Rutabaga: valuable root

The first written mention of the rutabaga was made in 1620 by Swiss scientist named Kaspar Bauhin; He wrote that the rutabaga - is a wild crop that grows in Sweden. It is considered the birthplace of the Scandinavian peninsula and Russia. Now it is widespread throughout Europe, North America and elsewhere

The use in cooking

Rutabaga is a popular ingredient in many dishes in different countries. Her fried, boiled, mashed from it and soups, added to baked goods. Raw turnips can be added to various salads, or is simply wrong. Cooked in various ways rutabaga can be a great side dish for many meat dishes. It goes well with potatoes, different kinds of cabbage and other vegetables. In Sweden from rutabagas are preparing a popular Christmas dish; Norwegian turnips served with salted fish. Sometimes, salads and soups are added rutabaga tops.

Use in medicine

Rutabaga has many health benefits, such as:

• Due to the high content of vitamin C turnip helps facilitate breathing in patients with asthma.
• Regular consumption of swede reduces the risk of lung bruising that often happens with a shortage of vitamin C.
• Rutabaga stimulates milk production and improves digestion and increases endurance.
• Since the rutabaga is rich in potassium, it helps to significantly reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack. Furthermore, rutabaga reduces high blood pressure.
• Rutabaga reduces the risk of developing cataracts and even protects the capillary structure from destruction.
• Rutabaga is very useful in the treatment of constipation and other digestive problems.

Nutritional properties of turnips

What is a rutabaga, and how it is grown

Swede turned from crossing turnips and cabbage. With regard to the origin of swede there are different views. Some researchers believe that it has been bred in the Mediterranean region, while others - her birthplace - Sweden.

This biennial herbaceous plant of the cabbage family. After planting the seeds in the first year grow rosette of leaves and roots, in the second year - flowers and fruits, which are polyspermous pods. The root of the second year becomes a circular or oval, looks like a turnip, but somewhat larger, its flesh is yellow, orange or white, covered with greenish-gray or reddish-purple skin.

Rutabaga well withstand the cold and the heat of the drought. The seeds begin to germinate even at 1 ° C, and seedlings can withstand even minor frosts. If turnips matured in the heat and drought, the roots become dry and tasteless. Therefore, in areas with warm climates it sown in early spring to harvest time to mature before the onset of heat. Swede gives good yields on fertile moist sandy and loamy soils.

What good is contained in rutabaga

Rutabaga contains sugars, proteins, cellulose, starch, pectins, B vitamins, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), carotene (provitamin A), rutin, mineral salts (potassium, sulfur, phosphorus, sodium, iron, copper), essential oil Essential oils and conception: can help the roses? . The information contained in rutabaga ascorbic acid differs high stability during heat treatment and long-term storage.

This composition helps to normalize the activity of the gastrointestinal tract (fiber cleanses the intestines), weakening of the chair, reduce edema (diuretic effect). Swede has also mucolytic action - the ability to thin the mucus.

This is recommended to use turnips

Rutabagas are used fresh, baked, boiled and stewed. Furthermore, salads, vegetables added fresh leaves swede and dried leaves are used as a seasoning for first and second courses. Juice swede used for coughs.

The Russian village centuries ago used the turnips in winter, it was thought that it is especially useful for older people as helps to maintain vitality. Young people used it for colds - it contributed to the rapid recovery, which is rational, since rutabaga contains a lot of ascorbic acid, strengthens the immune system. When dry cough turnips helps turn it into a productive cough with phlegm (by way of its dilution in the bronchi), which leads to recovery. Especially well it helps rutabaga in chronic inflammatory diseases of the bronchi and lungs.

• Rutabagas also taken to relieve swelling in cardiovascular and kidney diseases, as it has diuretic and removes excess fluid from the body How to withdraw excess fluid from the body - all sorts of ways .
• Swede helps to improve metabolism and excretion of "harmful" cholesterol that is deposited in the form of plaques in blood vessel walls. Therefore, it is recommended to take in atherosclerosis.
• Large amount of fiber contained in the rutabaga, promotes the normalization of the chair - is its property is used for chronic constipation. It increases peristalsis, improves digestion and metabolism Improves metabolism and losing weight without dieting That is very useful in obesity.
• Juice rutabaga has antibacterial properties, they have long been treated with festering wounds and burns.

But large amounts of fiber may play a negative role, such as exacerbation of chronic gastrointestinal disease - in such cases the reception rutabaga is contraindicated.

How to cook the swede

From rutabagas can be prepared in a variety of healthy food and medicines:

• fresh salad with green peas swede: swede small clean, Grate, add half a cup of canned green peas, grated apple, dill Dill: benefits and harms of fragrant spices   and parsley, season with sour cream; the taste you can add lemon juice and salt;
• baked turnips: turnips wash, towel dry and bake in the oven until tender (about three hours); bring to the table with oil and salt;
• rutabaga stew: turnips wash, peel, cut into small cubes and put in a pan with melted butter, add sugar to taste and simmer until tender, then add the flour and season with sour cream;
• honey juice turnip: medium-sized turnips wash, peel, chop and mince, then add the honey (in two swede - one part honey), stir and take in a strong dry cough for 1 dessert spoon 4-5 times a day, regardless of the meal, with warm water.

Rutabaga - undeservedly forgotten a valuable tool for proper nutrition.

Galina Romanenko