View source for Parsnip

{{Short description|Root vegetable in the flowering plant family Apiaceae}}
{{Distinguish|cow parsnip|water parsnip}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Good article}}
{{Speciesbox
|name = Parsnip
|image = PastinakePflanzegeerntet.jpg
|image_caption =
|genus = Pastinaca
|species = sativa
|authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]<ref>{{GRIN | access-date=2008-03-02}}</ref>
}}
[[File:Pastinaca sativa MHNT.BOT.2004.0.jpg|thumb|''Pastinaca sativa'' fruits and seeds]]
[[File:Parsnip_flowering_second_year,_June_2016.jpg|thumb|right|Flowering parsnip, second year]]

The '''parsnip''' ('''''Pastinaca sativa''''') is a [[root vegetable]] closely related to [[carrot]] and [[parsley]], all belonging to the [[flowering plant]] family [[Apiaceae]]. It is a [[biennial plant]] usually grown as an [[Annual plant|annual]]. Its long [[taproot]] has cream-colored skin and flesh, and, left in the ground to mature, becomes sweeter in flavor after winter [[frost]]s. In its first growing season, the plant has a [[rosette (botany)|rosette]] of [[pinnate]], mid-green leaves. If unharvested, it produces a flowering stem topped by an [[umbel]] of small yellow flowers in its second growing season, later producing pale brown, flat, winged seeds. By this time, the stem has become woody, and the taproot inedible.  Precautions should be taken when handling the stems and foliage, as parsnip sap can cause a [[skin rash]] or even [[blindness]] if [[Photosensitivity|exposed to sunlight]] after handling.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fauzia |first1=Miriam|title=Fact check: Contact with wild parsnip harmful to humans and animals |url= https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/06/23/fact-check-contact-wild-parsnip-danger-humans-and-animals/5303603001/ |publisher=USA Today |access-date=16 June 2023 |date=23 June 2021}}</ref>

The parsnip is native to [[Eurasia]]; it has been used as a vegetable since [[Classical antiquity|antiquity]] and was cultivated by [[Ancient Rome|the Romans]], although some confusion exists between parsnips and carrots in the literature of the time. It was used as a sweetener before the arrival of [[cane sugar]] in Europe.<ref name="Venema 2015"/>

Parsnips are usually cooked but can also be eaten raw. The flesh has a sweet flavor, even more so than carrots. It is high in [[vitamin]]s, [[antioxidant]]s, and [[Dietary mineral|minerals]] (especially [[potassium]]); and also contains both soluble and insoluble [[dietary fiber]]. Parsnips are best cultivated in deep, stone-free soil. The plant is attacked by the [[carrot fly]] and other insect pests, as well as viruses and fungal diseases, of which [[canker]] is the most serious.<ref name="Plantvillage PSU"/>

==Description==
The parsnip is a [[biennial plant]] with a [[Rosette (botany)|rosette]] of roughly hairy [[leaves]] that have a pungent odor when crushed. Parsnips are grown for their fleshy, edible, cream-colored [[taproot]]s. The roots are generally smooth, although [[lateral root]]s sometimes form. Most are narrowly conical, but some [[cultivar]]s have a more bulbous shape, which generally tends to be favored by [[Food processing|food processors]] as it is more resistant to breakage. The plant's [[apical meristem]] produces a rosette of pinnate leaves, each with several pairs of leaflets with toothed margins. The lower leaves have short stems, the upper ones [[sessility (botany)|are stemless]], and the terminal leaves have three lobes. The leaves are once- or twice-pinnate with broad, ovate, sometimes lobed leaflets with toothed margins; they grow up to {{convert|40|cm|in|abbr=off}} long.
The [[petiole (botany)|petiole]]s are grooved and have sheathed bases. The floral [[plant stem|stem]] develops in the second year and can grow to more than {{convert|150|cm|in|-1|abbr=on}} tall. It is hairy, grooved, hollow (except at the nodes), and sparsely branched. It has a few stalkless, single-lobed leaves measuring {{convert|5|to|10|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} long that are arranged in opposite pairs.<ref name="Rubatsky et al. 1999" />{{rp|30–31}}
 
