Parsnip Root Health Benefits: Parsnip Mashed Potato Recipe. Parsnip (white root). Useful properties, application, contraindications. How to choose

botanical name- parsnips.

Family- umbrella.

Genus- parsnip.

predecessors- potatoes, cabbage, onion, cucumber.

Lighting- a sunny place.

The soil- peaty, sandy, loamy.

Landing- seeds.

The origin of the parsnip plant and its cultivation

The biennial vegetable plant parsnip is cultivated all over the world. Its homeland is considered to be the south of the Ural Mountains and the Altai Territory. Parsnip has been known since the end of the 12th century. In Russia, he appeared even earlier than. Growing it is easy enough. It is cultivated and developed in the same way as carrots. Very often they are even grown together. During the first year, a root crop is formed, in the second year the plant blooms and produces seeds. The main difference is that its roots are larger than those of carrots. This should be taken into account when planting seeds - the distance between them should be somewhat greater than between carrot seeds. Seeds are planted in spring. For better germination, they should be soaked in water for two days. When true leaves appear, the crops are thinned out. The plant is cold-resistant and moisture-loving. To prevent root crops from cracking, regular watering of plants should be ensured. In autumn, before the onset of cold weather, they harvest. In the case when the root crops are left in the ground for the winter, they should be spudded and the leaves cut off. In winter, these root crops will need to be dug up before they begin to grow leaves again.

The plant should be protected from wet bacterial rot, septoria, white and gray rot and black spot.

Useful properties of parsnips

Useful properties of parsnip were known in antiquity. Ancient Greek physicians used it as a pain reliever and diuretic. It stimulated appetite, improved sexual activity, helped with colic. The healing properties of parsnip are recognized by modern doctors. This vegetable is widely used in folk medicine. A decoction of the roots helps with coughing, and an aqueous infusion is used as a tonic in the rehabilitation of seriously ill patients. Vegetable improves digestion and strengthens the walls of capillary vessels. Decoctions help in the treatment of baldness. In medicine, it is also used for the prevention and treatment of vascular and heart diseases.

The vegetable is used in diet food. With kidney stones and gallstone diseases. With nervous diseases, bronchitis, gout, pneumonia.

Vegetable juice is rich in silicon, potassium, phosphorus, chlorine, sulfur. Its use helps to strengthen brittle nails. Chlorine and phosphorus have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the lungs and bronchi. Therefore, juice is recommended to drink for patients with emphysema, pneumonia and tuberculosis. Potassium improves brain function, because of this, the juice is successfully used in the treatment of various mental diseases.

The fruits are used to make medicines that successfully treat various skin diseases. Particularly vitiligo. The leaves are used in dermatology.

The vegetable contains mineral salts, sugar, proteins, essential and fatty oils, many vitamins and microelements. Pectins, starch, fiber. The seeds contain coumarins and glycosides.

The roots and leaves are widely used in cooking. They are dried, boiled, stewed, salads are prepared from them. Used as a spice and added to confectionery. Like potatoes, this vegetable turns black when cut. To prevent this from happening, cut pieces should be lowered into water. The optimal cooking time for small pieces is ten minutes. For large - twenty. Then they will remain soft and will not have time to soften to a puree state. Cooked roots resemble a sweetish nut. They can be baked or steamed. Parsnip vegetable can be a good side dish for fish or meat. In some dishes, it is used instead of beets - for example, in vinaigrette.

Parsnip flowers, leaves, stems and roots, parsnip photo

Flowers parsnips are bisexual. The correct form, small. Five-membered. Collected in complex umbrellas of 5 - 15 rays. Wrappers are usually missing. The cup is invisible. The corolla is bright yellow. They can be seen in the photo of parsnips. Flowers appear in the second half of summer. Fruit appears in September. They are flat-compressed, round-elliptical, narrow-winged two-seeded. Bees from the flowers of this plant collect high quality light honey.

Root parsnip is white. It has a sweet taste and pleasant smell. The shape can be like a turnip - rounded, and like a carrot - cone-shaped. On the cut, the color is yellowish-brown or yellowish-gray.

Stem up to one meter high. Upright, branched, rough, pubescent, sharp-ribbed, furrowed-faceted.

Leaves parsnips are odd-pinnate large in size with blunt edges. They are smooth on top and rough on the bottom. Of several pairs of ovate lobed or coarsely serrated pubescent sessile leaves. The lower ones are short-petiolate, and the upper leaves have a vaginal base. The leaves release essential oils on hot days. They are quite pungent and can burn the skin. For this reason, it is better to take care of the plant either early in the morning or late in the evening.

