Root Vegetable Soup

With sausage and kale.

Root vegetables are considered a staple seasonal food during the winter months because they’re warming and grounding, support gut health and digestion, and provide a stabilizing energy source due to their rich content of complex carbohydrates.

Unlike sugar and refined carbs that spike blood sugars, the complex carbs in root vegetables are in the form of FIBER which regulates our blood sugars, keeping them balanced and stable.

In addition to fiber, root vegetables are also high in a diversity of phytochemicals that offer many health benefits including reducing inflammation and the risk of disease.

In particular, bitter-tasting root vegetables are thought to have the greatest benefits on our health, since this bitter taste comes from the phytochemicals. In general, the more bitter-tasting the vegetable, the higher the phytochemical content.

For example, glucosinolates are a type of sulfur-containing phytochemical that are responsible for the bitter taste in cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and cabbage) and some root vegetables (like turnips, radishes, and rutabaga).

These glucosinolates are known for their anti-cancer properties. According to research, “glucosinolates not only provide us protection against cancer but are also able to kill the cancerous cells.” In addition to its anticancer activities, it was also found that glucosinolates have anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and lipid-lowering properties among other benefits.

This month’s recipe is a root vegetable soup with sausage, kale, and antioxidant-rich spices that provide nutrients and phytochemicals to support our health in the winter months.

Before we get to the recipe, let’s take a look at the root vegetables we’ll be using and the specific nutrients that they provide.