetable improves metabolic processes and removes cholesterol from the body, which is deposited on blood vessels. It is recommended to take for atherosclerosis.

Fiber normalizes stool and is used for chronic constipation. Strengthens peristalsis, improves metabolism and the digestion process, therefore it is useful for obesity.

Rutabaga juice was used to treat burns and purulent wounds due to its antibacterial properties.

Dangerous properties of rutabaga

Rutabaga is a very useful plant, but it has some bad properties. High fiber content has a negative effect on the digestive system. In the case of a gastrointestinal tract disease, it would be better for you to stop eating vegetables to avoid exacerbations.

Growing and care

The plant is not afraid of the cold, so it is also grown in the north, where there is agriculture. Plants carry frosts up to six degrees. Seeds grow at no higher than four degrees Celsius.

When cultivating, you must first take care of lighting in order to obtain a high yield. The vegetable grows well in moist soils. Rutabaga requires care because it affected by many diseases. Loamy and sandy loam soil is the best for growing vegetables. Sandy, rocky, marshy areas are not suitable.

Rutabaga varieties

Until recently, there were very few varieties of this plant. Selection has made it possible to purchase various species on the Russian market, which differ in taste. Let's describe the best of them:

• Wilma is a sweet, crunchy root vegetable. They can even be consumed fresh and are stored well.
• "Krasnoselskaya" is the best table variety. The pulp is dense, sugary and juicy.
• “Kuuziku” is a high-yielding large variety with valuable tops.
• “Swedish Yellow” is a sweet and tasty variety for feed purposes. Tolerates frosts well.

Varieties related to foreign selection

• "Marian" has a pleasant aroma and sweet flesh.
• “Lizy” is the best of the varieties, very sweet and juicy.
• "Ruby" is similar to the "Lizy" variety.

In your own garden you can grow any variety of vegetable. With proper care, the harvest will please you.

Rutabaga was used to maintain health without taking medications. We offer effective recipes:

• For dry cough: you will need a medium-sized root vegetable, washed, peeled and ground in a meat grinder. Add honey there, in a ratio of 2 to 1. Take a teaspoon of the mixture four times a day, washed down with water.
• For respiratory pathologies: take 50 grams of chalk and butter, half a kilogram of vegetables, walnuts. Stew the chopped rutabaga and add honey to it a few minutes before it is ready. Chop the nuts and consume.

The vegetable is added to desserts, sauces, main courses, and salads. The product is low-calorie, it is used instead of potatoes, making stews and tasty mashed potatoes. You will supply your body with vitamins without gaining weight. The vegetable is combined with mushrooms, eggs, dried fruits, fresh apples,

Rutabaga is believed to be the natural result of an accidental cross between cabbage and a type of turnip. Depending on the variety, this vegetable can be round, oblong or round-flat, the color of its pulp is from white to rich yellow, and the color of the upper part of the fruit is purple or gray-green.

Scientists do not have a single version of where rutabaga first appeared: some consider it to be its homeland in Siberia, while others consider it to be the Mediterranean, where it came from Scandinavia. This is probably why rutabaga is often called “Swedish turnip”. There are table and fodder varieties of rutabaga. In addition to the root vegetable itself, you can use its tops raw for preparing salads or dried - as a seasoning for soups.

Composition of rutabaga

Rutabaga - beneficial properties

Unfortunately, rutabaga is less popular for cultivation in Russia than abroad, although this vegetable has a special taste and aroma and can decorate any table, and its most valuable properties have been known to people since ancient times. Rutabaga can be eaten raw, baked, fried, or squeezed into juice - it retains its beneficial substances no matter how you cook it.

1. Cancer Prevention

   Rutabaga contains phytochemical compounds glucosinolates, which help the liver remove toxins from the body and eliminate carcinogens that enter the blood, and can also prevent the development of cancerous tumors. Regular consumption of rutabaga, rich in antioxidants, prevents free radical damage to cells and DNA, which is an excellent prevention of dangerous and life-threatening diseases. For example, vitamin C, according to a number of scientific studies, helps prevent the development of colorectal cancer.

