Parsnip plant: benefits and harms, application. Unusual Properties of Parsnip Root

Description of parsnip vegetable and its properties

The parsnip vegetable contains nutrients and nutrients. It has many healing properties. Therefore, it is used in folk and traditional medicine. Based on it, medicines are created.

Description of the parsnip vegetable and its photo

Parsnip is a herbaceous and perennial plant. In the wild, it grows among shrubs. You can also grow it in your own garden.

Source: Depositphotos

Parsnip vegetable is used in cooking as a spice

This plant can reach 2 m in height. The stem is covered with fluff, branches grow on it. Parsnip leaves are oval in shape, with small soft hairs. Leaves are larger at the top of the plant than at the bottom.

During the flowering period, in the middle of summer, inflorescences of 10–15 small yellow flowers appear on it.

The plant is a good honey plant.

Parsnip has a fleshy root system. The fruits ripen in mid-September. Edible roots can be white or yellow, elongated or round. The shape depends on the variety. In the context of parsnip gray-yellow or yellow-brown.

Its sweet taste is similar to carrots, and its pleasant smell is reminiscent of parsley. This vegetable can be eaten raw or cooked from it.

Useful properties of parsnip vegetable

Pasternak is filled with useful elements. Among them are B vitamins, phosphorus, potassium, mineral salts, carbohydrates and proteins, essential oils, starch, fiber and other substances. Due to the abundance of useful components, this vegetable allows you to fight many ailments.

It has the following healing properties:

• In diseases of the upper respiratory tract, during a cold, it has an expectorant effect. Reduces cough and sore throat.
• Serves as an analgesic for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and kidneys.
• It has a diuretic effect on the body.
• Allows you to fight diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
• Relieves spasms.
• Used to treat skin diseases. Special products are made from parsnip fruits.
• Parsnip is indispensable for men who have problems with potency.
• Normalizes the nervous system, helps to overcome depression and other nervous diseases.
• Parsnip allows not only to get rid of diseases, but also able to strengthen the immune system.
• An aqueous infusion from it allows you to restore the body after a serious illness or operation.

This list is endless. The vegetable is widely used in medicine.

Include parsnips in your diet and be healthy.

Calories, kcal:

Proteins, g:

Carbohydrates, g:

Parsnip is not a very common vegetable crop, but this type of plant has long been known to man. Even in the 1st century BC, Pliny and Diocorides mentioned it. Parsnip seeds were found in Neolithic excavations on the territory of modern Switzerland. By the middle of the sixteenth century, parsnips had already become a familiar vegetable, it was the most accessible food, as it is today. In Russia, this plant appeared in the 17th century and was known as field borscht. Wild forms are still found in the Caucasus and the Balkans. Now parsnips are cultivated almost everywhere.

Parsnip calories

The calorie content of parsnips is 47 kcal per 100 grams of product.

Composition of parsnips

Parsnip juice contains very little and even less, but it is very rich in silicon,. The nutritional value of this vegetable is not as high as that of some other tubers, but the healing properties of the juice, leaves and roots of parsnips are very high. High silicon content and helps to overcome brittle nails (calorizer). and are especially useful for the lungs and bronchi, and therefore the juice is an excellent food for patients with tuberculosis, pneumonia, emphysema.

A large percentage is so valuable for the brain that parsnip juice is very successfully used in many mental disorders.

The benefits and harms of parsnips

Parsnip deserves attention, because it can be used in dietary nutrition for cholelithiasis and kidney stones, gout, after serious illnesses, for nervous diseases, tuberculosis, emphysema, pneumonia, bronchitis, to improve the functions of the digestive organs. Parsnip excites appetite, stimulates the activity of the endocrine glands, metabolism, strengthens the walls of capillaries, relieves spasms, has a strong diuretic effect, helps to remove stones and salts with an analgesic, bactericidal and calming effect.

For therapeutic purposes, decoctions of roots, leaves or fruits are prepared. To prepare a decoction 1 tbsp. a spoonful of grass (or leaves) is poured with 2 glasses of water, boiled for 10 minutes, insisted for 2 hours. Drink 1/3-1/2 cup 3 times a day, 20-30 minutes before meals.

A decoction of leaves, roots or seeds is used to treat baldness. For this, the decoction is taken orally 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times a day. At the same time, fresh root juice or tincture of leaves, seeds or roots is rubbed into the scalp in a ratio of 1: 10 every other day for a month. If necessary, the course of treatment is repeated after a month.