The yellow flowers are in a loose, compound [[umbel]] measuring {{convert|10|to|20|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} in diameter. Six to 25 straight [[pedicel (botany)|pedicel]]s are present, each measuring {{convert|2|to|5|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} that support the umbellets (secondary umbels). The umbels and umbellets usually have no upper or lower [[bract]]s. The flowers have tiny [[sepal]]s or lack them entirely, and measure about {{convert|3.5|mm|in|frac=32|abbr=out}}. They consist of five yellow petals that are curled inward, five [[stamen]]s, and one [[Gynoecium#Pistils|pistil]]. The fruits, or [[schizocarp]]s, are oval and flat, with narrow wings and short, spreading [[Gynoecium|styles]]. They are colored [[straw (colour)|straw]] to light brown, and measure {{convert|4|to|8|mm|in|frac=16|abbr=on}} long.<ref name="Cain et al. 2010" />{{rp|218}}

Despite the slight [[morphology (biology)|morphological]] differences between the two, wild parsnip is the same [[taxon]] as the cultivated version, and the two readily [[Pollination#Mechanics|cross-pollinate]].<ref name="Cain et al. 2010" />{{rp|218}} The parsnip has a [[Ploidy|chromosome number]] of [[Ploidy#Diploid|2''n'']]=22.<ref name="Kalloo 1993"/>

==Taxonomy==
[[File:Pastinaca sativa Sturm28.jpg|thumb|Illustration from [[Johann Georg Sturm]]'s 1796 ''Deutschlands Flora in Abbildungen'']]
''Pastinaca sativa'' was first officially [[species description|described]] by [[Carl Linnaeus|Carolus Linnaeus]] in his 1753 work ''[[Species Plantarum]]''.<ref name="Linnaeus 1753"/> It has acquired several [[Synonym (taxonomy)|synonyms]] in its [[Taxonomy (biology)|taxonomic]] history:<ref name="Kays 2011"/>
*''Pastinaca fleischmannii'' [[Franz Hladnik|Hladnik]], ex [[David Nathaniel Friedrich Dietrich|D.Dietr.]]
*''Pastinaca opaca'' [[Bernh.]] ex [[Hornem.]]
*''Pastinaca pratensis'' ([[Pers.]]) H.Mart.
*''Pastinaca sylvestris'' [[Mill.]]
*''Pastinaca teretiuscula'' [[Boiss.]]
*''Pastinaca umbrosa'' [[Christian von Steven|Steven]], ex [[DC.]]
*''Pastinaca urens'' [[Esprit Requien|Req.]] ex [[Godr.]]
Several species from other genera (''[[Anethum]]'', ''[[Elaphoboscum]]'', ''[[Peucedanum]]'', ''[[Selinum]]'') are likewise synonymous with the name ''Pastinaca sativa''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pastinaca sativa L. |url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2403590 |website=The Plant List |access-date=11 October 2018 |date=2013}}</ref>

Like most plants of agricultural importance, several [[subspecies]] and [[variety (botany)|varieties]] of ''P.&nbsp;sativa'' have been described, but these are mostly no longer recognized as independent taxa,<ref name="Kays 2011"/> but rather, morphological variations of the same taxon.<ref name="Cain et al. 2010" />{{rp|218}}
*''Pastinaca sativa'' subsp. ''divaricata'' ([[Desf.]]) Rouy & [[Giulio (Jules) Camus|Camus]]
*''Pastinaca sativa'' subsp. ''pratensis'' (Pers.) [[Čelak.]]
*''Pastinaca sativa'' subsp. ''sylvestris'' ([[Mill.]]) Rouy & Camus
*''Pastinaca sativa'' subsp. ''umbrosa'' (Steven, ex DC.) [[Gregório Gregorievitch Bondar|Bondar.]] ex [[O.N.Korovina]]
*''Pastinaca sativa'' subsp. ''urens'' (Req. ex Godr.) Čelak.
*''Pastinaca sativa'' var. ''brevis'' [[Alef.]]
*''Pastinaca sativa'' var. ''edulis'' DC.
*''Pastinaca sativa'' var. ''hortensis'' [[Ehrh.]] ex [[Hoffm.]]
*''Pastinaca sativa'' var. ''longa'' Alef.
*''Pastinaca sativa'' var. ''pratensis'' Pers.
*''Pastinaca sativa'' var. ''siamensis'' [[Roem.]] & [[Schult.]] ex Alef.