2. Supports Digestive Health

   Another benefit of rutabaga is its ability to improve digestion. The high content of fiber in the root vegetable ensures timely bowel movements, preventing constipation, flatulence and gastrointestinal disorders, and organic acids accelerate the breakdown of fats supplied with food.

Rutabagas provide the body with zinc, which is a key component of many enzymatic processes. This mineral is involved in the synthesis of proteins and hormones, affects the body's resistance to infections and accelerates wound healing. Maintaining a normal level of zinc in the body in men ensures the health of the prostate, and in pregnant women, the correct formation of the internal organs of the unborn child.

3. Has antimicrobial properties

   Due to the high concentration of phytoncides, rutabaga juice has unique antimicrobial properties. It is for this reason that it is used externally for burns, poorly healing wounds, and pustular skin diseases. If you wipe your face with rutabaga juice every day, you can get rid of acne and inflammation on the skin. You can also use root vegetable puree as an ingredient for natural cosmetic masks.

4. Helps reduce weight

   As a low-calorie, nutrient-rich food, rutabaga is included in some of the most effective weight-loss meal plans. Its high fiber content reduces overeating, supports digestion and proper metabolic processes, and normalizes stool, so the vegetable is a godsend for those who want to lose weight and switch to a healthy diet.

5. Prevention of respiratory diseases

   Rutabaga juice is widely used in folk medicine as an expectorant for bronchial asthma, pneumonia, colds, as well as for chronic forms of tracheobronchitis. When rinsing the throat and mouth with rutabaga juice, its antimicrobial properties help cope with various inflammatory processes.

6. Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease

   Vitamin K fights the causes of heart attack and controls water content in the body. Together with the plant fiber contained in rutabaga, potassium lowers cholesterol levels, thereby reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Rutabaga is also useful for the prevention of epileptic seizures, atherosclerosis and iron deficiency anemia.

7. Boosts immunity

   Rutabaga is a very affordable remedy to maintain a normal immune system. A sufficient amount of vitamin C in the daily diet is necessary for many processes in the body, including the production of white blood cells. In addition, ascorbic acid is involved in the production of collagen, which promotes the development and healing of blood vessels, muscle and skin tissue.

Rutabaga is an excellent source of antioxidant compounds. Vitamin C improves defense mechanisms and fights diseases, prevents the appearance of wrinkles and age spots, and slows down the aging process. Carotenoids and glucosinolates stimulate healthy cell regeneration, preventing their mutation and tumor development.

8. Reduces blood pressure

Rutabaga is great for preventing bone diseases. It contains vitamin C, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese and calcium, which help maintain normal bone tissue. People who include rutabaga in their diet are much less likely to suffer from such a common disease as osteoporosis. Calcium also supports dental health.

9. Suitable for diabetics

   The healthy root vegetable is used not only as a dietary component for those wishing to lose weight, but is also included in the diet of those suffering from type II diabetes, as it is an excellent alternative to potatoes. The low content of carbohydrates in rutabaga and the large amount of plant fiber have a beneficial effect on the digestion process and reduce blood glucose levels.

10. Great product for vegetarians

    For people who have limited their intake of animal protein, rutabaga is a valuable source of plant protein. It contains proteins and amino acids that the body needs as building materials for new cells, as well as the proper development, growth and recovery of muscles and other important processes in the body.

Rutabaga - contraindications

Rutabaga is very healthy and popular among followers of folk recipes, but it should be borne in mind that too frequent consumption of fresh rutabaga juice can lead to increased gas formation even in healthy people. Fresh rutabaga should be introduced into the diet of infants only after a year, but boiled can be added to vegetable complementary foods after six months.

Also, you should not eat root vegetables during periods of exacerbation of certain diseases:

• hypertension;
• peptic ulcer;
• kidney disease;
• cystitis;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• food allergy.

Rutabaga - interesting facts

In terms of nutritional value, rutabaga is superior to turnips, retaining all the beneficial substances in any method of preparation and long-term storage.

Regular consumption of rutabaga reduces the risk of alopecia (baldness).

The French philosopher and preacher of “Queen Margot” Pierre Charron argued in one of his works that a true Frenchman should prefer rutabaga and turnips to other vegetables, since everything else is not suitable for his stomach.