Parsnip is a biennial or perennial herbaceous plant of the Umbelliferae family. In the people it is known under the names of priest, field borscht and tragus. It is used both in folk and official medicine.

For medical purposes, mainly parsnip roots are used, less often - leaves and seeds.

Chemical composition

Biologically active substances that make up parsnips:

• Furocoumarins: pastinacin, sfondin, bergapten, xanthotoxin, polyin;
• mineral salts;
• fatty oil;
• Starch;
• Sahara;
• Proteins;
• pectins;
• Cellulose;
• Flavonoid glycosides;
• Essential oil containing butyric acid octibutyl ester;
• Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, C, E, H;
• Macro- and microelements: potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, iron.

Beneficial features

The most useful properties of parsnips are:

• Diuretic;
• Painkiller;
• expectorant;
• Emollient;
• Antioxidant;
• Spasmolytic;
• sedative;
• Tonic.

In addition, the plant

• Increases appetite;
• Improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
• Reduces blood sugar;
• Normalizes cholesterol;
• Strengthens the immune system and the walls of blood vessels.

Indications for use

Parsnip has been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times. The healer Dioscorides prescribed it as a diuretic and aphrodisiac, recommended it for hallucinations, to increase appetite, as an analgesic for hepatic, gastric and renal colic, as an emollient and expectorant for colds of the upper respiratory tract.

Due to the fact that the roots of the plant strengthen the walls of blood vessels, they are recommended for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, including angina pectoris and cardioneurosis.

A decoction of the leaves is used as an effective diuretic to cope with edema, including in pregnant women. This tool is also suitable for people suffering from kidney disease, it helps to remove sand and stones.

Tincture of the leaves and gruel from the grated fresh root have an antispasmodic effect, are used for renal and hepatic colic, vasospasm, muscle cramps, constipation and asthma attacks.

Fresh juice from the root crop has an expectorant effect and is used for diseases of the upper respiratory tract, helps with diseases of the stomach and gastric colic.

A decoction of parsnip herb in combination with chamomile and oregano is an effective soothing tea, root tincture on vodka is a good remedy for loss of strength and depression.

Popovnik is an excellent aphrodisiac, regular intake of fruits with sugar helps with sexual weakness.

The root crop is successfully used in cooking. It can be consumed fresh, including added to salads, fried, stewed, baked, used as a side dish for vegetable, fish and meat dishes, as a seasoning for soups, sauces and preservation. Such dishes will replace immunomodulators, fill the body with vitamins and energy, help recover after surgery, normalize cholesterol levels, and improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Parsnip is recommended to be eaten with asthenia, anemia and during pregnancy. This plant cleanses the body, improves blood formation processes. The high content of vitamin B9 will ensure the normal intrauterine development of the child, reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and dementia, and improve the health of both the baby and the expectant mother.

Dried root powder and leaf lotions are recommended for dermatitis and psoriasis - they will help get rid of discomfort, itching and pain, cleanse the skin. A decoction rubbed into the scalp is effective for incipient baldness.

The pharmaceutical industry produces several preparations using parsnips. Furocoumarins are extracted from the root crop, and medicines are made on their basis. For example, Beroxan (based on bergapten and xanthotoxin, available in the form of tablets, a solution of 0.25% and 0.5%) is a drug for the treatment of dermatological diseases, including vitiligo, psoriasis and alopecia areata. Another drug - "Pastinacin" (based on furocoumarin pastinacin, is available in tablets) - an antispasmodic agent used for neuroses with coronary spasms, with coronary insufficiency, to prevent angina attacks.

Contraindications

As such, parsnip has no contraindications for use, except in cases of individual intolerance to the plant.

It should be borne in mind that the priest helps to remove stones from the kidneys, which, in the absence of medical supervision, can lead to their uncontrolled discharge, therefore the plant is contraindicated in urolithiasis.

Parsnip increases the sensitivity of the skin to ultraviolet radiation, so it is not recommended for medicinal purposes for children and the elderly (there is a high risk of age spots and sunburn).

Root crops should be used with caution in people with kidney and liver diseases, severe disorders of the nervous system.

