Rutabagas are a hearty vegetable packed with fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. They can help prevent weight gain and have compounds that help fight inflammation, prevent premature aging, and possibly reduce cancer risk.
Rutabaga is a root vegetable that belongs to the Brassica genus of plants, whose members are informally known as cruciferous vegetables.
It’s round with a brownish-white color and looks similar to a turnip. In fact, it’s commonly referred to as a cross between a turnip and a cabbage.
The rutabaga is a staple in Northern European cuisine and also known by the names “swede” and “Swedish turnip.”
Rutabaga is a root vegetable that is often said to be a cross between a turnip and a cabbage. Although it has a strong, pungent flavor and an earthy smell, it tastes milder than a turnip when raw. When cooked, rutabagas taste slightly sweet, savory, and buttery like sweet potatoes but with a little bitter flavor.
May help with weight loss
Adding rutabagas to your diet may aid weight loss.
This root vegetable is very high in fiber and takes longer to digest, keeping you feeling full longer. This may prevent overeating and, ultimately, weight gain (20).
What’s more, a high-fiber diet is associated with a greater diversity of gut bacteria. Recent research has shown this connection is important for preventing long-term weight gain (21).
Finally, eating nutrient-rich, low-calorie foods like rutabagas may replace unhealthy food options that tend to be high in calories, fat, and sugar. Thus, rutabagas may promote a healthy body weight (22).
May prevent premature aging
Eating a diet high in antioxidants can help prevent premature aging.
Many signs of aging can be moderated through the environment and your diet, as well as by reducing inflammation-promoting activities, such as smoking and sun exposure (13).
Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant found in rutabagas that helps neutralize free radicals in your skin caused by pollution and damage from ultraviolet (UV) light (14).
It also plays a key role in the synthesis of collagen, an important protein that keeps your skin strong. UV exposure can damage collagen, and vitamin C plays a role in both creating collagen and protecting it (14, 15).
Antioxidants known as glucosinolates may also play a protective role in skin aging (16).
A recent study on 3D human skin models found that glucosinolates helped protect against UV damage. However, more research is needed (16).
Rutabaga 101 and easy Rutabaga Recipe
FAQ
How do you eat a rutabaga?
Is a Rudebaker the same as a turnip?
What is a Rudebaker root vegetable?
What is rutabaga taste like?
What does a rutabaga look like?
In fact, a rutabaga kind of looks like a giant, ugly turnip. Many people confuse the two vegetables, but there are some key differences. While rutabagas and turnips look somewhat similar, they’re not identical.
Is rutabaga a root vegetable?
It is a root vegetable, which is a cross between cabbage and turnips. Rutabaga is known by many other names throughout the world, including yellow turnips or neeps. Its origins are still somewhat in question, but most people believe that it is native to Scandinavia and Russia.
Is rutabaga a cruciferous vegetable?
Rutabaga, also called Swedish turnip, is a root vegetable that is similar to a turnip. It belongs to the same plant family as cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, radish, turnip, and cauliflower. Like all cruciferous vegetables, rutabaga is loaded with nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.
What do Finnish eat rutabaga?
Finns use rutabaga in most dishes that call for a root vegetable. Many Finnish soup bases consist of potatoes, carrots, and rutabagas. Finnish cuisine also roasts, bakes, boils, and grills rutabagas.