Healthypedia
Diana Nelson

Radish – Small In Size But Big In Health Benefits

Your small secret ingredient for a healthy body.

Fresh,Radishes,And,Lettuce,On,Boards,,Summer,Photo.

Who knew that this humble little root vegetable, the radish, has actually been around for centuries? It originated in China, where it was prized for its medicinal properties and was also grown in ancient Egypt, where it was used as a condiment and believed to have digestive and diuretic properties.

Fast forward to today, and radishes are still a popular choice for adding a little something extra to salads, sandwiches, and other dishes. Thanks to this little helper, you can diversify your diet and bring a bunch of health benefits!

Radish – Nutrition facts

Radish has a low energy value and a small amount of protein. It has almost no fat, low carbs and almost no sugar, a small amount of fibre and a low glycemic index which is good for blood glucose levels.

Source: usda.gov
Source: usda.gov

Radish – Good news

Radishes have lots of health benefits, from protecting the heart to treating jaundice.

1Keeps your heart sound

Thanks to antioxidants called anthocyanins, radishes can protect you from heart disease. According to the Journal of Translational Medicine, anthocyanins protect your heart by inhibiting inflammation caused by oxidative stress. Anthocyanins can also reduce high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease. Plus, anthocyanins diminish inflammation in the arteries, inhibiting the development of atherosclerosis.

2Protects your stomach

Radish juice can help prevent stomach ulcers by keeping stomach tissue from harm and strengthening the mucus barrier. The mucus barrier protects the stomach and intestines from unfriendly microorganisms and detrimental toxins that can cause ulcers and inflammation.

3Maintains a healthy immune system

Vitamin C in radishes supports the immune function by increasing the activity of phagocytes, or cells that ‘eat’ harmful microorganisms. This key vitamin is also an antioxidant, as mentioned above, meaning it can protect cells from free radical damage.

Radish also contains selenium, another immune-boosting nutrient. Selenium supports your health by activating T and B cells, aka white blood cells, involved in the body’s immune response.

4Helps your body fight cancer

Including radishes in your diet can help fight various cancer types, such as colon, stomach, intestinal, oral and kidney cancer. This is due to the presence of vitamin C, folic acid and anthocyanins, which are powerful antioxidants. In addition, radish contains isothiocyanates, which alter the genetic pathways of cancer cells and cause their death. This prevents cancer cells from multiplying.

5Has good properties for cartilage

The vitamin C in radishes resists free radicals in our body and prevents any damage to the cartilage. Vitamin C also promotes the formation of collagen, the substance that makes up the cartilage of our body. Thus, eating radishes helps to prevent or delay the development of diseases such as arthritis.

6Won’t make you gain extra kilos, so eat as much as you wish

Radishes won’t interfere with your diet and won’t cause you to gain weight. 100 grams of radish has about 16 calories and virtually no fat. So it won’t sabotage your healthy diet. It’s the perfect crunchy snack when you feel like nibbling something.

7Treats jaundice

Radishes are widely considered a natural remedy for jaundice, and radish leaves are the most useful for this purpose. Radish juice is beneficial when recovering from jaundice as it has a powerful detoxifying effect and helps to eliminate toxins from the blood and thus helps to purify it. Radishes help to prevent the breakdown of red blood cells in people suffering from jaundice by increasing the oxygen supply.

Radishes – Not very good news

In general, radishes are safe to eat but don’t overdo them if you have thyroid problems or are prone to allergies.

You should limit your consumption of raw radish if you have a thyroid problem

The main issue between radishes and our thyroid health lies in goitrogen – the natural substance in radishes. When foods rich in goitrogens are eaten raw, the goitrogen chemicals are released. When we eat radishes plain, e.g. sliced into a salad or dipped in hummus, we also consume these goitrogens.

Goitrogens are known for blocking iodine from reaching the thyroid gland. And iodine is essential for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. Goitrogen can disrupt thyroid function. So if you have a thyroid problem you should be careful about the amount of radish you consume. Plus, it is better to cook radishes if you cannot help eating them.