In Eurasia, some authorities distinguish between cultivated and wild versions of parsnips by using subspecies ''P. s.'' ''sylvestris'' for the latter, or even elevating it to species status as ''Pastinaca sylvestris''. In Europe, various subspecies have been named based on characteristics such as the hairiness of the leaves, the extent to which the stems are angled or rounded, and the size and shape of the terminal umbel.<ref name="Cain et al. 2010" />{{rp|218}}

=== Etymology ===
The [[etymology]] of the generic name ''Pastinaca'' is not known with certainty but is probably derived from either the [[Latin]] word {{Lang|la|pastino}}, meaning 'to prepare the ground for planting of the vine' or {{Lang|la|pastus}}, meaning 'food'. The [[botanical name|specific epithet]] ''[[sativa]]'' means 'sown'.<ref name="Averill 2007" />

While [[folk etymology]] sometimes assumes the name is a mix of [[parsley]] and [[turnip]], it actually comes from [[Middle English]] {{Lang|enm|pasnepe}}, alteration (influenced by {{Lang|enm|nep}}, 'turnip') of [[Old French]] {{Lang|fro|pasnaie}} (now [[:fr:Panais|''panais'']]) from Latin ''[[wikt:pastinum|pastinum]],'' a kind of fork. The word's ending was changed to ''-nip'' by analogy with turnip because it was mistakenly assumed to be a kind of turnip.<ref>{{cite journal |year=1884 |title=Historical Jottings on Vegetables: The Celery and the Parsnip |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lP9IAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA282 |journal=Journal of Horticulture and Practical Gardening |volume=8 |page=282}}</ref>

== Distribution and habitat ==
Like carrots, parsnips are native to Eurasia.<ref name="Zohary 2000" />

== Invasivity ==
[[File:PastinacaSativa Mosbo6.jpg|thumb|Previous-year growth of wild parsnip as seen in the spring. Invasive specimen photographed in [[Ottawa]], Ontario.]]
The parsnip's popularity as a cultivated plant has led to its spread beyond its native range, and wild populations have become established in other parts of the world. A scattered population can be found throughout North America.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wild Parsnip – Ontario's Invading Species Awareness Program |url=http://www.invadingspecies.com/wild-parsnip/ |access-date=2020-06-05}}</ref>

The plant can form dense stands which outcompete [[native species]] and is especially common in abandoned yards, farmland, and along roadsides and other disturbed environments. The increasing abundance of this plant is a concern, particularly due to the plant's toxicity and increasing abundance in populated areas such as parks. Control is often carried out via chemical means, with [[glyphosate]]-containing [[herbicides]] considered effective.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wild parsnip |url=https://www.ontario.ca/page/wild-parsnip |access-date=2020-06-05 |website=www.ontario.ca}}</ref>

==Cultivation==
===History===
Zohary and Hopf note that the archaeological evidence for the ancient cultivation of the parsnip is "still rather limited" and that Greek and Roman literary sources are a major source about its early use.<ref name="Zohary 2000" /> They warn that "there are some difficulties in distinguishing between parsnip and carrot (which, in Roman times, were white or purple) in classical writings since both vegetables seem to have been called ''pastinaca'' in [[Latin]], yet each vegetable appears to be well under cultivation in Roman times".<ref name="Zohary 2000" />

This plant was introduced to North America simultaneously by the [[Canada (New France)|French colonists in Canada]] and the British in the [[Thirteen Colonies]] for use as a root vegetable, but in the mid-19th century, it was replaced as the main source of starch by the [[potato]] and consequently was less widely cultivated.<ref>{{cite journal |author=McNeill, William H |year=1999 |title=How the Potato Changed the World's History |journal=Social Research |volume=66 |issue=1 |pages=67–83 |jstor=40971302 |pmid=22416329}}</ref><ref name="Cain et al. 2010" />{{rp|224}}

In 1859, a new cultivar called 'Student' was developed by [[James Buckman]] at the [[Royal Agricultural University|Royal Agricultural College]] in [[England]]. He back-crossed cultivated plants to wild stock, aiming to demonstrate how native plants could be improved by selective breeding. This experiment was so successful 'Student' became the major variety in cultivation in the late 19th century.<ref name="Stocks 2009" />

