Rutabaga Nutrition Calculator — Calories & Nutrition per Serving

Raw rutabaga provides 305mg potassium per 100g (6.5% DV) — more than turnip (191mg), comparable to carrot (320mg), and approaching potato's 425mg. At only 37 calories per 100g, rutabaga delivers 8.2mg potassium per calorie — roughly double the efficiency of banana (4.0mg per calorie, 358mg at 89 kcal) ^[1].

One cup of cubed rutabaga (140g) provides 427mg potassium (9% DV) at 52 calories. A whole medium rutabaga (~386g) delivers approximately 1,177mg potassium (25% DV) at 143 calories — a substantial portion of the daily target from a single vegetable ^[1].

Cooking retains most of the potassium: boiled rutabaga has 275mg per 100g (a 10% reduction), and roasted rutabaga concentrates to approximately 320mg per 100g because water evaporates while the mineral remains. For maximum potassium retention, roasting and steaming outperform boiling ^[2].

Rutabaga (*Brassica napus*) is botanically a **cross between turnip (*B. rapa*) and cabbage (*B. oleracea*) — not just a large turnip. They're frequently confused in grocery stores and recipes. Identification: rutabagas are larger, with yellow-orange flesh and a waxy coating; turnips are smaller, with white flesh and no coating** ^[2].

Nutritionally, rutabaga edges ahead of turnip in most categories: 37 vs. 28 kcal, 305 vs. 191mg potassium, 25 vs. 21mg vitamin C, 43 vs. 30mg calcium, and 2.3 vs. 1.8g fiber per 100g. The higher calorie count comes from more carbohydrates (8.6g vs. 6.4g), including 4.5g natural sugars that give rutabaga a sweeter flavor ^[1].

In the UK, Australia, and parts of Canada, rutabagas are called "swedes" — adding another layer of confusion. In Scotland, "neep" traditionally refers to rutabaga (used in haggis), while in England the same word may mean turnip. For nutrition logging, always verify which root vegetable you're recording ^[3].

Rutabaga contains 4.46g natural sugars per 100g — predominantly glucose and fructose. Roasting at high heat (200-220°C) triggers the Maillard reaction, browning the surface and converting some starches to additional sugars through thermal breakdown. This concentrates sweetness without adding any sugar ^[2].

Roasted rutabaga (with 1 tsp olive oil per 140g serving) totals approximately 100 kcal per cup — nearly double the raw amount but still modest for a side dish. The calorie increase comes primarily from the added oil (40 kcal per tsp), not from the cooking itself. Minerals like potassium and calcium are fully preserved since no water is used ^[1].

Compared to roasted potato (93 kcal/100g without oil), roasted rutabaga is the lighter option at approximately 72 kcal/100g with oil. The texture when roasted becomes creamy inside with caramelized edges — a quality that makes rutabaga fries (cut into sticks, roasted at 220°C) a popular lower-calorie alternative to potato fries ^[3].

In the hierarchy of root vegetable calories: radish (16) < turnip (28) < rutabaga (37) < carrot (41) < beetroot (43) < parsnip (75) < potato (77) < sweet potato (86) per 100g. Rutabaga sits in the low-to-moderate range — significantly lighter than starchy roots but heartier than turnip ^[1].

Fiber: rutabaga's 2.3g per 100g is moderate for a root vegetable, surpassing turnip (1.8g) and potato (2.1g) but trailing parsnip (4.9g) and sweet potato (3.0g). The fiber is predominantly insoluble, contributing to satiety and digestive bulk ^[1].

Vitamin C content (25mg, 28% DV) is relatively high for a root vegetable. Potato provides 19.7mg, carrot only 5.9mg, and parsnip 17mg. Only turnip (21mg) and sweet potato (2.4mg, which is much lower) are commonly compared. Rutabaga is one of the better vitamin C sources among roots — useful to note when tracking this water-soluble vitamin through the diet ^[2].

One cup of mashed rutabaga (without butter) provides approximately 96 kcal, 2.4g protein, 21.6g carbs, 4.1g fiber — compared to 1 cup of mashed potato at approximately 210 kcal, 4.0g protein, 35g carbs, 3.2g fiber. Rutabaga cuts calories by 54% and carbs by 38% while providing more fiber ^[1].

The trade-off: mashed rutabaga has a slightly thinner, more watery texture than mashed potato. Adding 1 tbsp butter (102 kcal added for a 4-serving recipe, or ~25 kcal per serving) significantly improves body and richness. A 50/50 rutabaga-potato mash gives approximately 153 kcal per cup — a middle ground ^[3].

For macro tracking: mashed rutabaga is lower in glycemic index than mashed potato (roughly GI 72 vs. GI 87 for instant mashed), primarily because rutabaga's carbohydrates include more fiber and less rapidly digestible starch. The natural sweetness of rutabaga also means less need for added butter or cream ^[2].