Parsnips: Nutrition, Parsnips vs Carrots, Cooking and Safety

Parsnips are cream-colored root vegetables that look like pale carrots and taste sweet, nutty and slightly earthy when cooked. They are a winter staple for roasting, mashing and soups. In USDA data, parsnips are higher in calories, carbohydrate and fiber than carrots and supply folate, potassium, vitamin C and manganese, but unlike carrots they contain no vitamin A. This guide covers parsnip nutrition for raw and cooked parsnips, parsnips vs carrots side by side, how to cook them, and the wild parsnip plant whose sap can cause burn-like blisters on skin.

Peptide Labs does not sell parsnips or parsnip products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.

What are parsnips?

The parsnip is Pastinaca sativa, a member of the carrot family. University of Illinois Extension notes that the cultivated parsnip we eat descends from wild parsnip, the same species that grows along roadsides and in fields. The edible part is the long taproot, often sold in fall and winter.

Parsnips are not named in any of the vegetable subgroup lists in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, but their carbohydrate content is in the range of starchy vegetables, which is why our starchy vegetables guide includes them in its comparison table. Carrots, by contrast, are in the red and orange group.

Parsnip nutrition per cup

Values come from USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entries, using the serving sizes listed in the same database. Percent Daily Values (%DV) follow the FDA Daily Values. The boiled entry is cooked without salt.

Fiber is the headline: a cup of raw parsnip slices lists 6.5 grams, close to a quarter of the Daily Value, which puts parsnips among the more fiber-rich vegetables; see our high-fiber foods list and fiber intake guide for context. Parsnips also bring folate, vitamin C, manganese and potassium; our potassium foods list shows where they sit. One oddity in the USDA data: the raw entry lists far more vitamin K than the boiled entry, so the two forms are not interchangeable for that nutrient.

Parsnips vs carrots

Parsnips and carrots are close relatives and are often roasted together, but their nutrition differs more than their shape suggests. Per 100 grams raw:

The short version of parsnips vs carrots: carrots win on vitamin A by a wide margin, thanks to beta-carotene, while parsnips have none. Parsnips carry nearly twice the calories and carbohydrate, and the extra is not sugar, since total sugars are almost the same (USDA lists no starch value for parsnips). In exchange they offer more fiber, folate, vitamin C and manganese per gram. Neither is “better”; they fill different gaps. Our carrots guide and beta-carotene guide cover the orange side of the comparison.

Parsnip benefits: what the evidence supports

Human research on parsnips as a single food is almost nonexistent, so any claim of specific health effects goes beyond the evidence. What can be said from USDA data is that parsnips are a fiber-rich, starchy root with folate, potassium, vitamin C and manganese, and very little fat or sodium. Swapping some potatoes for parsnips adds fiber and folate; swapping parsnips for turnips cuts calories and carbohydrate. Like other starchy vegetables, they carry more carbohydrate than leafy or watery vegetables, which matters if you count carbs.

How to cook and eat parsnips

• Roasted: cut into batons, toss with oil and roast until the edges caramelize.
• Mashed or pureed: boil and mash alone or with potatoes, or blend into a creamy soup.
• Raw: grate young parsnips into slaws for a sweet, nutty crunch.
• Stews and roasts: parsnips pair well with carrots, onions and root vegetables of all kinds.
• Prep tips: peel thicker parsnips, and cut out a woody core from very large ones.

Wild parsnip: why the sap can burn skin

Wild parsnip is the same species as the garden vegetable, gone feral. It grows in fields and along roadsides and has yellow flowers. University of Illinois Extension explains that sap from a broken leaf or stem, combined with ultraviolet light, causes phytophotodermatitis: a skin reaction with burn-like blisters often compared to a severe sunburn. Simply standing near the plant does not cause it; the sap has to touch skin.

• When working around wild parsnip, the extension advice is gloves, long pants and long sleeves.
• If sap touches your skin, wash the area right away; if a burn develops, contact a physician for wound care advice.
• The carrot family also includes poison hemlock (Conium maculatum), which the same extension service describes as poisonous if eaten. Never dig up or eat wild carrot-family roots without an expert identification.
• The Illinois pages focus on the wild plant and do not address the leaves of garden parsnips. Store-bought parsnip roots are the ordinary vegetable.

Who should be careful with parsnips

• People counting carbohydrates: parsnips carry more carbohydrate than most vegetables, so count them the way you count potatoes.
• Potassium limits: if your clinician has told you to limit potassium, ask how parsnips fit, since a cooked cup lists about 12% of the Daily Value.
• Sensitive digestion: the fiber can cause gas if you are not used to it; add fiber gradually.
• Gardeners and hikers: wear gloves and sleeves around wild parsnip, as described above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Related guides: Turnip: Nutrition, Turnip Greens, Benefits and Cautions, Starchy Vegetables: List, USDA Nutrition and Non-Starchy Swaps, High Fiber Foods: USDA List of Fruits, Vegetables, Beans and Grains.