===Propagation===
The wild parsnip from which the modern cultivated varieties were derived is a plant of dry, rough grassland and waste places, particularly on [[chalk]] and [[limestone]] soils.<ref name="McKlintock 1956" /> Parsnips are biennials, but are normally grown as [[annual plant|annuals]]. Sandy and loamy soils are preferable to silt, clay, and stony ground; the latter produces short, forked roots. Parsnip seed significantly deteriorates in viability if stored for long. Seeds are usually planted in early spring, as soon as the ground can be worked to a fine [[tilth]], in the position where the plants are to grow. The growing plants are thinned and kept weed-free. Harvesting begins in late fall after the first [[frost]] and continues through winter. The rows can be covered with straw to enable the crop to be lifted during frosty weather.<ref name="RHS" /> Low soil temperatures cause some of the starches stored in the roots to be converted into sugars, giving them a sweeter taste.<ref name="Rubatsky et al. 1999" />{{rp|225}}
===Problems===
Parsnip leaves are sometimes tunnelled by the [[larva]]e of the [[Euleia heraclei|celery fly]] (''Euleia heraclei''). Irregular, pale brown passages can be seen between the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves. The effects are most serious on young plants, as whole leaves may shrivel and die. Treatment is by removing affected leaflets, whole leaves, or by chemical means.<ref name="RHS" />

The crop can be attacked by larvae of the [[carrot fly]] (''Chamaepsila rosae''). This pest feeds on the outer layers of the root, burrowing its way inside later in the season. Seedlings may be killed while larger roots are spoiled. The damage done provides a point of entry for fungal rots and canker. The smell of bruised tissue attracts the fly.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/factsheets/pc17.php |title=Carrot fly |work=Garden Organic |publisher=Henry Doubleday Research Association |access-date=2013-03-29 |archive-date=2013-01-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130126205355/http://gardenorganic.org.uk/factsheets/pc17.php |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Parsnip is used as a food plant by the larvae of some [[lepidoptera]]n species, including the [[Papilio polyxenes|parsnip swallowtail]] (''Papilio polyxenes''), the [[Common swift (moth)|common swift moth]] (''Korscheltellus lupulina''), the [[Garden Dart|garden dart moth]] (''Euxoa nigricans''), and the [[ghost moth]] (''Hepialus humuli'').<ref name="NHM" /> The larvae of the [[Depressaria radiella|parsnip moth]] (''Depressaria radiella''), native to Europe and accidentally [[introduced species|introduced]] to North America in the mid-1800s, construct their webs on the umbels, feeding on flowers and partially developed seeds.<ref name="Cain et al. 2010" />{{rp|232}}

Parsnip canker is a serious disease of this crop. Black or orange-brown patches occur around the root's crown and shoulders, accompanied by cracking and hardening of the flesh. It is more likely to occur when the seed is sown into cold, wet soil, the [[soil pH|pH]] of the soil is too low, or the roots have already been damaged by [[carrot]] fly larvae.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.which.co.uk/documents/pdf/parsnip-canker-153659.pdf|title=How to deal with parsnip canker|date=2012-08-01|series=Pests and diseases|work=Which? Gardening factsheet|access-date=2013-03-29}}</ref> Several fungi are associated with canker, including ''[[Phoma complanata]]'', ''[[Ilyonectria radicicola]]'', ''[[Itersonilia pastinaceae]]'', and ''[[Itersonilia perplexans|I.&nbsp;perplexans]]''. In Europe, ''[[Mycocentrospora acerina]]'' has been found to cause a black rot that kills the plant early.<ref name="Cain et al. 2010" />{{rp|232–233}} Watery soft rot, caused by ''[[Sclerotinia minor]]'' and ''[[Sclerotinia sclerotiorum|S.&nbsp;sclerotiorum]]'', causes the taproot to become soft and watery. A white or [[buff (colour)|buff]]-coloured mould grows on the surface. The pathogen is most common in temperate and subtropical regions with a cool, wet season.<ref name="Snowdon 2010" />

Violet root rot caused by the fungus ''[[Helicobasidium purpureum]]'' sometimes affects the roots, covering them with a purplish mat to which soil particles adhere. The leaves become distorted and discoloured, and the [[mycelium]] can spread through the soil between plants. Some weeds can harbour this fungus, and it is more prevalent in wet, acid conditions.<ref name="RHS" /> ''[[Erysiphe heraclei]]'' causes a [[powdery mildew]] that can cause significant crop loss. Infestation by this causes results in the yellowing of the leaf and loss of foliage. Moderate temperatures and high humidity favor the development of the disease.<ref name="Koike 2007" />

Several [[plant virus|viruses]] are known to infect the plant, including [[seed-borne strawberry latent ringspot virus]], [[parsnip yellow fleck virus]], [[parsnip leaf curl virus]], [[parsnip mosaic potyvirus]], and [[potyvirus celery mosaic virus]]. The latter causes clearing or yellowing of the areas of the leaf immediately beside the veins, the appearance of ochre mosaic spots, and the crinkling of the leaves in infected plants.<ref name="Cain et al. 2010" />{{rp|233}}