Parsnip home remedies

• Parsnip decoction, recommended for loss of strength, stress, headaches, potency disorders, digestive disorders: 1 tbsp. crushed fresh root pour 250 ml of hot water, insist and strain for 5 hours. Take 2 times a day for ½ cup for 10 days;
• Expectorant and emollient for coughs: 2 tbsp. dry leaves pour 1 cup boiling water, insist for 30 minutes. This infusion can be gargled several times during the day, taken orally;
• Means for the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: 1 tbsp. dry herbs pour 2 cups of hot water, cover, boil for 10 minutes, then insist and strain for 2 hours. Take 20 minutes before meals for the first week, 0.25 cups 3 times a day, the second week - 0.5 cups 3 times a day;
• Cholagogue: 1 tbsp. parsnips pour 1.5 cups of water, boil for 30 minutes in a water bath. Take 30 minutes before meals, 2 tablespoons;
• Diuretic used in dropsy: 2 tbsp. fresh leaves pour 1 cup boiling water, insist for 20 minutes and strain. Take 2 times a day for 2 tablespoons;
• Pain reliever for bruises, sprains and other injuries: 3 tbsp. scald chopped dry roots with boiling water and wrap in gauze. Apply such compresses to sore spots.

Name: Parsnip vegetable

Scientific name: Pastinaca sativa

Origin: Europe, Caucasus, Anatolia, Lebanon and Western Siberia.

Colour: yellowish white, creamy in some varieties (root)

Shape: smooth, fleshy, cylindrical, but some varieties have a more convex shape (namely the root)

Taste: sweet and spicy

Calories 100 Kcal/mug

Key Nutrients:

Manganese (32.39%)

Vitamin C (25.11%)

Vitamin K (24.92%)

Vitamin B9 (22.25%)

Carbohydrates (18.41%)

Parsnip vegetable is useful for cancer, metabolic disorders, mental and emotional disorders, toxicity (especially lead), osteoporosis; necessary for the growth and development of a young organism, for the normal functioning of the heart, the immune system, increases energy production and promotes weight loss.

Parsnip is a member of the umbrella family (Apiaceae), in the genus, Pastinaca, and a close relative of carrots, parsley, celery, cumin, dill, and parsley root. This sweet, juicy underground vegetable is closely related to the carrot family.

The word parsnip comes from the Latin pastus meaning food and sativa meaning to cultivate.

This root vegetable is native to Eurasia and has been widely used in this region since ancient times. The vegetable is very similar to carrots and parsley, and for this reason, it is often mistaken for carrots in historical records.

The Harris Model, All American, Hollow Crown, Cobham Marrow, and The Student parsnips are some of the popular varieties of parsnips grown around the world.

From this article you will learn:

What is this plant?

Parsnip is a herbaceous biennial plant in the Apiaceae family grown for its edible taproot that resembles a pale carrot.

It has been found to grow in cool temperate climates and loves full or partial sun. Moist fertile loamy soil is preferred for best plant growth.

The plant usually reaches 2-5 feet (0.6-1.5 m) in height and has a deep taproot, very thick and fleshy, which can grow from 10 to 23 cm (4-9 inches) in length. The fruit is erect, naked, slightly hairy with wrinkles.

The stem is also erect with a rosette of leaves, which are pinnate with broad, ovate, sometimes lobed leaflets with serrated edges; the stem grows up to 40 cm (16 in) long. The leaves are yellowish-green, shiny, oblong, coarsely serrated and rhomboid.

Later, umbrella-shaped yellow flowers, 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8 in) in diameter, bloom from June to September.

The flower later produces oval-shaped seeds with flat, narrow, short stems. They are straw or light brown in color and measure 4 to 8 mm (0.16 to 0.31 in) long. Seeds are usually pale brown, oval or spherical, narrowly winged.

Parsnip vegetable (root)

The parsnip fruit is mostly eaten as a root vegetable, but only after cooking. You can cut and cook even chips. The leaves of the plant are also edible, they are used in the same way as a vegetable, fried, added to soups, salads, etc.

The fruit is smooth, cylindrical and fleshy, but some varieties are more domed and yellowish-white in color so much like a carrot in appearance.

Inside, the fruit is usually cream in color and has a slightly celery-like aroma, sweet flavor, and peppery taste. The root is usually harvested when it reaches about 15 to 25 cm in length. It is pulled out by pulling the whole plant along with the root (uprooting), like carrots.

It was even used as a sweetener for foods before cane sugar became one of Europe's main sweet imports.

You can still find parsnips as a staple vegetable dish in many parts of Europe, notably in the United Kingdom, where "Neeps and tatties" (parsnips and potatoes) are the most famous dishes in Scotland.