Rutabaga eaten in a dream promises married people a quick addition to the family.

Rutabaga produces an excellent harvest with minimal care and in any weather conditions, so it was often sown during famine and war years.

In Germany, parents tell their children a fairy tale about rutabaga, not about a turnip.

In Switzerland, the Raben-Chilbi festival has been celebrated in honor of rutabaga for more than a hundred years. Similar “celebrations” of the popular vegetable exist in the United States: an annual festival in Wisconsin and a rutabaga rolling competition in New York state. Russia has also restored the traditional celebration of the rutabaga harvest, which takes place on September 16 in Ivanovo.

Rutabagas were the favorite vegetable of the great German poet Johann Goethe.

The largest root crop was grown in 2008 by Canadian farmer Norm Craven and weighed 35 kg.

Rotobaga became one of the characters in the second part of the popular game Plantsvs. Zombies (Plants vs. Zombies).

Swede- a plant of the Cabbage family. Scientists say that it appeared due to an accidental crossing of white cabbage and turnips. It is generally accepted that this happened in the Mediterranean. This vegetable also has another name - “Swedish turnip”. When there were no potatoes in the country yet, its role was completely fulfilled by rutabaga.

At the moment, the root crop is grown in almost every corner of the world.

In shape, this vegetable is very similar to beets, but it differs in color: rutabaga is red-violet on top, and light and even slightly greenish below (see photo). The pulp, found under a thin skin, is light and has a pleasant sweet taste.

What is the difference between rutabaga and beets and turnips?

Rutabaga, beets and turnips are vegetables from the same family, but they have significant differences. To understand how these products differ from each other, we suggest first reading the description of each of them.

Rutabaga is a vegetable that is called a hybrid of turnip and cabbage. The pulp of rutabaga is firm, has a sweetish flavor and can be yellow or white. Yellow-meat rutabaga is used in cooking, and white-meat rutabaga is used as a feed product for livestock or poultry. There are several varieties of rutabaga, differing in the shape of the vegetable, which can be flat, round, cylindrical and elongated oval.

Beetroot is the most popular vegetable of this family. Most often, beets are used to prepare borscht, beetroot soup, vinaigrette, and many other popular dishes. The shape of this vegetable can be spherical, flat, conical and cylindrical. The beet pulp is juicy and soft, has a rich burgundy color. This vegetable is consumed both raw and boiled or baked.

Turnips are shaped like beets, but the color of the fruit is bright yellow. The taste of turnips is slightly bitter. This vegetable can also be consumed raw, boiled or baked. It has two varieties: regular and feed. Forage turnips are called turnips and are used exclusively for animal feeding.

Based on all of the above, we can conclude that rutabaga differs from beets and turnips in size, color of pulp and peel, as well as taste and aroma.

Beneficial features

The health benefits of the cute root vegetables are varied. So, rutabaga juice has great benefits. It has a wound-healing and antimicrobial effect on the body. Considering this, Rutabaga juice is recommended to be used to treat various purulent diseases, as well as burns.

Vitamin C, which is part of the vegetable, is highly resistant to heat treatment. Rutabaga also has a high calcium content, which makes it possible to use it for people who suffer from softening of bone tissue, and it can and should be eaten to strengthen teeth.

Root vegetables have a positive effect on metabolic processes in the body, and they also remove cholesterol from the body, which can be deposited in the form of plaques on the walls of blood vessels. Based on this, we can say that it will be useful to use for atherosclerosis.

Use in cooking

In cooking, rutabaga is used in completely different forms for preparing dishes: raw, fried, boiled, stewed, etc..

In addition to the root crop, the tops of the vegetable, that is, its above-ground part, namely the leaves, are also suitable for food. It is added to salads or dried and then used as a seasoning. After appropriate heat treatment, rutabaga is served as a side dish for meat or fish. In addition, many people stuff the vegetable or use it as a filling for baked goods. Rutabaga is widely used in Finnish cuisine. There it is added to almost all dishes, for example, soups, salads, side dishes.

How to eat rutabaga?

