Health Facts

• Root vegetables are high in Vitamin C, which helps maintain healthy connective tissue, teeth, and gums.
• Root vegetables are an excellent source of dietary fiber.
• Root vegetables are rich in antioxidants, which help protect against disease.
• Root vegetables are low in calories.

How do you pick a good one?

• Root vegetables should be smooth, hard, free of cuts, bruises, or soft spots.
• Purchase root vegetables with greens attached if possible.  The greens are sometimes usable, but are also a good sign of freshness.
• Root vegetables should be firm and heavy for their size.

How do they grow?

Root vegetables are the roots of plants that are eaten as vegetables.  These roots grow into the ground from the base of the plant stem.  They anchor the plant, absorb water and nutrients, and store energy.  Roots vegetables grow best in cool weather and thrive in deep and loose soil.

Did you know?

• Celery root is one the first vegetables to appear in recorded history.
• The carrot is usually orange in color, although purple, red, yellow, and white varieties exist.
• The first frost actually improves flavor, as it turns the root’s natural starch to sugar.
• Beet greens are also extremely nutritious – you should eat this part of the plant too.