It is well stored both above and below ground and is available all year round. However, to enjoy the best flavors, the optimal season for picking is autumn. Farmers plant tiny seeds in the spring. The crop must be harvested after three or four months.

Past experience has taught farmers that as long as the parsnips are in the ground until late autumn, the starches do not turn into sugar. Although some farmers even leave the parsnips in the ground for the whole winter with the hope that then it will become sweet.

Commercial farmers use the refrigerator to convert starch to sugar by picking parsnips in late fall and leaving them at 0-1ºC for about 2 weeks.

Story

Parsnips are believed to originate from the eastern Mediterranean, including the Caucasus. The Roman word for parsnip was "Pastinaca". The vegetable was illustrated in Germany in 1542 and was called "Pestnachen" - the German form of the Roman word for parsnips.

The fruit was a poor man's food even before the potato came along because it was relatively productive to grow and kept for a long time.

It was later introduced to England in the 16th century. The colonist brought them with him to Virginia and 20 years later parsnips were very common in Massachusetts.

The Indians even began to grow parsnips and, thus, it spread throughout the United States. Now it is growing all over the world due to its excellent health properties, nutritional value, as well as its miraculous taste.

nutritional value

In addition to their sweet and peppery taste, parsnips are a natural source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

Eating just 100 grams of a cooked vegetable will provide 0.745 mg of manganese, 22.6 mg of vitamin C, 29.9 mcg of vitamin K, 89 mcg of vitamin B9, 23.93 g of carbohydrates, 0.16 mg of copper, 6.5 g of total dietary fiber and 0.798 mg Vitamin B5. Parsnips are low in calories and free of cholesterol and saturated fats.

Sowing seeds

Parsnips should generally be planted 3-5 weeks before the last frost date. The soil must be prepared prior to sowing by removing rock and breaking any hard clods down to a depth of at least 30 cm (12 inches).

It's also a good idea to use compost before planting, but not fresh manure as this will lead to branching roots. Sow seeds 1.3-1.9 cm deep, leaving a distance between rows. When the seedlings reach 2.5 cm in height, they are seated.

plant care

Vegetables love plenty of moisture. Mulching around plants helps retain moisture and reduces weeds. Plants are also protected for the winter with a thick layer of mulch. Any weeds growing around plants should be carefully removed.

Harvesting

For best results, parsnips should be harvested before the first frost in the fall. Frost stimulates the transformation of starch in the roots into sugar, then the roots taste sweeter. Gather carefully, tearing the ground, and gently pull the root out of the soil. The vegetable can be stored in damp sand to keep fresh longer.

Useful properties of parsnips

Parsnip dishes are a very healthy accessory for any table, be it festive or everyday. Many people believe that this fruit is just a pale carrot, but even though they are in the same family, they are completely different vegetables.

They have common benefits, such as increasing brain serotonin levels, which will help you feel really happy!

But parsnips also have excellent characteristics: powerful antibacterial, antimicrobial, as well as antifungal properties that help the entire body in the fight against swelling.

1) For a slim figure

Because parsnips are a low-calorie, high-soluble-fiber food option, they will fill your stomach completely and prevent the release of ghrelin, the “hunger” hormone.

With such nutrition, you are much between meals and easily, with which you cannot part for a long time. In addition, optimized digestion processes will help you eliminate wastage and improve absorption so you can get all the healthy nutrients from your food.

2) With osteoporosis

Manganese is one of several trace minerals essential for strong bones. Of course, there are no specific indications that manganese can prevent osteoporosis, but some studies have shown that taking a mixture of calcium, zinc, copper, and manganese significantly reduced spinal bone loss in a group of post-menopausal women.

Anyone can earn osteoporosis, but it often occurs in mature women. Half of all women and a quarter of men over 50 break bones due to osteoporosis. Parsnip contains 0.745 mg of manganese, which is 32.39% of the daily recommended dose.

3) Keeps you energized

Copper is necessary for the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate, which is a storehouse of energy. The substance affects the production of intracellular energy.

It acts as a catalyst to restore oxygen molecules in water, so the enzyme provides an electrical impulse that is used in the mitochondria to synthesize the life energy storage molecule, ATP. This means that with a sufficient amount of copper in our body, we will get it for the whole day, without feeling lethargic or tired.

4) Lead Toxicity Treatment

Lead toxicity is a serious problem in the modern world and occurs mainly in children, especially in urban areas. Unusual growth and development has been found in some children who have been exposed to lead.

