Root vegetable

Root vegetables are plant roots used as vegetables. Here are some examples of root vegetables: carrot, parsnip, and beetroot.

Overview

Root vegetables are underground plant parts eaten by humans as food. Although botany distinguishes true roots (such as taproots and tuberous roots) from non-roots (such as bulbs, tubers, rhizomes, and corms), the term "root vegetable" is applied to all these types in ordinary, agricultural, and culinary usage.

Root vegetables are generally storage organs, enlarged to store energy in the form of carbohydrates. They differ in the concentration and the balance among starches, sugars, and other types of carbohydrate.

Types of Root Vegetables

Taproots

Taproot vegetables are plants with tapering roots that typically grow directly downward. They include carrot, parsnip, beetroot, and salsify.

Tuberous roots

Tuberous root vegetables are plants with lumpy or swollen roots. They include sweet potato, cassava, yam, and jicama.

Corms

Corm vegetables are plants with a swollen underground stem. They include taro, water chestnut, and elephant foot yam.

Rhizomes

Rhizome vegetables are plants with swollen underground stems that grow horizontally. They include ginger, turmeric, lotus root, and galangal.

Bulbs

Bulb vegetables are plants with a short stem with fleshy leaves or leaf bases. They include onion, garlic, shallot, and fennel.

Nutritional Value

Root vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. However, they also contain antinutrients, substances that reduce the body's ability to absorb nutrients.

Preparation and Cooking

Root vegetables can be eaten raw, boiled, baked, or roasted. They can also be used in soups and stews, and they can be mashed, fried, or grilled.

See Also

• List of root vegetables
• Vegetable
• Tuber
• Bulb (botany)

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