Daikon vs. Turnip — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison
Summary
Turnips are richer in minerals, and vitamins, contain less saturated fats and are cheaper than daikons.
On the other hand, daikons contain less sodium and lower calories, saturated fats, and sugars than parsnips. The glycemic index of daikon is also lower.
Table of contents
Introduction
In this article, you can find the differences between daikon and turnip and their impact on your health.
What’s The Actual Difference?
It is easy to confuse daikon with turnip because they both have similar tastes and coloring. Daikon and turnip are both root vegetables in the cabbage family.
However, daikon is a radish, not a turnip. The main difference between the daikon and the turnip is that the turnip is generally smaller than the daikon. Daikon tastes like red radish; it contains more water than the turnip. Turnip has a slightly milder taste than daikon.
Both daikon and turnips can be eaten in various ways: baked, boiled, fried, sauteed, roasted, steamed, and grilled. They can be easily added to a healthy diet.
Nutrition
Below, you can find the nutrition infographics that visually show the differences between raw daikon and raw turnip.
Vitamins
The vitamin content of turnip is higher than that of daikon.
Turnip contains more Vitamin E, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, and Vitamin B6.
On the other hand, daikon contains more Vitamin K and folate.
Vitamin Comparison
Minerals
Daikons are richer in minerals than turnips. They contain more iron, magnesium, potassium, and copper. Daikons are also lower in sodium.
However, turnips are richer in calcium, phosphorus, and zinc.
Mineral Comparison
Glycemic Index
Daikon is considered low glycemic food. The glycemic index of turnip is two times higher than that of daikon. The GI of turnip is equal to 73, whereas the GI of daikon is equal to 32.
Calories
Daikon has 18 calories per 100g, while a turnip has 28 calories per 100g. Both are considered low-calorie foods.
Carbs
Both vegetables have low-carb content. Daikon has 4.2 g of carbs, whereas turnip has only 6.43g.
Fiber
Daikon contains 1.6g of fiber per 100g, while a turnip has 1.8g.
Health Impact
Diabetes
Daikons contain glucosinolate and isothiocyanate chemical compounds that may help regulate blood sugar levels. Daikon contains coenzyme Q10, an antioxidant that may help block the formation of diabetes [1].
In a 9-month study of rats fed a high-sugar diet, treatment with 45 mg of turnip extract per pound of body weight reduced blood sugar levels while increasing insulin levels compared to the control group [2].
Anti-inflammatory effects
Turnip glucosinolates degrade into indoles and isothiocyanates, both bioactive byproducts with anti-inflammatory properties.
Arvelexin, a type of indole found in turnips, has been shown in studies to block pro-inflammatory compounds such as nitric oxide, a free radical involved in the inflammation process [3].
Side Effects
Daikon is thought to be a relatively safe vegetable. However, daikons may not be suitable for people who have gallstones. Cooking and increasing selenium intake can reduce the risk of harmful effects in people with impaired thyroid function [4].
If you have thyroid problems, it is best to avoid eating turnips because they contain compounds that can affect the thyroid gland and interfere with hormone function [5].
References
Infographic
Macronutrient Comparison
Fat Type Comparison
Comparison summary table
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| Lower in Saturated Fat |
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| Lower in price |
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| Lower in Sugar |
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| Lower in Sodium |
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| Lower in Glycemic Index |
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| Lower in Cholesterol | Equal | ||
| Rich in minerals | Equal | ||
| Rich in vitamins | Equal | ||
All nutrients comparison - raw data values
| Nutrient | |
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Opinion |
| Net carbs | 2.5g | 4.63g |
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| Protein | 0.6g | 0.9g |
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| Fats | 0.1g | 0.1g | |
| Carbs | 4.1g | 6.43g |
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| Calories | 18kcal | 28kcal |
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| Sugar | 2.5g | 3.8g |
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| Fiber | 1.6g | 1.8g |
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| Calcium | 27mg | 30mg |
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| Iron | 0.4mg | 0.3mg |
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| Magnesium | 16mg | 11mg |
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| Phosphorus | 23mg | 27mg |
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| Potassium | 227mg | 191mg |
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| Sodium | 21mg | 67mg |
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| Zinc | 0.15mg | 0.27mg |
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| Copper | 0.115mg | 0.085mg |
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| Manganese | 0.038mg | 0.134mg |
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| Selenium | 0.7µg | 0.7µg | |
| Vitamin E | 0mg | 0.03mg |
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| Vitamin C | 22mg | 21mg |
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| Vitamin B1 | 0.02mg | 0.04mg |
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| Vitamin B2 | 0.02mg | 0.03mg |
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| Vitamin B3 | 0.2mg | 0.4mg |
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| Vitamin B5 | 0.138mg | 0.2mg |
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| Vitamin B6 | 0.046mg | 0.09mg |
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| Folate | 28µg | 15µg |
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| Vitamin K | 0.3µg | 0.1µg |
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| Tryptophan | 0.003mg | 0.009mg |
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| Threonine | 0.025mg | 0.025mg | |
| Isoleucine | 0.026mg | 0.036mg |
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| Leucine | 0.031mg | 0.033mg |
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| Lysine | 0.03mg | 0.036mg |
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| Methionine | 0.006mg | 0.011mg |
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| Phenylalanine | 0.02mg | 0.017mg |
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| Valine | 0.028mg | 0.03mg |
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| Histidine | 0.011mg | 0.014mg |
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| Saturated Fat | 0.03g | 0.011g |
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| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.017g | 0.006g |
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| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.045g | 0.053g |
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Which food is preferable for your diet?
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| Low Fats diet | Equal | |
| Low Carbs diet |
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| Low Calories diet |
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| Low Glycemic Index diet |
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People also compare
Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
Comparison summary
References
All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.
- Daikon - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168451/nutrients
- Turnip - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170465/nutrients
All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.