They develop behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and tend to have low IQs, kidney damage, and high blood pressure. Vitamin C supplements, as well as fatty foods, help lower blood lead levels. In that case, parsnips on your regular diet will solve this problem, since the vegetable contains a significant amount (25.11%) of vitamin C.

5) Mental and emotional disorders

The parsnip vegetable contains Vitamin B9, which is useful in the treatment of many mental and emotional disorders. For example, it is useful in treatment - two of the most common mental health problems of affected people in the modern world.

6) Immune system

The vegetable is packed with vital vitamins, antioxidants and organic compounds that protect the body from foreign invaders as well as toxic by-products from its own cellular metabolism.

Vitamin C and E from parsnips act as antioxidants in the body and help eliminate free radicals that cause chronic diseases such as cancer. Apart from this, vitamin C also promotes the production of white blood cells to attack disease and foreign microbes in the body, in addition to functioning as a key element in the production of collagen, our body's main building block.

7) Heart health

The biggest secret in unraveling the health of the heart and blood vessels is that everything you need can be taken from nature itself. Both fruits and vegetables have always been good choices for a healthy lifestyle. But parsnips have more influence than we realize.

It contains a lot of potassium, which acts as a vasodilator (reduces blood pressure as well as workload on the heart). The high level of folic acid found in the vegetable is a great addition as it lowers blood levels of homocysteine ​​and therefore an increased risk of heart disease.

8) Birth Defects and Metabolism

Folic acid is a member of the B-vitamin group, it reduces the neural tubes of birth defects in young children and increases metabolic processes associated with energy production, and is also beneficial for the entire nervous system.

Folic acid is also well suited to treat depression in those who regularly add it to their diet.

9) Growth and development

Just like carrots, parsnips are a healthy snack option, not potato chips or fast food.

10) Dietary fiber

This vegetable has long been admired for many years for its high fiber content, in particular because it is made up of soluble fiber, which lowers cholesterol and prevents diabetes.

In addition, dietary fiber is a key component of our digestive process, which allows food to move easily through the gastrointestinal tract, reduces constipation, and prevents other gastrointestinal disorders.

11) Anti-cancer

The fruit contains vitamin K, which is necessary to effectively reduce the risk of prostate, colon, stomach, nose, and oral cavity cancers.

A study has shown that high doses of vitamin K help liver cancer patients stabilize and even improve their liver function. Increased dietary intake of vitamin K has been shown to be associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.

Parsnips contain 29.9 micrograms of vitamin K (24.92% of the daily recommended value).

Parsnip types

Parsnips are a distant relative of carrots, available in a variety of varieties with different flavors to add variety to your dining table.

Below are a few well-known types:

1) Harris

Harris parsnips are well loved by home gardeners as well as industrial farmers. It has a smooth white skin color, straight roots along with grainy flesh compared to various other varieties.

It will grow from 30 to 38 cm in length in about 130 days. This specific sweet taste is the best in this kind. It requires surface protection in cold climates. Best planted in loamy, well-drained soil.

2) American parsnips

This is a really fast growing variety, able to mature in just 95 days. The pulp is soft, has a rather sweet taste. Disease resistant variety. The American variety is most profitable to harvest during late autumn.

Ego can be left outdoors through the non-cold winter if properly protected with straw mulch. Likes partial sun along with light watering, should be grown in loamy, slightly acidic soil.

3) Hollow Crown

This variety comes from England. Roots grow much more than 35 cm in length and require deep soil preparation before sowing.

Harvested from mid-autumn to winter. It takes a whole 3 weeks for the parsnips to get out of the soil, so the seeds are sometimes even covered with transparent plastic or wait until the soil warms up. Plant it in well-plowed, acidic soil and water it regularly.

4) Cobham

Cobham develops roots as long as 20 cm. It really is one of several types of sweet parsnips, used quite often in desserts or even preserved with brown sugar.

It germinates in just 3 weeks and is also extremely disease and locust resistant. This particular parsnip is ready to be harvested about 4 months after planting, but its flavor may change as it sits until the first frost.

5) student

This is definitely an American heirloom parsnip familiar from the mid-1850s. The root easily goes as deep as 70 cm, so it is quite difficult to pull it out.

The taste is sweet and tender, so it's best to leave it in the ground before the initial frost. Of course, you will need to secure the surface. Parsnips take approximately 95 to 125 days to mature, and ripen best in partial sun with judicious watering.

How to use parsnips?