==Toxicity==
The shoots and leaves of parsnip must be handled with care, as its sap contains [[furanocoumarin]]s, [[phototoxic]] chemicals that cause blisters on the skin when it is exposed to sunlight, a condition known as [[phytophotodermatitis]].<ref name="Minnesota">{{cite web |url=http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialplants/herbaceous/wildparsnip.html|title=Wild Parsnip (''Pastinaca sativa'') |publisher=Minnesota Department of Natural Resources|access-date=2013-03-29}}</ref> It shares this property with many of its relatives in the [[Apiaceae|carrot family]]. Symptoms include redness, burning, and blisters; afflicted areas can remain sensitive and discolored for up to two years.<ref name="Brenneman 2010" /> Reports of gardeners experiencing toxic symptoms after coming into contact with foliage have been made, but these have been small compared to the number of people who grow the crop. The problem is most likely to occur on a sunny day when gathering foliage or pulling up old plants that have gone to seed. The symptoms have mostly been mild to moderate.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thepoisongarden.co.uk/atoz/pastinaca_sativa.htm|title=''Pastinaca sativa'', parsnip|author=Robertson, John |publisher=The Poison Garden Website|access-date=2013-03-29}}</ref> Risk can be reduced by wearing long pants and sleeves to avoid exposure, and avoiding sunlight after any suspected exposure.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Redlinski |first1=Izabella |title=How to Steer Clear of Two Common Poisonous Plants |url=https://www.fieldmuseum.org/blog/how-steer-clear-two-common-poisonous-plants |publisher=Field Museum of Natural History |access-date=27 December 2021 |date=9 June 2017}}</ref>

If eyes are exposed to the sap it can cause blindness.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fauzia |first1=Miriam|title=Fact check: Contact with wild parsnip harmful to humans and animals |url= https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/06/23/fact-check-contact-wild-parsnip-danger-humans-and-animals/5303603001/ |publisher=USA Today |access-date=16 June 2023 |date=23 June 2021}}</ref>

The toxic properties of parsnip extracts are resistant to heating and periods of storage lasting several months. Toxic symptoms can also affect livestock and poultry in parts of their bodies where their skin is exposed.<ref name="Cain et al. 2010" />{{rp|221–222}} [[Polyyne]]s can be found in Apiaceae vegetables such as parsnip, and they show [[Cytotoxicity|cytotoxic]] activities.<ref name="Zidorn 2005" />

== Uses ==
[[File:Parsnip with honey and mustard.JPG|thumb|right|Parsnip prepared with honey and mustard]]
Parsnips resemble carrots and can be used in similar ways, but they have a sweeter taste, especially when cooked.<ref>{{cite web |last=Alleman |first=Gayle Povis |author2=Webb, Denise |author3=Smith, Susan Male |date=2006-04-18 |title=Parsnips: Natural Weight-Loss Foods |url=http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/natural-foods/natural-weight-loss-food-parsnips-ga.htm |access-date=2011-03-10 |work=Discovery Health |publisher=Publications International}}</ref>  They can be baked, boiled, pureed, roasted, fried, grilled, or steamed. When used in [[stew]]s, [[soup]]s, and [[casserole]]s, they give a rich flavour.<ref name="Montana">{{cite web |title=The Parsnip |url=http://townesharvest.montana.edu/documents/Parsnips.pdf |access-date=2013-03-30 |work=Towne's Harvest Garden |publisher=Montana State University}}</ref> In some cases, parsnips are boiled, and the solid portions are removed from the soup or stew, leaving behind a more subtle flavour than the whole root and [[starch]] to thicken the dish. Roast parsnip is considered an essential part of [[Christmas dinner]] in some parts of the English-speaking world and frequently features in the traditional [[Sunday roast]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Oliver, Jamie |title=Christmas vegetables |url=http://www.cookstr.com/recipes/christmas-vegetables |access-date=2013-03-30 |publisher=JamieOliver.com |archive-date=2013-03-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130305162025/http://www.cookstr.com/recipes/christmas-vegetables |url-status=dead }}</ref> Parsnips can also be fried or thinly sliced and made into [[Potato chip|crisps]]. They can be made into a wine with a taste similar to [[Madeira wine|Madeira]].<ref name="Hopkins 2012" />

