by Leann Zotis

Created on: May 14, 2009   Last Updated: May 25, 2009

Root vegetables, basically that category of vegetables that grows underground, have a long and mysterious past. Throughout the course of history, root vegetables were a poor man's food. They were cheap and dirty and plentiful. They held up well in long term storage. Their nutritional value wasn't always understood as it is today. The tubers, bulbs and taproots that comprise the root vegetable family may not be pretty and the fact that they grow underground may make their acquisition more labor intensive than vegetables that grow above ground, but root vegetables are a family of vegetables worth becoming well acquainted with when it comes to enhancing our nutritional plate.

The most common root vegetables grown in gardens or found in grocery stores today include beets, ginger, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, horseradish, rutabagas and radishes, although the full list of root vegetables is much longer. Root vegetables are a cornerstone to a healthy diet. They are nutritional powerhouses of vitamins, phytonutrients and complex carbohydrates (the good carbs). Growing underground makes them sturdy and durable. They survive well in cold storage for long periods of time. They contain no fat and are low calorie food options. Many provide a high level of protein as well.

In measuring the health benefits of a root vegetable an important fact to remember is the darker the color, the higher the concentration of phytonutrients. These vital nutrients include antioxidants to fight disease causing free radicals that are constantly forming in the body. When you reach for that dish of red beets or that intensely orange carrot, you are reaching for a serving of nutrition.

The downside to root vegetables, if there can even be a serious downside, is that root vegetables typically rate high on the Glycemic Index. The Glycemic Index rates how quickly carbohydrates convert to glucose in the body and enter the bloodstream. Because root vegetables are the warehouse system of the plant, they provide high levels of the energy the plant would need to grow. This energy comes in the form of fiber, starch and sugar. This starch converts to glucose in root vegetables more quickly than it might with some other food options, especially after cooking. This should not distract from making them a part of an overall healthy eating plan.

Root vegetables have been known for their medicinal value for centuries. The ginger root has the multi-purpose medicinal value of easing digestive ailments, relieving arthritis and eliminating motion sickness. Radishes aid in the excretion of toxins from the system. Parsnips have been shown to provide anti-carcinogenic properties. Beets are beneficial for liver, kidney and spleen functions. These are just a few of health benefits to be gained by including root vegetables as a regular part of a healthy eating plan. As with so many other food groupings, the greater the variety of root vegetables you incorporate in your diet, the greater the benefit you will reap.

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