The Goods: Rutabagas are low in calories, high in nutrients

By Catherine Wallace

For the Times-Union

Rutabagas have been around for centuries but they’re much more popular and widely consumed in Europe, especially Sweden, where they’re referred to as “swedes.” Rutabagas were thought to have made their way to America in the early 1800s, although they’re still widely uncommon in most traditional American diets.

Myth: The rutabaga is closely related to the potato.

Fact: Although rutabaga grows underground like the potato, it’s actually classified as a cruciferous or Brassica vegetable. The rutabaga is a root vegetable thought to be a cross between a wild cabbage and a turnip. Unlike the white flesh of a potato, the rutabaga has a pale yellow-orange flesh more similar to a sweet potato. The skin of the rutabaga is thick, purplish-yellow in color and often coated with a thin layer of wax prior to transport. The wait skin is removed prior to eating and cooking.

Myth: Nutritionally, rutabaga provides mostly starch with little other known vitamins or minerals.

Fact: Rutabagas are nutrient dense containing only 50 calories per one cup serving and loaded with potassium and vitamin C, in addition to vitamin A, B vitamins such as thiamin and B6, manganese, calcium and a good source of fiber. Rutabagas also contain sulfur-rich compounds called glucosinolates, which may play an important role in health and disease prevention.

Myth: Since the rutabaga is related to a turnip and other cruciferous vegetables, they must be too bitter to enjoy.

Fact: Even though some people may detect bitter compounds more so than others due to genetic variations, the bitterness of the rutabaga is much less intense than a turnip and other cruciferous vegetables. The rutabaga flavor profile is unique, offering a subtle sweetness alongside a very mild, peppery bitterness similar to fresh cabbage.

Myth: Rutabaga is rarely found in traditional North American grocery stores and when found, they can be costly.

Fact: Rutabaga is a very popular vegetable grown in northern European countries but also harvested in northern U.S. states and Canada. Odds are they have always been present at local grocery store but most likely overlooked. Rutabaga is fairly inexpensive, costing around $1 per pound, with an average-sized rutabaga weighing in around two pounds. When in season, mid to late fall through early spring, prices often drop below average, making rutabagas a no-brainer when looking for healthy and affordable produce.

Myth: There are limited options when cooking with rutabagas.

Fact: The rutabaga is a versatile vegetable when it comes to cooking. It can be peeled, sliced thin and eaten raw or more commonly, peeled then cubed, followed by roasting, stewing or mashing. Rutabaga can be cooked and consumed alone or used in combination with other vegetables in soups, stews and roasting dishes.

Catherine Wallace is a nutrition instructor in the Nutrition and Dietetics Flagship Program at the University of North Florida. The Goods is a monthly column about food myths and facts by faculty members in the program.