It is correct to eat rutabaga both raw and boiled, baked, etc. The product goes well with other vegetables and is used for preparing salads and first courses. Previously, people liked to steam rutabaga and eat it without various additives, but today there are many other ways to consume it.

We suggest you take note of several recipes that will help you learn how to properly prepare and eat rutabaga, adding it to various dishes.

A very tasty salad is obtained if you prepare it from rutabaga and carrots. To prepare it, you need to grate a small rutabaga, two carrots on a coarse grater, and add a handful of raisins. Stir the ingredients, then chop some walnuts and add a tablespoon of walnut chips to the salad. The dish must be seasoned with low-fat mayonnaise. If possible, it is better not to add salt, but if you cannot do without it, use the finest grind product.

You can eat rutabaga correctly without other ingredients, by boiling it or baking it in the oven. In addition, based on this product you can prepare sauces that are suitable for chicken and beef.

What to substitute in cooking recipes?

Sometimes it becomes necessary to replace rutabaga in cooking recipes for one reason or another. For example, you couldn’t find this vegetable in the store, but you really want to make a delicious salad. In this case, vegetables such as daikon, turnip or radish come to replace rutabaga.

When replacing rutabaga with other ingredients, you should know that not all vegetables are suitable for certain dishes. So, for a salad it is better to use daikon or radish, and for first courses turnips are better. Based on these recommendations, you can safely replace rutabaga without worrying about the taste of the finished dish.

Preparation and storage

Storing and preparing rutabaga for the winter is not at all difficult. The root vegetable can be preserved fresh, dried, pickled, or pickled. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the options for preparing rutabaga for the winter at home.

• In order to store a vegetable fresh, you must first correctly collect it from the garden. The tops are cut off at the very base of the rutabaga, after which the root crop is cleared of soil (but not washed) and laid out on shelves in the basement. To preserve rutabaga for as long as possible, it is sometimes placed in shallow trenches in the ground, covered with straw or dry sawdust.
• You need to dry rutabaga for the winter as follows: the vegetable should be cleared of soil, rinsed thoroughly in running water, chopped as thinly as possible and laid out on a small sheet of plywood or cardboard. Send the leaf to a sunny meadow and wait until the rutabaga wilts slightly. The dried vegetables should then be laid out on baking sheets and placed in the oven for five hours. It is necessary to preheat the oven to a temperature of sixty degrees and leave the door ajar if the cabinet is not equipped with an electric fan function. Place the finished dried rutabaga into containers or bags and store in a dark, dry place.
• You can also pickle rutabaga. To do this, the vegetable should be washed and peeled, cut into convenient pieces and pour boiling water for ten minutes. After the specified time, the water must be drained and new water added, adding one hundred grams of sugar, salt to taste, then put the container with the ingredients on the fire and bring to a boil. When the liquid boils, add two tablespoons of vinegar, bay leaf and your favorite spices. Now you should cook the rutabaga until it becomes soft enough. When ready, place the pieces of vegetables into sterile jars, pour in the liquid in which the rutabaga was cooked, and roll up the lids of the jars.
• To ferment the root vegetable, cut it into strips and pour boiling water over it for ten to fifteen minutes. When the water has cooled, transfer the rutabaga into a glass container, add salt to taste, as well as a slice of black rye bread. All this must be filled with warm, but not hot water, a pressure should be installed on top and the entire structure should be put in a warm place for two days. When the dish is ready, you need to store it in a cool place.

Any housewife can prepare rutabaga for the winter and store it this way. The main thing is to follow the recommendations to prepare a tasty and healthy snack with your own hands at home.

The benefits of rutabaga and treatment

The benefits of rutabaga for human health are due to its vitamin and mineral composition. More often Root vegetables are recommended to be included in the diet menu people who have atherosclerosis, obesity, constipation, and digestive problems.

Rutabaga has many beneficial properties and acts as a wound-healing, anti-inflammatory, anti-burn, diuretic and laxative.

Because rutabaga has mucolytic and expectorant effects, that is, it can dilute and remove mucus, it is recommended to be used during various respiratory diseases.

