Discovering our roots ... and rhizomes, and tubers and bulbs and other underground delights

Winter seemed like a good time to write about root vegetables. Roots typically are underground storage units that enable plants to conserve energy, absorb nutrients, stay upright — and yes, they defy expectations and frequently appear above-ground. 

Then we located turmeric and horseradish in the stores, and the initial idea began to change. But is turmeric a root or rhizome, like ginger? And is ginger a food, a medicine or a spice? How about ginseng?

Then we discovered that onions, garlic, shallots and ramps are bulbs, rather than roots as we had previously thought.

Finally, when we learned that there is a difference between roots and tubers, we realized that we were splitting too many hairs (or rhizoids, if you will), and our planning took a 180.

So, here, instead, are nine tasty, useful roots — alimentary, culinary roots, if not the botanic versions — that enrich our diets as well as our palates.  

Beets

Pickled, steamed, broiled or roasted, these taproots are used the world over for a variety of items, including sugars and inks. A key compound found in beets, betaine, is being researched for its medicinal uses, including in combating liver disease and high blood pressure. 

Carrots

Carrots were first grown for their leaves and seeds and not for their roots. Carrots were mainly purple well into the Middle Ages in Europe and Asia. The orange variety is thought to have first appeared in the southern regions of Spain.

To read more on the different roots: Discovering our roots ... and rhizomes, and tubers and bulbs and other underground delights

Adapted from Rapid City Journals