An infusion of the roots is used as a general tonic and tonic for a general decline in strength and recovery after major operations. To prepare it, fresh chopped roots (2 tablespoons) are mixed with 3 tbsp. spoons. Pour them with a glass of water, boil for 15 minutes, insist 8 hours and drink 1/3 cup 3-4 times a day 15 minutes before meals.

Parsnip is not recommended for people who are sensitive to sunlight, suffering from photodermatosis (calorizator). Contact of wet skin with parsnip leaves and fruits causes burns, inflammation of the skin of the hands, especially in blondes. 2 pharmaceutical preparations are prepared from parsnips, which can be bought at pharmacies. Pastinacin, which is used for coronary spasms, mild angina attacks and Beroxane- prescribed for vitiligo and nested baldness.

Pasternak in cooking

Parsnip is used not only in medicine, but also in cooking. Dried parsnip roots are used in powder spices, mixtures. Parsnip greens, although slightly spicy, are also used in cooking, both fresh and dried. Often it is used when preparing soup mixtures for the future, added to any vegetable dishes for flavoring. Parsnips play an important role in the canning industry, being an essential ingredient in many canned foods, such as vegetables.

Foreword

Today, parsnips are a favorite addition to many preserves, marinades, salads, and dishes. In medical practice, it is also widely known due to the fact that it contains biologically useful substances. This allows you to use the root and other parts of the vegetable for the prevention and treatment of various body systems.

To this day, experts argue about the true origin of parsnips. Many are inclined to believe that the ancestor of this vegetable is Northern Europe, due to the most favorable conditions for growing this plant. However, today it can be found in the expanses of Siberia, the Altai Territory, the Caucasus and Europe. The Romans began to massively cultivate the parsnip root during the great advance to the North, noting the good germination of the crop in lands with a temperate climate. They managed to develop new plant varieties with a larger root crop and a milder taste.

Parsnip roots

Today, residents of Europe and Asia call this vegetable differently: “parsnip”, “field borscht”, “trunk”, “cooker”, “tragus”, and also “white carrot”. As for the last name, initially the plant was really confused with the carrot, which at that time was significantly different from the modern vegetable. It had a whitish tint and a completely different taste. However, the parsnip root at that time also differed significantly from its modern predecessor - it was undersized and had a rather hard root crop.

The composition and medicinal properties of this plant play a special role in the widespread use of parsnip. It is rich in essential oils, ascorbic and nicotinic acid, carbohydrates and proteins, B vitamins (B1, B2, B3), mineral salts, carotene, as well as other micro and macro elements. Each of the substances in its own way favorably affects the state of the body and has special properties. Essential oil, acting as an aphrodisiac, helps to increase sexual desire, carbohydrates stimulate better absorption of food, potassium reduces the amount of fluid in the body.

What are the benefits of parsnips?

If we talk about parsnips in general, then its root crop has a positive effect on the digestive tract, circulatory and nervous systems. Pasternak is actively used in medicine. Conducting a comparative description of this root crop with other vegetables, we can say that the content of sweet fructose and sucrose in it is 2 times more than in carrots, and minerals and vitamins compared to 3 times. The rich vitamin complex and the unique composition of parsnips help relieve muscle spasms, strengthen the walls of blood capillaries, and the freshly grated root of the plant fights attacks of hepatic and renal colic.

Decoctions and vegetable juice have long been recognized in folk medicine as an excellent analgesic, expectorant and tonic. Ancient physicians, as well as modern healers, have long noted the medicinal properties of this plant, using parsnip root as a potion to improve appetite, a diuretic and a sexual stimulant. It is also revered by the people as a vegetable that can fight hallucinations and delirium tremens.

However, in addition to the use of parsnip in folk medicine, it is also actively used as the main raw material for the production of pharmaceutical cardiovascular drugs, as well as medicines that fight skin diseases (baldness, vitiligo). Among them are such medicinal preparations - Eupiglin, Beroxan, Pastinacin. Due to the high content of furocoumarins in parsnips, preparations based on it contribute to an increase in sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation. Thus, in people suffering from vitiligo, the discolored skin is saturated with pigment. Concerning Pastinacin, then it is used for coronary cardiosclerosis and neurosis, angina pectoris, spasms of the coronary vessels.