The author [[Dorothy Hartley]] described parsnips as having "the type of sweetness that mingles with honey and spice..." The food writer [[Alan Davidson (food writer)|Alan Davidson]] remarks, "parsnip has a taste which, although not strong, is peculiar and not to everyone's liking."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Davidson |first1=Alan |author1-link=Alan Davidson (food writer) |url=https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont0000davi_s2r1/page/580 |title=The Oxford Companion to Food |date=2006 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-280681-9 |editor1-last=Jaine |editor1-first=Tom |edition=Second |location=Oxford; New York |pages=579–580 |access-date=2 October 2024 |editor2-last=Davidson |editor2-first=Jane}}</ref>

In [[ancient Rome|Roman]] times, parsnips were believed to be an [[aphrodisiac]].<ref name="Phillips 1831" /> However, parsnips do not typically feature in modern Italian cooking. Instead, they are fed to pigs, particularly those bred to make [[Prosciutto|Parma ham]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Eat the seasons |title=Eat parsnips |url=http://www.eattheseasons.com/Archive/parsnips.htm |access-date=2015-11-21 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304131242/http://www.eattheseasons.com/Archive/parsnips.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Nutrition ===
{{Infobox nutritional value
| name = Parsnip, raw
| water = 79.53&nbsp;g
| kJ = 314
| protein = 1.2&nbsp;g
| carbs = 18&nbsp;g
| fat = 0.2&nbsp;g
| fiber = 4.9&nbsp;g
| sugars = 4.8
| calcium_mg = 36
| iron_mg = 0.59
| magnesium_mg = 29
| phosphorus_mg = 71
| potassium_mg = 375
| sodium_mg = 10
| zinc_mg = 0.59
| manganese_mg = 0.56
| vitC_mg = 17
| thiamin_mg = 0.09
| riboflavin_mg = 0.05
| niacin_mg = 0.7
| pantothenic_mg = 0.6
| vitB6_mg = 0.09
| folate_ug = 67
| vitE_mg = 1.49
| vitK_ug = 22.5
| source_usda = 1
| note = [https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/170417/nutrients Link to USDA Database entry]
}}

A typical 100&nbsp;g serving of parsnip provides {{convert|314|kJ|kcal|abbr=off}} of [[food energy]]. Most parsnip cultivars consist of about 80% water, 5% [[sugar]], 1% [[Protein (nutrient)|protein]], 0.3% [[fat]], and 5% [[dietary fiber]]. The parsnip is rich in vitamins and minerals and is particularly rich in potassium with 375&nbsp;mg per 100&nbsp;g.<ref name="USDA" /> Several of the B-group vitamins are present, but levels of vitamin C are reduced in cooking. Since most of the vitamins and minerals are found close to the skin, many will be lost unless the root is finely peeled or cooked whole. During frosty weather, part of the starch is converted to sugar, and the root tastes sweeter.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Hamilton, Dave |author2=Hamilton, Andy |title=Parsnips ''Pastinaca sativa'' |url=http://www.selfsufficientish.com/parsnip.htm |access-date=2013-04-02 |work=Selfsufficientish}}</ref>

The consumption of parsnips has potential health benefits. They contain [[antioxidant]]s such as [[falcarinol]], [[falcarindiol]], panaxydiol, and methyl-falcarindiol, which may potentially have anticancer, [[anti-inflammatory]] and [[Fungistatics|antifungal]] properties.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Christensen |first1=LP |date=2011 |title=Aliphatic C(17)-polyacetylenes of the falcarinol type as potential health-promoting compounds in food plants of the Apiaceae family |journal=Recent Patents on Food, Nutrition & Agriculture |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=64–77 |doi=10.2174/2212798411103010064 |pmid=21114468}}</ref> The dietary fiber in parsnips is partly of the soluble and partly the insoluble type and comprises [[cellulose]], [[hemicellulose]], and [[lignin]]. The high fiber content of parsnips may help prevent [[constipation]] and reduce [[Blood lipids|blood cholesterol]] levels.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Siddiqui, I. R. |year=1989 |title=Studies on vegetables: fiber content and chemical composition of ethanol-insoluble and -soluble residues |journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry |volume=37 |issue=3 |pages=647–650 |doi=10.1021/jf00087a015}}</ref>