A prepared decoction of rutabaga seeds can be used during colds to strengthen the body and for various inflammations.

Doctors advise using the vegetable as a remedy for gastritis, enteritis and colitis.

Harm of rutabaga and contraindications

A seemingly beneficial root vegetable can also cause harm. It is necessary to stop eating rutabaga during periods of exacerbation of diseases of the stomach and intestines, since it contains quite a lot of fiber, and with these diseases, fiber will only become an additional irritating factor. In addition, consumption of such fruits can lead to increased gas formation. Rutabaga is contraindicated in case of individual allergic reactions.

The best varieties of rutabaga

There are a large number of varieties of rutabaga that are eaten by people (table varieties) and used to feed farm animals (fodder varieties). We invite you to familiarize yourself with the best and most popular of them by reading our article.

Also, in addition to the above varieties, which are the most popular, there are less common, but high-quality varieties. These include rutabaga varieties “Wilma”, “Children’s Love”, “Lizy”, “Marian” and “Bright Dream”. Most varieties of rutabaga mainly belong to foreign selection, but there are also varieties bred directly in Russia.

These include “Krasnoselskaya” rutabaga.

Growing: planting and care Growing rutabaga in the country, in the garden or at home, as well as its planting and care, requires some knowledge in the field of gardening.

• If you want to get a good harvest, we recommend that you take note of our recommendations.
• Fortunately, rutabaga is not too picky about soil type and grows well in both acidic and neutral soil. The soil where the root crop is planted should be well-drained.
• It is not advisable to plant rutabaga next to plants such as radishes, cabbage, radishes or turnips.
• Before autumn digging, it is necessary to fertilize the soil with manure, distributing it evenly over the entire surface of the garden.

It is also advisable to fertilize the soil with lime or phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. The timing of sowing rutabaga in open ground is determined by weather conditions. Traditionally, sowing occurs at the end of April - beginning of May. Growing root vegetables from seeds is quite simple if you provide the crop with proper care. Seeds are sown to a depth of three centimeters, leaving a distance of at least half a meter between rows.

When the shoots appear, it is necessary to thin them out by planting rutabaga so that there is a distance of four centimeters between the bushes. Immediately after the plants have produced four leaves, they are planted again, this time leaving a distance of fifteen centimeters.

You need to plant rutabaga using seedlings in the same way as cabbage. To do this, prepare deep pots and soil, then pour the seeds to a depth of one and a half centimeters. This should be done forty days before the planned planting of seedlings in open ground. The best time to sow seeds in pots is the end of May or the beginning of June. Seedlings are planted when they produce three full leaves. Watering should be carried out based on the calculation: ten liters of water per square meter of area with seedlings. If the plant lacks moisture, the harvest will be bitter and tough. You need to start fertilizing rutabaga two weeks after planting the seedlings in the ground. For these purposes, slurry is usually used, and when the root crop appears, it is replaced with mineral fertilizers. The yield of rutabaga directly depends on how well you water it and how well the site for planting is selected.

For winter storage, rutabaga begins to be harvested before frost, laid out in boxes in the basement and sprinkled with sawdust or sand.

It is necessary to choose a technology for cultivating root crops based on the quality of the soil. If you have too many weeds in your garden, it is not recommended to sow rutabaga seeds directly into open ground. It is better to use pots for seedlings and plant ready-made sprouts in the ground. In this case, you will not have to spend too much time weeding the beds and removing every weed.

Most experts agree that it is undesirable to pick rutabaga, as this can negatively affect the yield of the plant.

Rutabaga is a popular vegetable overseas, but in Russia for some reason it is interesting to a small circle of people. Belongs to the extensive Cruciferous family, which includes plants known for their anti-cancer properties: sprouts, Brussels sprouts, etc. Other names: “Swedish” or “yellow turnip”.

Rutabaga supposedly originated in Russia as a hybrid between turnip and wild cabbage. It took a long time for her to be recognized and loved in other parts of the world. In Britain it has been associated with poverty and hunger for centuries. Not too fair, because during the Second World War it was rutabaga that saved the lives of many British people.

