Turnip

Why turnip is rated low

Turnip is low at about ½ medium (75g), and GOS and sorbitol are the groups that build as the serving grows: a larger portion is moderate and a much larger portion is high. The steps are close together. About ½ medium (75g) of turnip roasted or mashed as a base for a savoury dish is the serving to work from, and a heaped bowl of turnip mash goes past it quickly.

What changes your risk

• How high the bowl is piled About ½ medium (75g) is low, larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high, so the portion is the thing moving. Turnip is often used as the filler in a tray bake or a mash, which is exactly how a serving grows without a decision being made.
• Stacking across the meal GOS and sorbitol add up across a meal. A serving of turnip alongside other GOS or sorbitol foods in one stew, all eaten together, adds up even when each one is fine alone. Spreading servings across the day is easier on the total than concentrating them in a single sitting.
• Roasting and mashing do not lower it Roasting, mashing, steaming and microwaving do not destroy FODMAPs, because nothing leaves the food. Roasted turnip also shrinks as the water cooks off, so the serving ends up looking small on the plate and gets topped up. Dice and measure before cooking.
• Boiling water is the one exception Boiling turnip in plenty of water and pouring that water away can carry off some water-soluble FODMAPs, because they dissolve into the liquid you discard. That only counts if the water goes down the sink. Keeping the cooking liquid for a soup or a gravy keeps whatever leached into it.
• The stock, the butter and the gravy Turnip mash and roast turnip usually meet stock cubes, ready made gravy or a seasoning blend, and almost all of those are built on onion and garlic. Cream and ordinary milk in a mash bring their own FODMAPs too. Use garlic-infused oil, lactose-free milk or a hard cheese such as cheddar or parmesan, and check the stock.

What else works

If you need more volume in a mash or a roasting tray than about ½ medium (75g) of turnip provides, potato is the most direct answer, and carrot, green beans and polenta all fill out the plate without leaning on the turnip. Cauliflower, the swap recipe sites reach for most often, has its own limited serve, so it is not a way to make a bigger mash. Swede, which is also sold as rutabaga, is a different vegetable with its own rating, so check it rather than assuming the turnip figure carries across. Turnip greens are a different part of the plant and are not covered by this serving either.

How to keep it low

Choose small to medium turnips that feel heavy and firm with smooth skin, since large old ones turn woody and bitter and tend to be buried in a bigger mash to hide it. Cut the tops off before storing and keep the roots in the fridge in a bag. Peel, dice and measure about ½ medium (75g) before cooking, because turnip loses a lot of bulk in the oven and judging the serving afterwards is guesswork. A half and half mash with potato gives a full plate while keeping the turnip to its serve. If you boil it, use plenty of water and pour it away rather than saving it for the gravy. Season with garlic-infused oil, black pepper, thyme, a little butter or hard cheese, and read the label on any stock or seasoning mix.

Common questions

how much turnip is low fodmap

About ½ medium (75g) is low. Larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high, so the margin above the low serve is small.

can i eat turnip on the elimination phase

Yes, at about ½ medium (75g). The more common problem is what it is cooked with, since stock cubes, gravy and seasoning blends are usually based on onion and garlic.

does boiling turnip reduce fodmaps

Boiling in plenty of water and tipping the water away can carry off some water-soluble FODMAPs, because they dissolve into the liquid. Roasting, mashing and steaming do not, since nothing leaves the food, so measure the serving before cooking.

is turnip a good potato substitute on low fodmap

It works in a mash or a roast, but the portions are not interchangeable. Turnip is low at about ½ medium (75g) and moderate in larger portions, so a potato sized helping of turnip is usually too much. Mixing the two works well.