What Vitamins Are in Turnips?

Turnips are low-calorie root vegetables that contain 28 calories per 100 g. Available year round, turnips flourish in poor soil and resist frost and mild freezing. Once seen as a poor man's food, they have increased in popularity, especially in the southern United States. They are often sold bunched or topped. When buying turnips at the market, avoid the larger, more mature roots. Instead, select small, firm and round roots that provide a delicate sweet flavor and more nutritional value.

Vitamin A

• Turnip greens, which are often discarded before cooking, are rich in beta carotene, an important antioxidant that the body converts to vitamin A. One cup of boiled greens yields nearly 7,500 IU of vitamin A. This important vitamin is essential for growth and cell development. It helps maintain healthy skin, bones, gums, teeth and nails. A deficiency in vitamin A can cause night blindness, dry skin and eyes and make you more susceptible to infection.

Vitamin B -- Folic Acid

• Turnip greens are also excellent sources of folic acid or folate. The body converts this B vitamin into enzymes that make DNA, RNA and red blood cells. A deficiency in folic acid can cause abnormal red blood cells, anemia, weight loss and birth defects in developing fetuses.

Vitamin C

• One cup of boiled turnip roots provides about 18 mg of vitamin C while 1 cup of boiled greens provides 40 mg of the same vitamin. Also called ascorbic acid, vitamin C helps lower the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. It can also help lessen the severity and shorten the duration of colds. Deficiencies in vitamin C can cause loose teeth, bleeding gums, bruises, loss of appetite and poor healing.

Vitamin K

• Turnip greens are also excellent sources of vitamin K. The liver requires vitamin K to manufacture blood proteins that are essential for blood clotting. Regular consumption of this vitamin may increase bone density and reduce fracture rates. Deficiencies in vitamin K can cause excessive bleeding and easy bruising.