The aerial parts of the root also have a beneficial effect on the restoration of the body. So, the leaves of the vegetable contribute to a good "alkalinization", helping to fight gout, which was often called the "disease of the rich" in the past. With the problems of high acidity, parsnip also copes one hundred percent. It is a great addition to protein foods. They say that if you eat at least 150 g of the greens of this plant per day, this will replace you with at least 5 servings of protein foods.

Parsnips with leaves

Note to those who suffer from bad breath - chewing parsnip leaves helps to cope with this problem.

The root juice is rich in a fairly large complex of vitamins and minerals, especially potassium and phosphorus, which are very necessary for people with problem muscles, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Due to the specific taste of parsnip juice, it can be combined with other fresh juices as part of light smoothies or cocktails. Other indications for the inclusion of this juice in the health diet can serve as mental disorders, mental fatigue, disruption of the nervous system.

Brewing a fresh decoction or a cup of tea is a fairly simple and untroubled process. And how many health benefits can bring just a glass of such a drink. Speaking of a decoction of parsnip leaves, you can focus on its antispasmodic and thinning properties, which are very effective in combating spasms, sputum, mild pneumonia and bronchitis. It is also impossible not to mention the excellent diuretic effect of this plant, which, gently acting on the bladder and its ducts, does not irritate and does not harm the walls of the entire genitourinary system.

parsnip tea

Such an effect of parsnip will be very useful for those who experience problems with water retention in the body and constantly torment themselves with debilitating diets. It may be worth just drinking a decoction of this root vegetable or including it in your favorite diet salad or low-calorie soup. An excellent useful decoction is prepared at the rate of 2 tbsp. l. green parsnip leaves (possible together with the root crop) per 500 ml of water. The composition is boiled over low heat and brought to a boil, and then poured into a thermos, giving it time to brew - 1-2 hours. You can take such a drink gradually in small sips or immediately in full, while not forgetting to maintain the daily water balance, using, in addition to the decoction, pure natural water.

But for those who suffer from insomnia, mental and nervous system disorders, tea with parsnip leaves would be the best option, however, like tea from. As an alternative treatment, it can also be used to relieve delirium tremens and hallucinations. Acting as a sleeping pill and antidepressant, this tea will quickly help you eliminate the foci of nervous damage and relieve fatigue, give vigor, strength and strengthen the immune system. Also, parsnip leaf tea will be very useful for those who suffer from skin pigmentation problems, helping to restore the lost melanin under the influence of aggressive ultraviolet rays. In terms of proportions, brew it like regular tea using your favorite sweeteners and additives.

A wide spectrum of action of parsnip root has found its application in cosmetology. It is especially popular in the fight against baldness. Parsnip tincture is used as the main source of healing, which is evenly rubbed into the scalp. Before carrying out this procedure, the skin should be well steamed so that useful active substances can better penetrate into the pores. You can also make a wellness mask. To do this, simply add a few teaspoons of dry parsnip powder to your favorite hair mask with a moisturizing effect.

Pieces of chopped root vegetables

This composition is distributed evenly over the entire surface of the scalp and hair, leaving the mask for 15 minutes, after which it is rinsed with warm water. As a result, such treatment helps not only to enhance hair growth, but also to give them density and volume. Since ancient times, young beauties of antiquity have used parsnip root in cosmetology to care for their skin. From it you can make a gruel and use it as a mask for problematic oily skin of the face, with frequent acne and inflammation. However, modern beauties still give more preference to the essential oil of this plant.

Thanks to its high content of minerals and vitamin C, it helps fight wrinkles, cellulite, rashes and inflammation, while having both nourishing and whitening properties. However, remember, like any essential oils, it must be used in combination, adding a few drops of this oil to your favorite mask, skin care cream or other cosmetics. When fighting cellulite, be sure to mix parsnip essential oil with a base oil (olive, coconut, almond) to avoid burns and irritation.

Contraindications and necessary precautions

Like all plants, parsnip root has its own characteristics that must be considered, let's find out if it can be harmful. First of all, this applies to people with hypersensitivity to ultraviolet radiation (especially redheads and blondes) or, scientifically, photodermatosis. It is enough to grab a bunch of parsnips with a wet hand, and the burn mark on your hand will be no less than after a nettle.

Contraindications in the use of parsnip are not great, but they must be taken into account before proceeding with treatment:

• severe and advanced forms of kidney and liver disease;
• individual intolerance (allergic reactions);
• photodermatosis;
• acute pancreatitis;
• elderly people and children.

