Long, thin root (purple salsify: white interior; black salsify/scorzonera: white interior under black bark). One cup cooked provides: 20% DV folate (notable for a root vegetable), 17% DV potassium, 14% DV B6, 11% DV vitamin C, 6g fiber (predominantly inulin — the highest inulin root vegetable after Jerusalem artichoke), and 4g protein (high for a root). The inulin content makes salsify the most prebiotic of the common root vegetables.
Available at farmers markets and specialty produce stores in fall and winter. Less common at mainstream stores — a specialty root vegetable that is worth seeking out.
Salsify's inulin content — 4-6g per 100g fresh — is the highest of the common root vegetables (carrot: 0.4g, parsnip: 2g, Jerusalem artichoke: 14-19g). Inulin is a fructooligosaccharide that is completely indigestible by human enzymes, acting exclusively as a prebiotic fuel for Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium bifidum — the principal beneficial gut bacteria associated with immune function, mood regulation, and metabolic health. The selective Bifidobacterium-feeding property of inulin is well-documented: a 2008 clinical trial in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found daily inulin supplementation significantly increased Bifidobacterium populations and reduced potentially pathogenic Bacteroides species. The folate at 20% DV makes salsify the second-highest folate root vegetable in the database (after parsnip at 23% DV) — particularly relevant for periconceptional folate intake and homocysteine reduction.
Peel by dropping in acidulated water (lemon water) immediately after peeling — the white flesh oxidizes rapidly and turns brown on exposure to air. Boil (simmer until tender, 20-25 min — like thin carrots), roast (425°F 25-30 min), or sauté. Pairs with butter, cream, thyme, and lemon. Available at farmers markets, Whole Foods, and specialty stores in fall and winter. Black salsify (scorzonera) is available at European grocery stores and online.
Free, no account needed to ask.