May cause some rare allergies

Radish allergies are rare, but they do happen. Symptoms of an allergic reaction can include hives, itching and swelling around the mouth, and even difficulty breathing. If you suspect a food allergy, consult a doctor for diagnosis and treatment.

Not everyone likes the taste. But there is a solution!

Some people may find the taste of radishes too spicy. If you don’t like the taste of raw radishes cook them. For example, roasting brings out the sweetness that is otherwise masked by the pepperish taste radishes are known for.

Radish. Experiment by our expert

We introduce one of our Healthypedia personal testers. Michael Freeman is a big health enthusiast, in a great shape in his 50, and metabolically healthy! Michael uses a monitor which measures reaction of his body on food, exercises, stress, you name it. Here is his feedback and result.
Radish. Experiment by our expert Nutrition
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Normally, I don’t eat radishes on their own. I add them to salads and sometimes cook them with other vegetables. But for the sake of testing purity, I had to do it. As the general recommendation was around 2 servings a day, I’ve decided to go for 170 grams of radishes. Eating them raw, without any other veggies was not a very exciting experience. But the nutritional benefits and my duty as a tester helped me to get the job done. As you can see, the result is 9 out of 10. A very positive result, but still I recommend mixing them with other vegetables. There are so many ways to incorporate radishes into your diet. You will definitely find a way that appeals to you😁

Healthypedia - Michael Freeman
Michael Freeman Health and Longevity Enthusiast, 50

Fun & curious facts about radish

  • Vegetarians love radishes. It’s one of their most popular vegetables.

  • Nothing goes to waste with radishes – the leaves and shoots can also be eaten and crumbled into a salad.

  • Radish is a fast-growing crop. It takes only 25 days for a radish to go from seed to full ripeness.

  • In Mexico, the Christmas celebration starts with the opening of Noche de Rabanos (Night of the Radishes) – a festival dedicated to radishes. Mexicans call it Radish Christmas. The ‘sculptures’ made of radish are stunning and funny at the same time. ‘Sculptors’ use radish to create interesting real or imaginary creatures.

Radish in the Blue Zones

Long-livers in the Blue Zones eat large quantities of fresh vegetables, and radishes take a prominent place in this vegetable mixture. One of the favourite dishes of centenarians in Sardinia is french lentils with roasted radishes.

Let’s sum radish up

Radishes are excellent vegetables that can always be found in markets or on the shelves in the grocery store. They have health-promoting properties to make your body sound and strong. Plus, they will always add some great vitamins to your plate, protect your body and boost the immune system.

Not enough? Here are some more from our colleagues!

The popular YouTube Doctor, Dr Eric Berg, shares some interesting info about the main benefits of radishes. Dr Berg is a chiropractor who specializes in Healthy Ketosis & Intermittent Fasting. He is the author of the best-selling book ‘The Healthy Keto Plan’ and is the director of Dr Berg Nutritionals.

Check out his video below!


Healthypedia FAQ

170 grams of radishes a day it’s just 34 calories. This is enough to provide the body with all the needed nutrients and boost the immune system.

When choosing radishes at the shop, make sure that the root crop is firm. There shouldn’t be any black dots on the radish - this is a sign that the radish has been grown with chemicals or that it is beginning to rot.

The colour and shape of a radish primarily determine its variety. There are several radish varieties on the market today. These include: - Red Radish – it is one of the most common Radishes across the globe. They are also known as Globe or Round Radish. They are red and can be long and narrow or round and short. - Japanese or Diakon Radish – it looks like a carrot and is white. - Watermelon Radish – it is pale green outside and red or pink inside. - Black Radish – it is also known as Spanish Radish and has black skin.

To preserve radishes dry, take the dry fruit, wrap it in a bag and put it in the vegetable drawer. Do not wash it before storing and do not tie the bag so it can be ventilated. Radishes actively evaporate moisture, so dry paper towels can be placed inside of the bag to prevent condensation. If you follow the recommendations, the radishes will remain fresh for up to 10 days.

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