The flesh is light yellow, crisp and quite sweet, with fresh notes. Its slightly pungent taste is softened by cooking and other types of heat treatment. The skin is yellow, turning purple at the top. Along with the root crop, the leaves of the plant are eaten.

The benefits of rutabaga, like other members of the cruciferous family, command the respect of nutritionists. The composition includes vitamins C, E and K, B vitamins, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, calcium, magnesium, manganese and iron.

1. Contains valuable phytochemical compounds glucosinolate with anti-cancer properties. It prevents the development of malignant tumors, neutralizes carcinogens and promotes the removal of toxins from the liver.
2. One serving of the vegetable contains up to 50% of the daily value of vitamin C, the beneficial qualities of which are known even to people far from medicine. This compound, along with carotenoids, provides antioxidant protection for the body.
3. It has a beneficial effect on the digestive system: it promotes the production of bile and fights Helicobacter pylori. These bacteria settle on the walls of the stomach and intestines, causing ulcers, gastritis and even stomach cancer. The root vegetable improves metabolism due to its high fiber content: 12% of the daily value per serving.
4. Contains carotenoids that are beneficial for the eyes. Together with vitamin C, it nourishes and protects the visual organs from the aggressive activity of free radicals, reduces the risk of cataract formation.
5. Rutabaga is a source of zinc (0.48 mg per serving or 6% DV for women and 4% for men). Without this mineral, our body cannot produce important enzymes and protect itself from the harmful effects of heavy metals.
6. Vitamin C in the root vegetable is useful not only in the fight against free radicals, but also in the treatment of asthma patients. Regular consumption of this member of the Cruciferous family reduces the intensity of attacks and reduces shortness of breath.
7. Delivers good doses of potassium to the body, thereby reducing the likelihood of a heart attack. Normalizes blood pressure and fights water retention. Helps reduce blood cholesterol levels due to fiber.
8. Doctors note beneficial qualities for constipation: dietary fiber stimulates intestinal motility naturally. But consumption in large quantities is contraindicated for people suffering from flatulence.
9. Rutabaga owes its dietary properties to its minimal calorie content and rich nutritional composition. Promotes weight loss and prevents the development of type 2 diabetes. An excellent alternative to potatoes for diabetics, because they contain 20% less carbohydrates.
10. It contains less vitamin K than carrots, but even this amount gives the root vegetable valuable properties: it improves blood quality and promotes blood clotting, increases bone density and prevents fractures.

Other useful properties:

• prevents alopecia (baldness);
• relieves PMS symptoms;
• strengthens bones, treats osteoporosis;
• fights migraines;
• protects against Alzheimer's disease;
• during breastfeeding, increases milk production;
• prevents epileptic seizures;
• increases endurance during intense physical activity;
• stimulates healthy cell regeneration.

How to clean

1. Choose dense root vegetables with smooth skin without wrinkles or other damage.
2. Wash the rutabaga thoroughly under running water.
3. Cut in half to make it easier to remove the top purple part. Use the sharpest knife for this.
4. Remove the thick skins from the halves using a paring knife - this is difficult to do by hand.
5. Use the tip of a knife to cut out all the hard inclusions found in the pulp: they will not cause harm to health, but will spoil the taste of the root vegetable and make it bitter.
6. Some supermarkets sell waxed rutabaga. Fortunately, this does not affect its taste.

Fresh root vegetables can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed bag for up to one week.

Rutabagas are baked, fried, steamed, boiled and stewed. The fastest cooking method: in the microwave. Place vegetable cubes in a baking dish, add 3 tbsp. l. water and cook for 7-9 minutes until soft. Then let stand for 3 minutes. Ready!

Possible harm

In most cases, consuming this vegetable is completely safe, but it is harmful for people with kidney disease due to the mustard oil content, which causes increased gas formation and flatulence.

If you are allergic to turnips, cabbage, and other cruciferous vegetables, consult your doctor before adding the root vegetable to your diet.

Rutabaga is an excellent product for the diet of vegetarians who are limited in plant sources of complete protein. Swedish turnips contain all the amino acids the body needs to build new cells and regenerate existing ones. You too will appreciate the beneficial properties of this root vegetable.