• The vegetable can be eaten raw and cooked: boiled, fried.

• The root is very tasty baked; it is used in soups, stews, salads, casseroles, pies, and puddings, dried as a seasoning for soups, and canned.

• Parsnip is used to make jam, marmalade and sweet flour for cakes.

• It is eaten with salted fish and boiled eggs during Lent.

• Roasted parsnips are considered the staple of Christmas dinner and are featured in the traditional Sunday roast.

• In Great Britain and Ireland, beer and wine are also made from the vegetable.

• The roots are boiled with water and hops and then left to ferment for the liquor.

• In the north of Ireland, the fruit is often boiled with malt instead of hops and fermented with yeast, resulting in a pleasant drink.

• Properly made parsnip wine is appreciated by many people as the quality approaches the famous Madeira.

• Leaves and young stems, like any other greens, are added to soups.

• The seeds are used as a seasoning because they taste like dill.

• Raw parsnips add a distinctive sweet flavor to coleslaws.

• It is cooked along with mashed potatoes, leeks, cauliflower, etc.

• Pieces and cubes added to stews, soups and stir-fries are served with poultry, fish and meat.

• It is used in breads, pies, casseroles and various savory dishes.

• The vegetable is boiled and the hard parts are removed from the stew to leave a more subtle flavor than the whole root, as the starch can thicken the dish.

• Parsnips can also be fried, and chips are made from thinly sliced ​​pieces.

Other traditional uses for parsnips are:

• The parsnip vegetable is used in folk medicine for kidney disease, jaundice, and other disorders.

• The root and its leaves are diuretic.

• Parsnip root tea is used in the treatment of female diseases, and a strong decoction is used to treat fever.

• Poultices from the roots are applied to inflammations and ulcers, psoriasis and vitiligo are treated.

• The oil extracted from parsnip seeds is used to treat fever.

Other facts:

1. Parsnips are not only a valuable human food vegetable, they are even superior to carrots for fattening pigs. The roots and stems serve as good food for animals, especially for pigs and dairy cattle.
2. Leaves and roots are used as an insect spray: against aphids and red spider, mites.
3. The furanocoumarins in parsnips are known for their toxicity to insects.

Precautionary measures:

• Parsnips are composed of polyacetylenes that have proven to be cytotoxic. Caution should be given to individuals who use anticancer drugs as the mixture may have negative results.

• The vegetable can cause photosensitivity. Caution should be taken by people who take certain other substances that cause increased sensitivity to light, such as St. John's wort (the side effect may increase).

• The parsnip plant and its leaves can cause hypersensitivity reactions such as contact dermatitis and oral allergy syndrome (OAS) in sensitive individuals.

Buying Tips:

Choose a smooth, firm vegetable about the size of a medium to large carrot. But avoid oversized fruits as their core is often woody. Softness is often a sign of decay (gray rot or even watery soft rot).

Storage Tips:

Most fruits can be purchased with the tops removed; in case the tops stick tightly to the vegetable, cut them off just before storing so they don't pull moisture away from the roots. Store raw parsnips in the refrigerator, preferably in a perforated plastic bag, for up to three weeks. Once cooked, chilled parsnips will only last a day or two.

• If the core is large, dig it out with a knife. If small, then you can eat it raw.

• To experience the full taste of parsnips, you need to steam them, after washing and cleaning them.

• It is baked, stewed, fried, and also boiled.

• Combine with meat or even fish, prepare soups.

• It goes great with a little butter, milk, salt and pepper for a delicious flavor.

• Boil parsnips until soft, about eight minutes, then add unsalted butter and skim milk for a low-calorie puree.

• Chop 2 carrots and 2 parsnips and sauté them with chopped onion for a great low-calorie breakfast.

• Used to make stew.

• Potatoes are mashed together with parsnips for mashed potatoes.

• Cut the vegetable into strips, add olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes at 200°C!

Parsnip

Other names: meadow parsnip, common parsnip, white carrot, spindle root, field borscht, lat. - Pastinaca sativa L. Parsnip root is used in the form of decoctions as a remedy.

Parsnip (root) - This is a biennial herbaceous plant, a species of the genus Pasternak, of the Umbelliferae family, from 30 cm to 1 meter or more in height. This plant was obtained as a result of centuries-old selection from wild parsnip, which is found everywhere in Ukraine, Western Siberia, the Caucasus, Western Europe, America, Turkey and other countries. The parsnip differs from its wild relative, first of all, in its thick and spicy-sweet root.