== In culture ==
The parsnip was much esteemed in Rome, and Emperor [[Tiberius]] accepted part of the [[tribute]] payable to Rome by Germania in the form of parsnips. In Europe, the vegetable was used as a source of sugar before [[sugarcane|cane]] and [[Sugar beet|beet]] sugars were available.<ref name="Montana" /> As ''pastinache comuni'', the "common" ''pastinaca'' figures in the long list of comestibles enjoyed by the [[Milan]]ese given by [[Bonvesin da la Riva]] in his "Marvels of Milan" (1288).<ref>Noted by John Dickie, ''Delizia! The Epic History of Italians and Their Food'' (New York, 2008), p. 38 (where they are identified as parsnips).</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Root parsley]], a similar-looking vegetable
*''[[Dasyatis pastinaca]]'', the common stingray

==References==
{{Reflist|30em|refs=
 
<ref name="Averill 2007">{{cite journal |url=https://weedecology.css.cornell.edu/pubs/published%202007%20wt21-01-279-287.pdf |last1=Averill |first1=Kristine M. |last2=Di'Tommaso |first2=Antonio |title=Wild parsnip (''Pastinaca sativa''): A troublesome species of increasing concern |journal=Weed Technology |year=2007 |volume=21 |pages=279–287 |doi=10.1614/WT-05-186.1|s2cid=86774319 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220924190626/https://weedecology.css.cornell.edu/pubs/published%202007%20wt21-01-279-287.pdf |archive-date=September 24, 2022}}</ref>

<ref name="Plantvillage PSU">{{cite web|author=Penn State University|title=Parsnip|url=https://plantvillage.psu.edu/topics/parsnip/infos}}</ref>

<ref name="Brenneman 2010">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GkZKj51TBLsC&pg=PA38|author=Brenneman, William L.|title=50 Wild Plants Everyone Should Know|year=2010|publisher=AuthorHouse|isbn=978-1-4520-4637-2|page=38}}</ref>

<ref name="Cain et al. 2010">{{cite journal |last1=Cain |first1=N. |last2=Darbyshire |first2=S. J. |last3=Francis |first3=A. |last4=Nurse |first4=R. E. |last5=Simard |first5=M.-J. |title=The Biology of Canadian weeds. 144. ''Pastinaca sativa'' L. |journal=Can. J. Plant Sci. |year=2010 |volume=90 |issue=2 |pages=217–240 |doi=10.4141/CJPS09110|doi-access=free }}</ref>

<ref name="Hopkins 2012">{{cite book|author=Hopkins, Len|title=Making Wine with Fruits, Roots & Flowers: Recipes for Distinctive & Delicious Wild Wines|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XuP0NUfeENwC&pg=PA162|year=2012|publisher=Krause Publications|isbn=978-1-4403-2034-7|page=162}}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

<ref name="Kays 2011">{{cite book|author=Kays, Stanley J.|chapter=3 – Latin binomials and synonyms|title=Cultivated Vegetables of the World: A Multilingual Onomasticon|year=2011|publisher=Wageningen Academic Publishers|isbn=978-90-8686-720-2|pages=617–708}}</ref>

<ref name="Kalloo 1993">{{cite book|author=Kalloo G.|title=Genetic Improvement of Vegetable Crops|editor1=Kaloo, G|editor2=Bergh, B.O.|year=1993|pages=485–486|publisher=Permagon|doi=10.1016/B978-0-08-040826-2.50038-2|isbn=978-0-08-040826-2}}</ref>

<ref name="Koike 2007">{{cite book|author1=Koike, Steven T.|author2=Gladders, Peter|author3=Paulus, Albert O.|title=Vegetable Diseases: A Color Handbook|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iPgTGhaGRl4C&pg=PA118|year=2007|publisher=Gulf Professional Publishing|isbn=978-0-12-373675-8|page=118}}</ref>

<ref name="Linnaeus 1753">{{cite book|author=Linnaeus, Carolus|title=Species Plantarum|year=1753|volume=1|location=Stockholm |publisher=Laurentii Salvii|page=262|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/358281|language=la}}</ref>

<ref name="McKlintock 1956">{{cite book|title=The Pocket Guide to Wild Flowers|author1=McKlintock, David|author2=Fitter, R.S.R. |year=1956|publisher=Collins|page=102}}</ref>

<ref name="NHM">{{cite journal|url=http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/research/projects/hostplants/|title=Robinson, G.S.; Ackery, P.R.; Kitching, I.J.; Beccaloni, G.W.; Hernández, L.M.|year=2010|journal=A Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants|publisher=Natural History Museum, London|doi=10.5519/havt50xw |last1=Robinson |first1=Gaden S. |last2=Ackery |first2=Phillip R. |last3=Kitching |first3=Ian |last4=Beccaloni |first4=George W. |last5=Hernández |first5=Luis M. }}</ref>

