Delicious when mashed, roasted, or boiled and the perfect addition to soups, salads, stews, casseroles, curries, and even desserts- rutabagas are a staple in most households. This root vegetable originated as a cross between cabbage and turnips and is now used as a substitute for potatoes. But they’re more than just that. Nutritionists have found various health benefits that rutabaga provides that make it worthy to be in your pantry. Here’s a reckoner of these.
1. Supports Digestive Health
Rutabagas can help keep your digestive system healthy. A cup of the root vegetable provides 3.2 g of fiber, which makes up for 12.8% of your recommended daily intake.1 Fiber adds bulk to stools and keeps waste moving through the intestines, preventing constipation. In addition to this, fiber also keeps digestion regular and healthy, reducing the risk of gut-related disorders like diverticular disease, irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease.2 3 4
2. May Lower Blood Sugar Levels
[pullquote]Rutabagas stay fresh up to 3–4 weeks when stored in a cool place or in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.[/pullquote]
Consuming rutabaga might help lower your blood sugar levels. One cup of the vegetable packs in 0.183 mg of manganese, which makes up for 10.16% of your recommended daily intake.5 And studies have found that manganese deficiency can lead to glucose intolerance similar to that of diabetes. Besides this, multiple studies have found that people with diabetes have lower manganese blood levels.6 7
That’s not all, studies have found that manganese is heavily concentrated in the pancreas and is involved in the production of insulin, which is responsible for removing sugar from the blood. Manganese might, hence, contribute to the proper secretion of insulin and help stabilize blood sugar levels.8 9 10
3. May Lower Incidence Of Epileptic Seizures
The manganese in rutabaga may also prevent epileptic seizures. Stroke, which is the leading cause of epilepsy in adults over 35, is caused by a decreased blood flow to the brain. And manganese has been found to enlarge veins to efficiently carry blood to tissues like the brain. Adequate levels in your body may help increase blood flow and decrease the risk of a stroke. Besides this, since manganese content is found in the brain, studies have found that manganese levels may be lower in individuals with seizure disorders. That said, it’s unclear whether seizures reduce levels of manganese in the body or if low levels of the nutrient cause individuals to be susceptible to convulsions.11 12 13
4. May Boost Immunity
If you’ve been falling sick each time the weather changes, including rutabaga in your diet. A cup serving of this vegetable provides 35 mg of vitamin C, which accounts for a whopping 53.8% of your recommended daily intake.14 Studies have found that vitamin C stimulates the production and function of white blood cells which attack foreign bacteria and viruses, especially neutrophils, lymphocytes, and phagocytes. In addition to this, vitamin C has been found to increase the serum levels of antibodies that protect against infections.15
5. May Promote Skin Health
The vitamin C in rutabaga can keep your skin healthy. It is found at high levels in the epidermis (outer layer of skin) as well as the dermis (inner layer of skin) and the vitamin’s role in collagen production is believed to speed up healing of the skin. In addition to this, some studies have found that consuming enough vitamin C may enhance the effectiveness of sunscreens applied to your skin for protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays. It does this by decreasing cell damage and helping the healing process of bodily wounds. In doing this, vitamin C may also fend off the signs of skin aging, especially wrinkles and dark spot. It may also repair and prevent dry skin.16 17
6. Might Prevent Cancer
Consuming a diet rich in rutabaga may prevent cancer. Studies have found that they are rich in antioxidants, which bust free-radical damage and prevent cancer. In addition to this, they contain glucosinolates which are sulfur-containing compounds that are commonly found in cruciferous vegetables. And they have been found to protect against cancer cell development and growth and prevent oxidative stress.18 19
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