Brassica rapa rapa

 The turnip, Brassica rapa rapa, is a root vegetable variety of a species of wild mustard closely related to the cabbage. The turnip is the same species as the mizuna, and napa cabbage, though, all three are different subspecies. The “Chinese cabbage,” better known as “bok choy,” is a leaf vegetable subspecies that is descended from turnips: the Chinese cabbage must not be confused with the napa cabbage, both of which have different functions in Chinese Food Therapy.

Turnips have been grown extensively in Europe, Asia, and the United States. Very small turnips, called “baby turnips,” are either very young individuals, or are small-root forming varieties. Baby turnips tend to have milder, less pungent flavor, and are often eaten raw in salads like cherry radishes. Larger turnips, some varieties being called “rutabagas” or “swedes,” are often sliced, and either cooked, or pickled. Numerous recipes call for cooking turnips, then mashing them in a manner similar to mashed potatoes. In Chinese cuisine, turnip roots are used interchangeably with daikon, to the point where several cooks and authors often mistranslate the word “luobo” as “turnip,” rather than “radish.” Turnip greens have a pleasant, pungent taste similar, if not identical to that of mustard greens. They are commonly cooked as a winter potherb in American and European cuisine.

The pungent flavor of turnips is very helpful in clearing dampness and mucus from the lungs, especially due to the common cold. This pungency is lost when the turnip is cooked, however. Turnip is still helpful for resolving blood stagnation, detoxification during cleanses, and helping stimulate appetite, especially if the patient is suffering from the common cold. It is a good source of dietary sulfur, vitamin A, and, in comparison with the radish, is a fairly good source of vitamin C. Because the turnip is neutral, it can be given to patients who have cold deficient syndromes, though, it should be avoided by patients with dryness or yin deficiency syndromes. Because the turnip’s qi-moving functions, one must not eat turnip (or radish) while taking ginseng, angelica root, or dang shen (codonopsis root).

