Rooted in Nutrition

Learn more about nutrient-dense root vegetables

By Mary Lou Perry, RD MS CDE, Registered Dietitian for UVA Heart Center and Club Red Clinic  

Ask any 5 year old, where does your food come from and they’ll probably give you a variety of answers, like the “grocery store”, “McDonalds”, “my mom”,"the refrigerator” or “my lunch box.” Like young children, few of us connect the food that we eat to the actual origins of where it is grown and its natural state. Perhaps no other vegetable is overlooked more than root vegetables, grown from the ground up. 

Root vegetables are powerhouses of vitamins, nutrients, complex carbohydrates and phytochemicals. They get their nutrition from the earth’s soil and deliver them to us in great tasting form. 

What are root vegetables?

Root vegetables are the roots of plants that are eaten as vegetables. They include carrots, turnips, rutabaga, red/yellow beets, parsnips, onions, garlic, ginger and sweet potatoes. Tubers are different from roots because they are big underground stems. Tubers store energy for the plant and include potatoes and yams. That being said, most of us refer to the whole kit and caboodle as root vegetables.  

Why eat them?

Volume for volume and calorie for calorie, roots supply more nutrients and fewer calories than grains. Their soluble fiber can increase satiety, aid weight loss, decrease bad cholesterol and keep your intestines working.  Bursting with essential nutrients, root vegetables are rich sources of beta carotene, a powerful anti-oxidant which fights free radicals, often responsible for laying plague in the blood vessel wall. Using root vegetables as a replacement for grain adds vibrant colors, textures and new experiences for the palate. 

When are they best to eat?

Root vegetables are plentiful during the fall and winter months, are economical and a great way to incorporate the 5 servings of fruit/vegetables recommended for good nutrition. Choose root vegetables that are firm and medium sized. Once you get them home, store in a dark dry area until ready to cook. To prepare, simply wash and then cut into thin slices to reduce cooking time. Roasting vegetables brings out the savory flavor, but you could also boil and mash them with spices and a little olive oil. 

So the next time you want to feel “rooted” in nutrition, seek out these wonderful underground foods and eat away to your heart’s content. 

Here’s a great way to enjoy root vegetables

1. Wash and peel them. 

2. Cut into chunks, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic and roast 40 to 60 minutes until tender. 

3. For a colorful and exquisite presentation, roast a variety of vegetables. 

4. Serve hot or cold in salad the next day tossed with some goat cheese or a bit of shredded parmesan. Healthy Eating from the ground up! 

Why not make this a SMART goal for the week; shop for 2 root vegetables and roast them at least once.