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The 13 Healthiest Root Vegetables

Medically Reviewed on 7/12/2022
13 healthiest root vegetables
Due to their rich vitamin content, polyphenols, and beneficial effects on health, these are the 13 healthiest root vegetables to add to your diet.

Starchy vegetables that grow in the soil are called root vegetables.

Though other plant components develop through the soil and to the surface, the starchy portion, also called the storage organ, grows underground. The rest of the plant receives the nutrients it requires to continue developing from the storage organ.

Learn the 13 healthiest root vegetables below.

13 healthiest root vegetables

  1. Sweet potato
    • Due to their rich vitamin content, polyphenols, and beneficial effects on health, they are a great addition to the diet.
    • A cup of cooked sweet potatoes contains:
      • 769 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A
      • 65 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C
      • 50 percent of the recommended daily intake of manganese
    • Sweet potatoes are high in fiber.
    • Additionally, sweet potatoes are a good source of antioxidants, such as copper, niacin, pantothenic acid, anthocyanins, and beta carotene.
    • Consuming sweet potatoes regularly may help digestion, prevent cancer in selected cases, fight free radicals that damage the body, promote healthy vision, increase immunity, and promote brain health.
    • Sweet potatoes, with or without skin, can be boiled, baked, roasted, or steamed. They are a wonderful complement to both sweet and savory recipes because of their inherent sweetness. However, they are not keto-friendly.
  2. Turnip
    • Turnips are a member of the cruciferous vegetable family, which includes foods, such as kale, broccoli, collard greens, brussels sprouts, and cabbage.
    • They contain potassium, calcium, and magnesium, which have been proved to reduce triglycerides, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels and keep the heart-healthy.
    • Their high-fiber content supports digestive health, and vitamin C strengthens the immune system and enhances the condition of the skin.
    • Turnips contain phytonutrients and indoles that help prevent cancer, including prostate, stomach, breast, lung, and colorectal cancers. Turnips can be eaten raw with dips or added to salads, but they are frequently cooked.
  3. Beets
    • Beets are rich in fiber, manganese, folate, and antioxidants.
    • Additionally, they have significant amounts of nitrates, which are chemicals that encourage the blood vessels' inner lining to produce nitric oxide.
      • Nitric oxide can spontaneously relax and dilate the blood vessels, lowering blood pressure.
      • Nitrates in beets have been proven to improve lung function, strengthen muscular contraction, delay fatigue, and raise exercise tolerance, which help athletes perform and endure longer.
    • Nitrates may reduce inflammation and hasten muscle repair.
    • Beets are a wonderful go-to food for a natural hemoglobin increase due to their high folate content. They provide a healthy quantity of iron and vitamin C, which work together to help the body absorb iron.
    • Beets are an excellent addition to salads, juices, and soups. They can be roasted, blanched, steamed, or fermented for added probiotic advantages.
  4. Radishes
    • These hardy, low-carb root vegetables are nutrient-rich and may help you stave off some illnesses.
    • They are rich in vitamin C; a cup of raw radishes (116 grams) provides 29 percent of the recommended daily intake.
    • They have trace amounts of other minerals, such as folate, vitamin K, niacin, B2 and B6, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, zinc, manganese, and selenium.
    • In addition to promoting overall digestive health and preventing gastric ulcers, radishes combat Candida albicans-related illnesses and may even be able to prevent cancer.
    • They can be used in salads or sandwiches and are best consumed raw.
  5. Onions
    • Onions are high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other plant-based chemicals that have been demonstrated to have several health benefits and the ability to prevent several diseases.
    • More than 25 flavonoid antioxidants, including quercetin and anthocyanins, could be found in onions. These have been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and heart attacks, the prevention of problems from diabetes, and helping to fight against some cancers.
    • Onions are a rich source of sulfur-containing chemicals, such as onions A, which can slow the growth of tumors, especially those of the ovary and lung, inhibiting their spread.
    • Additionally, onions can improve bone density, lower blood sugar levels, and fight infections.
  6. Garlic
    • Garlic shares a close relationship with onions, chives, leeks, and shallots, yet it differs slightly in terms of flavor and nutritional value.
    • It may help cure diarrhea, intestinal worms, colic, high blood pressure, diabetes, rheumatic illness, flatulence, and tuberculosis.
    • It has allium, an active component that strengthens the immune system by preventing parasitic, fungal, bacterial, and viral infections, and lowering blood sugar, pressure, and cholesterol levels.