The stem of the parsnip is erect, furrowed-faceted, pubescent, branched in the upper part. The leaves are large, unpaired pinnate, of 2-7 pairs of ovate and pubescent sessile leaves. The lower leaves are not large, short-petiolate. The flowers are small, bright yellow, regular, collected in a complex umbrella of 8-15 rays.

The seeds of parsnips are round-elliptical, flat-compressed, yellowish-brown in color. The root crop is white, thick, sweetish in taste, pleasantly smelling. In shape, in most cases, cone-shaped, like a carrot. Parsnip blooms only in the second year, in July-August. The fruits ripen in September.

Parsnip, plant composition

As a cultivated vegetable plant, parsnip became known since the end of the 12th century, but it began to be widely used in the 18th century. And in Russia, he appeared even earlier than potatoes.

This plant has a complex composition rich in useful substances, its roots contain a significant amount of essential oils, thiamine, vitamins C, B1, B2, PP, nicotinic acid, riboflavin, proteins, starch, pectins and other substances. In fruits (seeds) furocoumarins, flavonoid glycosides and coumarins were found, and essential oil in fruits from 1.5 to 3.6%, i.e. quite a lot. The composition of the essential oil includes octyl-butyl ester of butyric acid, which determines the peculiar smell of parsnip.

Pasternak, application

In addition to excellent culinary properties, parsnip (root) has a number of medicinal properties. So, ancient Greek doctors used parsnips to stimulate appetite, as an analgesic and diuretic, or a remedy for colic, to improve sexual functions (increases attraction, male power, etc.).

The healing properties of parsnip are also confirmed by modern traditional medicine. Currently, the pharmaceutical industry produces such preparations from parsnips as - "Pastinacin", "Beroxan", "Eupiglin", etc. Pastinacin is used mainly as an antispasmodic for angina pectoris, cardioneurosis and neuroses. These tablets are also prescribed for spasms in the gastrointestinal tract, for problems in the biliary tract or with the kidneys. Beroxan is used for psoriasis, vitiligo, patchy alopecia and other skin diseases, both externally and internally.

Parsnips are also widely used in folk medicine. For medicinal purposes, fruits, leaves and roots are used. A decoction of parsnip roots helps with coughing, as an expectorant (to soften and separate sputum), and water infusion is used as a tonic in the rehabilitation of seriously ill patients. Parsnip improves digestion, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, it is used to prevent and treat diseases of the heart and blood vessels, and is also used for kidney and gallstone diseases, pancreatitis, nervous diseases, bronchitis, gout, pneumonia, etc. A decoction of parsnip roots promotes hair growth. Grated fresh parsnip root relieves attacks of hepatic, renal and gastric colic (used as an analgesic).

Parsnip, decoctions and infusions

Parsnip root decoction

1 tsp crushed roots pour 1/2 liter of water, boil for 10 minutes, strain. Drink during the day with the above diseases.

Decoction of parsnip leaves

1 st. pour a spoonful of dry chopped parsnip leaves into 0.5 liters of water, boil over low heat for 10 minutes, then strain. Drink 1/4 cup 3 times a day 20 minutes before meals for 1 week, then drink another 1 week, but already 3/4 cup, to improve appetite, etc.

Also used in folk medicine parsnip root juice , it is rich in potassium, silicon, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, etc. It is used for brittle nails, and since the juice has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the lungs, bronchi, brain, it is also drunk with emphysema, pneumonia, tuberculosis, various mental illnesses or as a tonic. Drink freshly prepared juice from the root, 1 tbsp. spoon, 3-4 times a day before meals with the addition of honey to taste.

Even in ancient times, to improve appetite, they drank alcohol tincture from the roots of parsnips on moonshine. Although this is not the best way to solve the problem, but for those who have such a bad habit - to drink 100 grams for dinner, it is better to drink parsnip tincture, at least there will be some benefit.

And for seriously ill patients, or after surgery, to restore strength, they give an aqueous infusion of parsnip roots - 100 ml each, plus 1 tablespoon of honey. Drink 3 times a day, 30 minutes before meals. The course of treatment is 1 month.

Parsnip infusion

The root has a calming effect, it is able to relieve spasms of blood vessels. It is used for neurosis, hypertension, muscle cramps, angina pectoris, to improve sleep, etc.

