Humble and hardy, the turnip has a reputation as a filling and nourishing peasant food. But in the highlands of Bolivia and other parts of South America, people use this root vegetable for healing as well.
Clare Sammells, an anthropology instructor at the University of Chicago, described a local remedy for sore throat made by cutting a hole in the center of a turnip and filling it with sugar. The moisture from the turnip is combined with the sugar into a thick syrup that is drunk.
"It's very viscous and sweet," Sammells said. "It coats your throat."
Though it may not last long, the turnip syrup can form a thin layer over the mucous membrane of the throat, soothing the area, said Dr. William Schaffner, chair of the Department of Preventative Medicine at Vanderbilt Medical School. The protective layer can give the body a chance to heal itself.
"It's a reasonable notion, and just for a few minutes," Schaffner said. "Maybe not to help cure [sore throat] but to give symptomatic relief."
Turnips are high in vitamin C, an important nutrient that helps boost the immune system, which may leech into the syrup. And sugar has antiseptic properties, acting as a germicide to destroy microbes and reduce the possibility of infection.
-------
Cold & Flu season is here! Visit the ABCNews.com OnCall+ Cold & Flu Center to get all your questions answered about these nasty viruses.
Radha Chitale contributed to this report.
Uhaloa Photo Courtesy: Gerald D. Carr, Oregon State University
Do you have more information about this topic? If so, please click here to contact the editors of ABC News.
