Know2eat

Turnip greens

Brassica rapa subsp. rapa

What turnip greens has been studied for

2 associations assessed — 1 with at least some human evidence behind it. Strongest first.

  • 1 Limited
  • 1 Insufficient
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About turnip greens

The leafy tops of the turnip plant, sold separately from the root and treated as a green in their own right in the American South, Portugal and Galicia. They are sharper and more tender than collards.

Also known as Turnip tops, Grelos, Nabo greens

Eye HealthBone Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Limited

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Macular health

Eye Health
Limited evidence

Turnip greens are a dense source of lutein and zeaxanthin, and higher intake of those carotenoids tracks with denser macular pigment in observational studies. The interventional evidence behind that association used isolated carotenoids, not the vegetable.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Bone mineral density

Bone Health
Insufficient evidence

Turnip greens supply calcium in a relatively well-absorbed form for a plant food, along with vitamin K1. Whether eating them changes bone density has not been tested in any trial, so the claim rests on composition alone.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

No source is attached to this association yet, so it is rated insufficient by default. It is listed because people commonly ask about it — not because there is evidence for it.

Ask about Turnip greens

Ask about Turnip greens

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories32 kcal2%
Protein1.5 g3%
Total fat0.3 g0%
Carbohydrate7.13 g3%
Fibre3.2 g11%
Total sugars0.81 g—
Water89.7 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.07 g0%
Monounsaturated fat0.02 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.12 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.036 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A579 µg64%
Vitamin C60 mg67%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E2.86 mg19%
Vitamin K251 µg209%
Thiamin (B1)0.07 mg6%
Riboflavin (B2)0.1 mg8%
Niacin (B3)0.6 mg4%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.38 mg8%
Vitamin B60.263 mg15%
Folate194 µg49%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Minerals
Calcium190 mg15%
Iron1.1 mg6%
Magnesium31 mg7%
Phosphorus42 mg3%
Potassium296 mg6%
Sodium40 mg2%
Zinc0.19 mg2%
Copper0.35 mg39%
Manganese0.466 mg20%
Selenium1.2 µg2%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene6952 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin12825 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash1.4 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Turnip greens, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 170061).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • boiledReduces glucosinolates and vitamin C

    Boiling leaches both glucosinolates and vitamin C into the cooking water and destroys myrosinase. Southern cooking traditionally drinks the liquor, which recovers part of what was lost.

  • with fatIncreases carotenoid absorption

    Lutein and beta-carotene are fat-soluble and are absorbed several times better when the greens are eaten with oil or another fat source.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Interaction

    Vitamin K and warfarin

    Turnip greens are very high in vitamin K1. Anyone on warfarin should keep intake steady and tell the clinic before making them a regular dish, because the interaction is with the change rather than with the vegetable itself.

  • Worth knowing

    Goitrogens at high raw intake

    As with other brassicas, thiocyanates released from the raw leaf compete with iodine for thyroid uptake. Ordinary cooked portions are not a concern; sustained very large raw intakes on a low-iodine diet can be.

  • Worth knowing

    Moderate oxalate content

    Turnip greens carry less oxalate than spinach or beet greens but more than cabbage. People managing recurrent calcium oxalate stones usually count them towards a daily total rather than treating all greens alike.