Vitamin C

Turnips and other root vegetables are rich in vitamin C, an important antioxidant that can optimize your immune system and help your body absorb iron. Each cup of cooked turnip gives you 18 grams of vitamin C, about 30 percent of your recommended daily intake. The same serving size of the root of rutabaga, a close cousin of the turnip, provides you with 50 percent of the vitamin C you need each day. If you do not eat much fruit, adding root vegetables such as turnip to your diet can help you get an adequate amount of this nutrient.