Parsnip is a plant that belongs to the umbrella family. You can grow it in your garden. It contains many useful trace elements, so adding it to food helps to strengthen the immune system and maintain health.

Composition and calories

The benefits of parsnips are due to the presence in it of a rich composition of trace elements and vitamins. It contains carbohydrates, starch, B vitamins (B1, B9, B2), ascorbic acid, fiber, pectin, fatty acids, fructose, sucrose.

Parsnips contain zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. The content of thiamine and carotene in this plant is higher than in carrots.

This is a low-calorie vegetable - there are only 47 calories in 100 grams of parsnips.

The benefits of parsnips for the body

The plant has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, as it is characterized by enveloping properties, stimulates peristalsis, and removes toxins from the body. With its use, you can get rid of the occurrence of intestinal colic. The inclusion of parsnips in the diet contributes to the normalization of the nervous system.

There is also an improvement in the condition of the vessels with its regular use.

The plant is used not only in folk, but also in official medicine. It is part of the drugs for vitiligo, angina pectoris, alopecia.

• The plant contains essential oils that stimulate the production of gastric juice and enzymes that promote digestion. This improves the digestion process.
• The use of the plant helps to eliminate inflammation in the gallbladder.
• Low calorie content allows you to use it in the fight against excess weight.

In the recipes of traditional medicine, you can find recommendations for the use of parsnips with reduced vitality and libido.

Under the influence of the elements contained in the plant, the dissolution of stones occurs. The use of parsnips does not allow secondary absorption of urine, stimulates the excretion of sand from the kidneys.

The plant is characterized by analgesic and diuretic properties. Raw root and decoction are recommended for use in the development of inflammation in the pelvic organs. It is effective for prostatitis, inflammation in the bladder and female genital organs.

With regular use of the plant, the work of the bronchi and lungs improves in case of tuberculosis and asthma. It also gives a good effect on emphysema.

Few people did not read in childhood a fairy tale about a bear and a cunning peasant who shared tops and roots. It just so happened that there is usually more demand for tops, while the roots are left without due attention. Although some of them are fraught with a large amount of vitamins and excellent taste, for example, parsnip root. If such a spine had fallen on the poor bear from a fairy tale, he certainly would not have left offended.

Chemical composition

In appearance, this root crop is very similar to carrots, only it differs in white color and composition.

Fresh root is a storehouse of useful elements:

• it contains about 10% carbohydrates;
• starch provides it with a sugary structure;
• fatty and essential oils (up to 0.5%) help to preserve vitamins in the root;

Did you know?The beneficial properties of parsnip root were known as early as the 1st century BC. This is evidenced by the works of Roman scientists.

• 7% pectin in its composition is responsible for the normalization of digestion processes;
• and nicotinic acid, and also help improve metabolism and maintain a slim figure;
• its fiber cleanses the body of excess and removes toxins from it;
• root carotene is an excellent antioxidant;
• it also contains many minerals:

calories

Another bonus of the root crop is its calorie content: 100 grams of this product contains only 47 calories, so it is perfect for those who follow their figure.

Beneficial features

The strengths of the parsnip root can be listed endlessly, because due to its rich composition, it is involved in all the processes that take place in the body.

• The root crop improves digestion by stimulating the work of the intestines and removing toxins.
• Its spicy aroma promotes appetite, and the root itself is used in the treatment of stomach problems.

• Essential oils in the composition of the plant are used in the creation of aphrodisiacs for men, enhancing sexual desire.

• Its component, like tyrosine, actively fights against skin diseases.
• The root crop strengthens the cardiovascular system, therefore it is especially recommended for older people.
• Sulfur and phosphorus from parsnips are useful for cartilage and bone damage, as well as for strengthening hair and nails.
• Thanks to carotene and ascorbic acid, this root copes well with the prevention of colds.

Important!The use of parsnips has a diuretic effect, so this plant must be on the menu of people with kidney and diuretic ailments.

Application

Such a wide range of possibilities provides the use of parsnip root in various fields to get the maximum effect from its beneficial composition. The easiest way to do this is to cook a delicious dish from this plant.

In cooking

The popularity of parsnip root in cooking and confectionery is primarily due to its spicy, sweet taste and light natural aroma.

