Most people never think of the health benefits of radishes (Raphanus sativus). The may be colorful, but they are not at the top of the “healthy food list.”
Maintaining good nutrition is vital to living a long and healthy life. We should all do everything we can to try and look after our bodies as best we can.
One of the ways in which we can do this is by having a healthy diet. The importance of having a balanced diet is that it helps to stimulate:
- Healthy body growth
- Promote mental health
- Helps to control weight
- Helps prevents disease and infections
… as well as many other life enhancing attributes.
There are several different foods on the market that can aid you in maintaining a healthy diet. Some that are also very good for the treatment or prevention of certain ailments, and some that do both.
One of these so called “wonder” foods may be closer than you think and not what you expect at all – they are radishes! Read on to learn more about the great health benefits of radish.
Radishes Versatile In Size, Shape And The Many Ways To Enjoy Them
Radishes come in various size, shape, texture, and taste and are a popular vegetable to be eaten.
Some of these are sweet tasting while others are strong tasting. There would be a red radish, white radish, purple radish or black radish.
They are also very versatile in the way you can eat them. You can have this raw radish root vegetable raw, pickled, roasted or any other way you like to enjoy them.
With many different varieties of radish, you are literally spoiled for choice. Some of the most common types of radishes are the:
- White Icicle
- Sparkler
- Cherry Belle
- White Beauty
- French Breakfast
- Early Scarlet
… but there are many, many more.
Not only are radishes a healthy choice of food in that they are only 16 calories per 100 grams, but there are also many other health benefits to eating radishes also.
Radishes A Health Boosting Vegetable
There are so many health advantages to eating radishes – it is a naturally, health boosting vegetable. Some of the many health benefits you can gain as well as aliments you can cure by eating healthy portions of radishes are:
Because of the high content of nutrients such as Vitamin C, B and zinc and phosphorus radishes can help with skin problems by clearing up cracks, rashes and dry skin. It is also used for treatment of leucoderma.
The water content keeps the skin hydrated while the disinfectant goes to work on the damaged areas. The antioxidants in them also prevent the skin from damage by free radicals and toxins in the atmosphere.
Lower the risk of cancer – As well as having Vitamin C as part of their composition, which helps to prevent cancer, radishes also contain phytochemicals and anthocyanins which also have anti-carcinogenic properties in them. Apart from these, they help stop cancerous cells from spreading even further.
Radishes are very handy when in comes to treating jaundice. Jaundice is caused by a build up of bilirubin in the blood, blood vessels and tissues of the body.
Radishes contain powerful chemicals that remove bilirubin and keep it at a healthy level. These chemicals also reduce the destruction of red blood cells by supplying increased oxygen levels to the blood [4].
As a natural diuretic, radishes help prevent urinary disorders by ‘flushing out’ the kidneys reducing both inflammation and the burning sensation people may have when urinating.
Aids in digestion – radishes contain lots of fibre, which is essential for maintaining good digestive health or bowel movements.
Along with the high fibre content, radishes are also known to produce bile, which also aids in digestion and helps protect the liver, kidney and gallbladder.
Radishes can be used to help treat insect bites! Along with its many other wondrous ingredients, the radish also contains anti-puristic properties which reduces the pain and swelling from bites and stings of bees, wasps, etc and soothes the affected area.
Being a good disinfectant, radishes are able to reduce fever by fighting off the infections that cause it. By drinking radish juice, you will cool the body temperature and relive the inflammation caused by the fever.
Help to protect your growing baby during pregnancy – because radishes are high in folic acid, which is essential in the development of a baby’s spinal cord, eating them while pregnant can prevent the risk of spinal cord defects in your unborn child.
Low GI food – Radishes are also very helpful in maintaining good health, because they are a low GI food they work by stabilizing the blood sugar levels within the body.
This provides you with slow releasing energy but filling you up at the same time. This process will aid in weight loss as well as keeping the glucose levels steady and reducing the risk of diabetes.
[4] https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/vegetable/health-benefits-of-radish.html
[5] http://www.naturalfoodbenefits.com/display.asp?CAT=2&ID=85
[6] http://www.loveradish.co.uk/healthy_info/#.V0S7duTL9hE
Those radish benefits listed above are just some of the main health benefits of eating radishes, but there are so many more including:
- Reducing the risk of heart disease
- Help to maintain blood pressure control
- Relieves sore throats
- Treats constipation
- Provides sinus relief
- Helps keeping the body hydrated
Drinking radish juice can also provide many radish health benefits such as it can help prevent hair loss, be used to remove dandruff and make your hair both shiny and strong.
Who would have thought such a small, insignificant vegetable would have such powerful properties, eh? You may never look at the radish in the same way again!
With the many health benefits you can gain from radishes and with all the ailments you can cure, who would not want to try these fantastic little vegetables?
Even if you have never tried them before, now may be the time. Try them yourself, and feed them to the family as part of their balanced diet also.
Whether you want to have them cooked, raw, roasted or pickled, radishes will certainly give you a health boost!
With the help of the internet, there are so many gorgeous recipes out there containing radishes just waiting to be found, such as radish confetti with salsa verde or stir fried radishes with coriander to name just two, so why not start your search today!