Turnip health benefits: syrup, juice and cautions

Updated on 21 September 2026Published on 18 September 2019

The turnip is one of the oldest cultivated roots in Europe, and one of the cheapest things you can put in a winter pot. Root, leaves and juice have all been used in the kitchen and in old household herbalism. Here is what the plant actually contains, what tradition makes of it, and how to prepare it tonight.

Turnip benefits — *Root and leaves are both used, in kitchen and in tradition*

Turnip at a glance
Item	Detail
Botanical name	Brassica rapa subsp. rapa
Family	Brassicaceae (cabbage family)
Origin	Eastern and Northern Europe; now grown across temperate regions
Parts used	Fleshy root, young leaves, juice of the whole plant
Forms of use	Cooked vegetable, raw grated, root decoction, leaf infusion, juice, syrup, warm poultice
Harvest season	Late spring to early summer for spring sowings; mid-autumn to early winter for late sowings
Taste	Sweet and mild when young, peppery and sulphurous when old; leaves taste like a sharp spinach

What it is credited with

Old household herbalism describes turnip as emollient and softening, meaning a food that sits gently on irritated tissue.
Turnip syrup is a classic of European country remedies, traditionally taken by the spoonful to soothe a dry, tickly winter cough and a scratchy throat.
Naturopathy values it as a restorative winter vegetable, often suggested in the diet of people convalescing, people who tire easily, and athletes in heavy training, for its vitamin and trace element content.
The leaves have a long reputation as a vitamin C green, cooked like spinach at the end of winter when fresh vegetables were scarce.
Turnip is traditionally counted among the diuretic, water-shifting vegetables, and among those said to relax rather than stimulate.
Applied externally, a warm turnip poultice was traditionally laid on chilblains, on aching joints, on a sore jaw, and by nursing mothers on engorged breasts.
Its fibre gives it a reputation, in naturopathy, as a vegetable that keeps digestion moving when it is cooked and eaten regularly.

How to use it

In the kitchen, the simplest route

Steamed: young turnips, quartered, 10 to 15 minutes, then a knob of butter. The gentlest way to eat them.
Raw and grated: only with young roots, dressed with lemon and oil. Crisp, faintly peppery.
Glazed: turnips and small white onions, a little butter and a pinch of sugar, lid on, until shiny.
In stews: the traditional partner of lamb, duck and beef; add in the last 30 minutes so they keep their shape.
Leaves: wash the young leaves well and wilt them in a pan like spinach, or drop them into soup in the last five minutes.

Cooking turnip benefits — *Young turnips, steamed and buttered, are the mildest form*

Root decoction

Scrub and slice a small handful of root per large mug of cold water.
Bring to the boil, simmer gently 15 minutes, lid on, then strain.
Drink warm, one mug in the evening. Sweeten with honey if the sulphur note bothers you.

Leaf infusion

Use a small handful of fresh young leaves, or half as much dried, per mug.
Pour on water just off the boil, cover, steep 10 minutes.
Taste is green and slightly bitter; a slice of lemon lifts it considerably.

Fresh juice

Blend or juice root and young leaves together, and drink it the same hour: it oxidises fast.
A small glass is plenty. Dilute half and half with apple or carrot juice, which makes it far more drinkable.
Best taken as a short seasonal course of a week or two rather than all winter long.

Turnip syrup, the cough-soothing classic

Quick version: slice a raw turnip, layer the slices in a bowl with honey or brown sugar, cover, and leave overnight. In the morning collect the sweet syrup that has drawn out.
Cooked version: simmer sliced turnip in plenty of water until soft, strain, add sugar, and boil down to a syrup.
Take a spoonful, traditionally, when the throat is scratchy. Keep in a clean jar in the fridge and use within a week.

Warm poultice

Steam the flesh of the root until very soft, mash it, and let it cool to comfortably warm, never hot.
Wrap it in a clean cloth and lay it on the area for 15 to 20 minutes.
Never apply directly to broken skin.

