Are Parsnips Safe to Eat? Understanding Wild vs. Cultivated Varieties
                                
                                
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                                    5 min read                                
                            
                                Overwhelmingly, cultivated parsnips are a safe and nutritious addition to your diet. Yet, some people wonder: are parsnips safe to eat? The confusion stems from a crucial distinction between the harmless garden root and its potentially toxic wild counterpart, which contains compounds that cause severe skin reactions upon exposure to sunlight.