<ref name="Phillips 1831">{{cite book|author=Phillips, Henry|title=The Companion for the Kitchen Garden|year=1831|publisher=H. Colburn and R. Bentley|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zVgZAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA42|page=42|quote=Dioches, Cleophantus, Philistio, and Orpheus, as well as Pliny, all wrote on the aphrodisiac quality of the parsnip.}}</ref>

<ref name="RHS">{{cite book|title=The Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Gardening|editor=Brickell, Christopher|year=1992 |publisher=Dorling Kindersley|isbn=978-0-86318-979-1|pages=356, 565}}</ref>

<ref name="Rubatsky et al. 1999">{{cite book |last1=Rubatsky |first1=V. E. |last2=Quiros |first2=C. F. |last3=Siman |first3=P. W. |title=Carrots and Related Vegetable Umbelliferae |year=1999 |publisher=CABI Publishing |isbn=978-0-85199-129-0}}</ref>

<ref name="Snowdon 2010">{{cite book|author=Snowdon, Anna L.|title=Post-Harvest Diseases and Disorders of Fruits and Vegetables: Volume 2: Vegetables|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WK-Scwl9skYC&pg=PA290|year=2010|publisher=Manson Publishing|isbn=978-1-84076-598-4|page=290}}</ref>

<ref name="Stocks 2009">{{cite book |author=Stocks, Christopher|title=Forgotten Fruits: The Stories Behind Britain's Traditional Fruit and Vegetables|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BqXHEkczrjMC&pg=PA133|year=2009|publisher=Random House|isbn=978-1-4090-6197-7|page=133}}</ref>

<ref name="USDA">{{cite web |title=Nutrient data for 11298, Parsnips, raw|url=http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3031?fg=&man=&lfacet=&format=&count=&max=25&offset=&sort=&qlookup=parsnip|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307104032/https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3031?fg=&man=&lfacet=&format=&count=&max=25&offset=&sort=&qlookup=parsnip|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 7, 2016|work=Nutrient Data Laboratory|publisher=USDA|access-date=2013-03-30}}</ref>

<ref name="Zidorn 2005">{{cite journal|author1=Zidorn, Christian|author2=Jöhrer, Karin|author3=Ganzera, Markus|author4=Schubert, Birthe|author5=Sigmund, Elisabeth Maria|author6=Mader, Judith|author7=Greil, Richard|author8=Ellmerer, Ernst P.|author9=Stuppner, Hermann|title=Polyacetylenes from the Apiaceae vegetables carrot, celery, fennel, parsley, and parsnip and their cytotoxic activities |journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry|year=2005|volume=53|issue=7|pages=2518–2523 |doi=10.1021/jf048041s|pmid=15796588}}</ref>

<ref name="Venema 2015">{{cite web|author=Venema, Christine|title= Parsnips: A vegetable from antiquity|year=2015|publisher=Michigan State University|url= https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/parsnips_a_vegetable_from_antiquity}}</ref>

<ref name="Zohary 2000">{{Cite book|author1=Zohary, Daniel|author2=Hopf, Maria|title=Domestication of Plants in the Old World |edition=3rd|location=Oxford|publisher=University Press|year=2000|page=203}}</ref>

}}
<!--<ref name="Keble Martin 1975">{{cite book|author=Keble Martin, William|title=The Concise British Flora in Colour|year=1975|publisher=Michael Joseph|isbn=0-7181-1417-5|page=40}}</ref> --->

==External links==
{{Wiktionary|parsnip}}
{{Cookbook}}

===General===
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170405104028/http://missouriplants.com/Yellowalt/Pastinaca_sativa_page.html ''Pastinaca sativa'' profile] on [http://www.missouriplants.com missouriplants.com] Retrieved 2015-10-25.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20041110035158/http://sun.ars-grin.gov:8080/npgspub/xsql/duke/plantdisp.xsql?taxon=702 ''Pastinaca sativa'' List of Chemicals (Dr. Duke's)] Retrieved 2015-10-25.
* {{cite web |url=https://www.nobanis.org/ias-photo-bank/pastinaca-sativa/ |title=Photo bank: Pastinaca sativa |publisher=NOBANIS |website=Alien Species photo bank |access-date=September 20, 2018}}

{{Edible Apiaceae}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q188614}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Apioideae]]
[[Category:Edible Apiaceae]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
[[Category:Plants described in 1753]]
[[Category:Root vegetables]]
[[Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus]]