Turnip infusion — *Leaf infusion: ten minutes covered, a slice of lemon*

Forms of use compared
Form	Preparation	Traditionally used for
Root decoction	Sliced root simmered 15 minutes, strained	A warming evening drink in cold weather
Leaf infusion	Young leaves steeped 10 minutes, covered	A green, vitamin C rich winter tea
Fresh juice	Root and leaves blended, drunk at once	Short restorative courses in naturopathy
Syrup	Slices layered with honey overnight, or boiled down with sugar	Soothing a dry, tickly cough
Warm poultice	Steamed flesh mashed, wrapped in cloth	Chilblains, aching joints, a sore jaw, engorged breasts

Growing turnip benefits — *Cool, part-shaded ground gives sweeter, less fibrous roots*

Varieties worth knowing

Spring and summer: ‘Norfolk’, ‘Tokyo F1’, ‘Red Milano’, ‘de Nancy’, ‘des Vertus Marteau’, ‘Jaune Boule d’Or’ (sweet flesh), ‘Blanc des Halles’.
Autumn and winter: ‘Blanc Globe a Collet Violet’, ‘Blanc Dur d’Hiver’.
For forcing: ‘De Milan’, ‘Nantais’, ‘Croissy’.
Pests to expect: cabbage fly, turnip fly, flea beetles, cabbage moth, turnip sawfly and slugs.

Cautions

Weak or sensitive stomachs: choose young turnips, which contain less sulphur and digest far more easily. Older roots commonly cause wind and bloating.
Thyroid: like all brassicas, turnip contains goitrogenic compounds. If you have a thyroid condition or take thyroid medication, keep to normal food amounts and ask your doctor before any juice or herbal-tea course.
Leaves and blood thinners: turnip greens are rich in vitamin K. If you take anticoagulants, keep your intake steady and mention it to your prescriber.
Medication in general: concentrated juices and syrups are not neutral alongside diuretics, kidney treatments or any long-term prescription. Check first.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding: turnip as a vegetable is fine; avoid juice courses, strong decoctions and medicinal syrups without professional advice.
Children: cooked turnip as food only. No herbal preparations for young children without qualified advice.
Poultices: warm, never hot, and never on broken or inflamed skin. Stop if the skin reddens or stings.
Brassica allergy or any reaction to cabbage family plants: avoid.
None of these preparations replaces medical care. A cough, a swelling or pain that lasts needs a professional opinion.

Frequently Asked Questions

The one thing to remember: eat turnips young and steamed, and keep the leaves — that is where most of the vitamin C sits.

Can I eat turnip leaves, or only the root?

Both are edible. The young leaves are cooked exactly like spinach, wilted in a pan or dropped into soup at the last minute. They carry more vitamin C than the root. Wash them well and cut them off the root as soon as you get home, so they do not drain it.

Why do my turnips taste bitter and sulphurous?

Because they are too old or grew in too much heat. Strong sun hollows the root and makes it fibrous, and sulphur compounds build up with size. Pick or buy them small, around golf-ball size, and steam rather than boil them hard.

What is turnip syrup and how do I make it?

It is an old country preparation traditionally taken to soothe a scratchy, tickly cough. Layer raw turnip slices with honey or brown sugar in a bowl, cover, and leave overnight; in the morning collect the syrup that has drawn out. Keep it in the fridge and use it within a week.

Is turnip juice safe to drink every day?

Naturopathy treats it as a short seasonal course rather than a daily habit, usually a small diluted glass for a week or two. Being a brassica, it is not a good idea alongside thyroid trouble or thyroid medication without advice. Anyone pregnant, breastfeeding or on prescription medication should ask a professional first.

When are turnips at their best?

Spring-sown crops are pulled young from late spring to early summer, and those are the sweetest. Late sowings give the sturdier roots harvested from mid-autumn to early winter, which suit stews and purees better than raw grating.

This information is provided for general interest and reflects the traditional use of plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice. If you are on medication, pregnant, or in any doubt, ask a healthcare professional.