Turnip

Technically it is called Brassica rapa. Turnip is the popular name of the two closely related biennial herbs of the family Cruciferae. The common turnip has a flattened, white flashed tuberous root crowned by a compact tuft of thick green hairy leaves from the centre of which a flower stem rises about 18 inches and bears numerous yellow flowers. The Swedish turnip has a more globular yellow flashed root with a leafy neck and glaucous bluish, hairless cabbage­like leaves. Its flowers are also yellow.

The common turnip is a quick-growing plant sown as soon as the soil can be worked in spring or in midsummer. The first sowing produces roots for late spring and early summer use; the second for autumn consumption.

Turnips are very rich in vitamins A, B, C and G. They also contain calcium, sodium and sulphur. They are very useful in cases or rapid pulse, physical weakness, tender joints, stammering, catarrh, poor appetite and digestive disturbances.

Turnip leaves contain more calcium than any other vegetable. It is an excellent food for growing, children and in softening of bones. The combination of turnip leaf juice and carrot and dandelion juice is one of the most effective means of hardening the teeth as well as the entire bone structure of the body. The high magnesium content of the dandelion together with the calcium in the turnip leaves and the element of the carrot combine to give this firmness and strength.

Benefit and uses of Turnip.

• Turnip treat sore throats and chest problems and treat sprains and fractures.
• Turnip banefit in gas pains and remove particles in the eye.
• The turnip root when boiled with lard is used for breast tumors.
• The stems and leaves are said to be a remedy for cancer, while a salve derived from the flowers is said to help skin cancer.
• Turnip greens are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B6, folate, copper, calcium, and dietary fiber, three examples of conditions for which they may be of special importance are rheumatoid arthritis, colorectal cancer and atherosclerosis.
• The crushed ripe seeds are used as a poultice on burns.