Are Parsnips Good for You?

Dr. Lindsey Mcilvena, MD

In her day job, treating patients living with chronic disease, nutrition and lifestyle are not after-thoughts, they’re central to helping her patients get well. She’s also our go-to expert on plant-based diets.

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You may have been steering clear of white foods in an effort to get healthier: white bread, white pasta, white rice — the list goes on and on. But what about parsnips? They’re white, so should they be considered yet another nutritionless food due to their lack of color?

In case you aren’t really familiar with them, parsnips are kind of like a cross between a potato and a carrot, with a certain taste that is not so similar to either. It’s a root vegetable, and frequents the grocery store shelves more so in the wintertime. But are parsnips good for you?

According to the USDA, they’re actually quite nutritious. Let’s see what kind of macro and micronutrients are present in one cup of cooked parsnips.

Starting with the macronutrients in one cup of cooked  parsnips — they contain no fat (bonus!), they have just a bit of protein at 2 grams, while boasting a hefty 6 grams of fiber. Not too shabby in the macro department.

But what about the micronutrients, those vitamins and minerals that keep our bodies functioning at peak performance? Turns out, parsnips are pretty stellar in this area as well. Remember, we’re talking about one cup of cooked parsnips—25% of your daily vitamin C, folate, and copper, 15% of your daily phosphorous and magnesium, and 12% of your daily potassium and vitamin E. One little cup of these guys also provides small but not insignificant quantities of calcium, selenium, vitamin B6, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin. And, parsnips are naturally low in sodium.

We’re a fan of the parsnip here at SuperFoodsRx. Try roasting them with minced garlic, or boiling and mashing them as you would potatoes.

Sources: USDA SuperTracker