  7. Carrots
    • Carrots include significant amounts of beta-carotene, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, E, and K.
    • Eating carrots has several health advantages, including:
      • Promote heart health
      • Reduce the risk of cancer
      • Improve vision
    • The high fiber content in carrots is a key nutrient for several processes, including increasing bowel regularity and enhancing your digestive.
    • Additionally, carrots can reduce your risk of getting age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer's.
  8. Celery root
    • Celery root, also called celeriac, is not the same as the root of the celery stalks that you are likely to purchase from the grocery store. They are different even if they come from the same family. While celery is produced for the stalks, celery root is intentionally grown for its root.
    • Celery root is not as starchy as other root vegetables. It is high in vitamin K; one cup can meet up to 80 percent of the daily needs. Consuming enough vitamin K is necessary for the blood’s ability to clot and to support strong and healthy bones. Additionally, it has healthy amounts of fiber, antioxidants, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamins A, C, and B6.
    • Lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene are a few of the antioxidants in the celery root. These antioxidants can help defend the body against the harm done by free radicals, which can result in cancer and other illnesses.
    • Celery root is high in fiber. Fiber can help with digestion and make you feel fuller for longer. Additionally, fiber has been demonstrated to lower the risk of obesity, heart disease, and other illnesses.
    • The body needs a lot of vitamins A and C to support the immune system and fight off infections.
    • Celery root can help lower their blood pressure due to its high potassium content. Potassium encourages salt excretion, which helps maintain a correct fluid balance and regulates blood pressure.
    • Peeled celery root can be boiled, roasted, baked, and mashed.
  9. Horseradish
    • Horseradish is most well-known for its strong flavor and aroma. It is a long-used root vegetable that contains antibacterial and anticancer properties among other medical uses. Nowadays, people frequently use it as a condiment.
    • Horseradish has been proven to be healthy for the body in many ways, including lowering inflammation and enhancing general well-being. Numerous health issues, such as arthritis, cancer, and heart disease, are brought on by inflammation.
    • Additionally, an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K is horseradish. These vitamins are necessary to keep the nails, hair, and skin in good condition.
    • Horseradish is a vital source of antioxidants, which aid in the battle against free radicals and support healthy cell growth.
  10. Rutabaga
    • A turnip-like root vegetable is a rutabaga. It is related to turnips, cabbage, radish, cauliflower, and broccoli. It is frequently claimed to be a hybrid of a turnip and a cabbage.
    • Although being a root vegetable that is frequently ignored, rutabaga includes several crucial elements for a balanced diet.
    • Vitamin C is one of the nutrients in rutabaga that is particularly significant. Vitamin C is necessary for cell growth and repair, which supports a robust immune system.
    • It is high in fiber. In addition to regulating blood sugar levels, fiber reduces the risk of obesity and heart disease. Fiber can help lower the risk of colon cancer.
    • It can be eaten raw, pureed, roasted, mashed with sweet potatoes, grated into salads and soups, or used in a vegetable casserole.
  11. Asparagus
    • This vegetable is simple to prepare (steaming or grilling) and has a wonderful crunch. It contains considerable amounts of iron, copper, potassium, and proteins. When routinely added to your diet, it helps promote circulation and lower blood pressure.
  12. Chicory
    • Although the nutrients in each species vary, you can typically count on extremely high levels of vitamins C and E, potassium, and folate. Chicory can help balance hormone levels, which is believed to reduce inflammation and promote relaxation.
  13. Shallots
    • The health benefits of shallots may include lowering cholesterol, acting as a potential anticancer agent, providing antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral defense, lowering blood pressure, managing diabetes, calming nerves, enhancing circulation, accelerating digestion, and helping to lose weight.

SLIDESHOW

Foods That Aren't as Healthy as You Think See Slideshow
Medically Reviewed on 7/12/2022
References
Image Source: iStock image

Groundwork Somerville. Getting Back to Your Roots: Cooking with Root Vegetables. https://groundworksomerville.org/getting-back-to-your-roots-cooking-with-root-vegetables/

WebMD. What Are the Health Benefits of Root Vegetables? https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-are-root-vegetables

Slavin JL, Lloyd B. Health benefits of fruits and vegetables. Adv Nutr. 2012 Jul 1;3(4):506-16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3649719/

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