Important!Before use, the plant is first cleaned, like the same carrot, the top layer of the peel is removed, and then processed according to the recipe.

Freshly chopped root goes into salads, sauces, becomes an ingredient for marinades and pickles. Dried parsnips sprinkle baked meat, curry. For soups and second courses, the root is rubbed or finely chopped. In this form, the plant can even be frozen for further use.

Sometimes the root vegetable is used as a side dish: it is cut into large pieces, smeared with oil and spread next to the meat before baking. The optimum temperature for its preparation is 190 degrees.

Many people like pancakes from this plant. It is not difficult to cook them, it is enough to cut the root into pieces, boil for a couple and then fry in batter or dough.

In medicine

In official medicine, parsnip is used as an ingredient as part of the preparations "Beroksan", "Eupiglin" - drugs that are used to treat vitiligo, psoriasis, alopecia areata. Often, for greater effectiveness, the products are used in combination with ultraviolet light under the supervision of a doctor.

Did you know?In ancient Rome, parsnip root was given to babies instead of a pacifier.

Created on the basis of the root "Pastinacin" is recommended as an antispasmodic for coronary cardiosclerosis, coronary neurosis, spasms of the coronary vessels, bronchi and urinary tract. However, the root crop is much more popular in folk medicine. Here the scope of its application is very diverse:

• the use of the root in fresh, boiled or baked form eliminates stomach cramps, improves heart function, strengthens the walls of blood vessels and normalizes blood pressure;
• as a water decoction, the root crop is used as a diuretic;
• parsnip root infusion is recommended for expectoration in case of lung diseases and severe colds;
• a decoction of the root crop helps to strengthen the immune system after serious illnesses, and also stimulates male potency;
• fresh juice of the plant accelerates hair growth;
• in combination with other herbs, parsnip relieves nervous disorders, insomnia, and depression.

In cosmetology

Which is rich in the root of the plant, has made it a very popular ingredient in the composition of cosmetic preparations. On the basis of extracts, essential oils are made, which are used by massage therapists in the process of combating cellulite.

Important!In addition, the oil perfectly smoothes the first wrinkles and improves skin color due to its antioxidant properties, and parsnip root masks have a whitening effect.

At home

Parsnip is not only an excellent vitamin remedy and a wonderful dope for the skin. Today it is actively used in everyday life. It is grown as animal feed. It is especially suitable for cows in which it improves the taste of milk and increases the number of milk yields.

During the flowering period, the plant is an excellent honey plant, which gives delicious honey of a light shade.

Harm and contraindications

Although the parsnip root has a large set of vitamins that provide it with a number of useful properties, however, it must be used with extreme caution. This plant has certain contraindications due to its strong activity. It should not be used:

• if you are allergic to parsnips;
• in old age;
• with hypotension;
• small children;
• people with ultraviolet sensitive skin.

Storage

Parsnip root usually ripens by mid-September-early October. During this period, it is necessary to take care of its further storage.

Did you know?In the Middle Ages, parsnips were used instead of sugar in the process of making sweets.

Successfully save the crop in several ways:

• if there are few roots, then fold them in the refrigerator. Under such conditions, the parsnip will lie for no more than a month, so it is necessary to consume it during this time;
• when storage is planned for a longer period, it is better to use the cellar. With the help of a pitchfork, the roots are dug up, the tops are cut off, dried in the sun for a day or two. During this time, it is worth preparing boxes of sand in which it will be necessary to fold the roots, and then send them to the cellar. Root crops can be stored together with potatoes at a temperature of 0 to +3 degrees. In this form, the roots will retain their beneficial properties for 3-4 months, after which it is possible to compact its peel;

Important!Try to carry out all work on caring for parsnips in the morning or evening, and do not forget to wear gloves: all parts of the plant contain organic acid, which can cause burns on the skin during a bright sunny day.

• parsnip- an amazing plant that is able to overwinter in the garden. To do this, it is only necessary to spud it with a layer of earth, covering it by 5-6 cm. Dig out the roots as necessary, but in early spring the plant must be taken out of the ground. After all, when their leafy rosette is more than 10 cm, then it is better to leave the plant for further reproduction - in terms of nutrition, it is no longer suitable.

Parsnip root can hardly be called a popular product, but the reason for the low demand for it is only a lack of awareness of its beneficial medicinal and taste properties. In fact, today there are a large number of recipes that help you get vitamins from the root in a tasty and affordable way.