Raw vs Cooked Turnips: How Do They Compare?

Turnips are vegetables that can be consumed both raw and cooked, but which one is healthier in terms of nutrition?

Turnips are not an excellent source of any particular vitamin.

However, they contain a good amount of vitamin C and some vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid), vitamin B6 (Pyroxidine), and vitamin B9 (Folate).

Raw vs Cooked Turnips Nutrition

Are cooked turnips more nutritious? Let’s make an in-depth comparison of raw vs cooked turnips and see.

This comparison will begin by examining raw and cooked turnips’ caloric value and macronutrients and then delve deeper by analyzing their vitamin and mineral content.

First, let’s see how 100 grams of raw turnips compare to 100 grams of cooked turnips.

The second table compares 100 grams of raw turnips and the caloric equivalent of cooked turnips.

After cooking 100 grams of raw turnips, you will get around 127 grams of cooked turnips, and that comparison is shown in the second table.

How do macronutrients change after cooking 100 grams of raw turnips?

So if you cook 100 grams of raw turnips, you will get around 127 grams of cooked turnips, and this table shows how macronutrient content changes after cooking.

Raw vs Cooked Turnips Calories

Cooking foods doesn’t change their micronutrient quantity and availability. It also changes its weight because water is either evaporated or absorbed. By cooking, turnips gain weight, so the amount of calories in 100 grams is lower in cooked turnips.

If you want to lose weight, calories are probably the most important thing you should consider.

That said, here’s how raw and cooked turnips compare for weight loss: turnips are slightly lower in calories, with 22 calories per 100 grams, compared to 28 calories per 100 grams of turnips turnips.

Protein Content in Raw Turnips and Cooked Turnips

Raw Turnips turnips are higher in protein and have around 21% more protein than turnips.

Raw Turnips turnips offer 0.9 grams of protein per 100 grams, while turnips offer 0.7 grams.

Carbohydrate Content in Raw Turnips and Cooked Turnips

In this section, we’ll take a deeper look into the carbohydrate content in raw and cooked turnips.

Continue reading to find out how raw and cooked turnips compare in terms of total carbs content, sugars, and dietary fiber.

Total Carbs

The total amount of carbs is around 20% higher in raw turnips than in cooked turnips.

They have 6.4 grams per 100 grams, compared to 5.1 grams in cooked turnips.

Sugars

Speaking of sugars in turnips, cooked turnips contain less sugar than raw, 21% precisely.

100 grams of cooked turnips contain 2.99 grams of sugar, while the same amount of raw turnips contains 3.8 grams.

Dietary Fiber

Finally, we will discuss the fiber content in raw and cooked turnips.

Dietary fiber can help with weight management by making you feel fuller longer and help with digestion by promoting regular bowel movements and reducing constipation and diarrhea.

It can also lower the risk of heart disease by reducing cholesterol levels.

Additionally, it can help regulate blood sugar levels, which is beneficial for individuals with diabetes. Fiber also helps feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut that promote overall health.

If you are looking to increase your fiber intake, cooked turnips are a better option for you.

They have 2 grams of fiber per 100 grams, while cooked turnips provide 1.8 grams of fiber.

Fat Content in Raw Turnips and Cooked Turnips

Like other plant foods, turnips are naturally cholesterol free and free of trans fats.

Here’s the total amount of fats in raw and cooked turnips:

• Raw Turnips: 0.1 grams per 100 grams
• Cooked Turnips: 0.1 per 100 grams

Saturated Fat

Consuming too much saturated fat has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, as it can raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels in the blood.

However, not all saturated fats are created equal. Some types of saturated fats, such as those found in coconut oil and palm oil, may have different effects on cholesterol levels and heart health compared to others, such as those found in butter and cheese.

The American Heart Association recommends that people limit their intake of saturated fats.

Additionally, it is important to replace saturated fats with healthier fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, found in foods such as avocados, nuts, and seeds.

When it comes to saturated fats, turnips turnips and turnips contain the same amount of saturated fats, 0 grams per 100 grams.

Raw Turnips vs Cooked Turnips Vitamins Content

In the following two sections, we will take a closer look at raw vs cooked turnips’ vitamins and mineral contents.

As we mentioned before, 100 grams of raw turnips weigh 127 grams after cooking, so our vitamins and minerals comparison will use these weights: 100 grams of raw turnips or 117 grams of cooked turnips.

Unfortunately, most vitamins are sensitive to heat and water.

Cooking can decrease the levels of certain vitamins, including both water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C and B vitamins, as well as fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K.

Vitamins soluble in water will leach into the cooking water, while vitamins soluble in fat will leach into cooking oils.

Only two vitamins, K and B-3, or niacin, are stable enough to hold up well during cooking.

Raw turnips are a better source of vitamin C, vitamin B1 (Thiamine), vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), vitamin B3 (Niacin), vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid), vitamin B6 (Pyroxidine), vitamin B9 (Folate), and vitamin E.

However, cooked turnips offer a higher amount of vitamin K.

Raw and cooked turnips contain the same amount of vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 (Cobalamin).

In the following table, you can easily compare cooked vs raw turnips’ vitamins content:

Raw Turnips vs Cooked Turnips Minerals Content

Most minerals in food, including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, iodine, selenium, copper, manganese, chromium, and sodium, are not reduced during cooking.

The exception is potassium, which can be lost in cooking water.

You will get more copper, iron, manganese, selenium, sodium, and zinc by eating turnips raw than cooked.

However, if your goal is to increase the intake of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium, you should choose cooked over raw turnips.

Finally, raw and cooked turnips contain virtually the same amount of fluoride.

The table below compares mineral contents in raw and cooked turnips, side by side.

The Bottom Line

The debate between eating turnips raw or cooked has both nutritional and culinary aspects to consider.

While raw turnips provide many vitamins and minerals, cooking turnips can increase the availability of many of these nutrients.

However, cooking turnips can also result in the loss of some micronutrients, mostly water-soluble vitamins.

Both options can be a nutritious addition to a balanced diet, so it is recommended to incorporate both raw and cooked turnips into your meals for maximum health benefits.

Ultimately, the decision between raw or cooked turnips comes down to individual preferences and dietary goals.