eat fresh
TURN UP YOUR By Chad Ruiz
18
INSPIRE HEALTH
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I
t’s the purple power food that deserves a lot of attention. It fights cancer, improves immunity, increases blood flow, prevents heart disease, supports digestion, regulates your metabolism…heck, about the only thing it doesn’t do is turn silver into gold! Bursting with nutritional value, the turnip ranks as one of the healthiest, least talked about foods on the planet.What makes this cruciferous a contender is the fact that its leaves and bulbous root provide far-reaching health benefits. One vegetable, two sides, two sources of power. Like it’s cruciferous cousins, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, etc., turnips are rich in nutrients and low in calories, making it a great Eat Fresh option for weight-loss. TOUTING THE TURNIP Grown in cooler climates across the globe, both the turnip root and leaves sport numerous nutritional benefits rich in vitamin C, iron, carotenoids, fiber, niacin, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium and many other useful minerals. These veggies also boast cancer-fighting phytochemicals, antioxidants and glucosinolates, all of which help the liver filter toxins and protect the body from carcinogens. Some studies show that regularly consuming turnips and other cruciferous vegetables lowers your risk of certain cancers including prostate, lung and breast, according to the National Cancer Institute. The high concentration of vitamin C in turnips, 42 percent of the recommended daily consumption in one medium turnip and 55 percent in one cup of greens, strengthens your immune system and just about every other structure in your body. One analysis released by “The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” who compared nine studies involving more than 290,000 participants observed that individuals who consumed 700 milligrams of vitamin C daily had a 25 percent lower risk of heart disease.