Or, there is also such a recipe for infusion, with weakened immunity and not only: take 2 tablespoons of chopped root, throw in a thermos and pour 1 glass of boiling water. Insist 12 hours, usually done at night, and then add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of honey and take 1 tablespoon for 30 minutes. before meals, 3-4 times a day.

Parsnip for baldness

For baldness, you can make a hair mask by mixing dry parsnip powder with a moisturizing mask, wrap your head in a towel, wait 15 minutes, then rinse. Hair will become noticeably thicker and their growth will speed up. Or, you can rub the parsnip infusion into the head, in the bath, after the steam room, when the pores of the scalp finally open, with hair loss.

Growing parsnips (root) is not at all difficult. He is not whimsical, grows well on garden and other soil, but loves and tolerates the sun well, although he also loves moisture. It is sown, like carrots, in autumn or spring, in rows. For better similarity, it is better to soak the seeds for 2 days before sowing. The crop is harvested in late autumn, maximum in early spring, before the leaves appear. You can leave a few root crops for the second year, then you will get fresh seeds, but the root will no longer be usable.

Parsnip is now widely used in cooking and confectionery. Its roots are dried, consumed stewed, boiled, and also used as a seasoning for soups, garnish, meat, or as a spice for vegetable salads.

Parsnip, contraindications

You can not use parsnips with photodermatosis, young children, with individual intolerance, with caution to people of age.

It should be remembered that parsnips contain furocoumarins, which increase the sensitivity of the skin to light. Therefore, for people with white and delicate skin, it is not advisable to use parsnips before going to the beach.

Parsnip- a plant of the Umbelliferae family. The fleshy root has a white skin and yellowish flesh. Parsnips have a sweet flavor that is reminiscent of parsley. The shape of this root can be different, for example, there are elongated specimens, as well as round ones.

It is believed that parsnips are a distant relative of parsley and carrots. At the moment it is impossible to determine the origin of this plant, but many believe that it first appeared in Northern Europe.

Beneficial features

The composition of parsnip includes a large amount of essential oils, which positively affects the production of enzymes and gastric juice. Another vegetable increases appetite, as well as the rate of digestion of food. Since parsnips are low-calorie foods, it is simply impossible to get fat from them. In addition, oils and biological substances contribute to better functioning of the endocrine glands, which means that it has a positive effect on the production of certain hormones. Because of this, many people think that parsnip - a vegetable that helps maintain vitality and improve sexual desire.

This spicy vegetable has diuretic effect and also he stimulates the dissolution of stones and prevents reabsorption of urine. As a result, we can conclude that the vegetable has a positive effect on the excretory system as a whole. Parsnip recommended for use in diseases of the respiratory system. Thanks to this, it is possible to improve the condition of the lungs and bronchi during asthma and tuberculosis.

The combined effect of carotene and vitamin C on the body has a positive effect on immunity and also reduces the risk of colds.

Use a useful root and for cosmetic purposes. Regular consumption of this vegetable will have a positive effect on the condition of hair, nails, and will also help get rid of bruises under the eyes and acne.

Use in cooking

Since this vegetable is spicy, it is widely used in other dishes to give them an unusual taste and aroma. It is added to marinades, canned food, salads, side dishes, drinks, first courses and even desserts..

In some countries, parsnips are a required ingredient in vegetable broth. Thanks to this vegetable, it will have a denser texture and incredible flavor. In addition, the "white root" is baked and deep-fried. This dish is traditional for the British. Boiled parsnips can be used to make mashed potatoes, which will be an ideal side dish for meat and fish dishes.

The benefits of parsnips and treatment

Parsnips are widely used in folk medicine. A decoction of this vegetable must be taken with prostatitis, cystitis, as well as inflammation of the urinary and gallbladder. Many doctors advise patients after surgery and serious illnesses to add parsnips to their diet. Since it has antispasmodic, analgesic and restorative properties, in addition, the vegetable can stimulate hematopoiesis.

It is recommended to consume parsnips regularly for the restoration of bone and cartilage tissue. Perhaps this is due to the high content of phosphorus and sulfur. Another excellent advice of traditional medicine, which allows you to get rid of baldness and lichen - you need to lubricate the affected areas with a decoction of the root from time to time.

Parsnip harm and contraindications

It is not recommended to use parsnips in chronic and advanced forms of urolithiasis, as it can provoke the withdrawal of stones. As a result, this can lead to the fact that large specimens clog the urinary canals. It is worth abandoning the use of parsnips for children and the elderly. In addition, this root should not be eaten by those who have skin inflammations that are associated with increased sensitivity to the sun.