Health Benefits of Radish not as popular benefits of celery for human body to increase metabolism. Radish that usually found in your salad or other dish is one of root crop that consumed worldwide. It resembles to some other root vegetables such as beet and turnips. The color of radish may vary from white to red. Most of radish that we found in store usually has white pinkish color. Radish can be long, cylindrical or round in shape.
About Radish
Radish (Raphanus sativus) belong to Brassicaceae family. It was cultivated since long ago and started by Chinese on 500 BC then later it was spread to Egypt and Greece. In ancient Greek, radish was considered as “a vulgar article of diet” because it can rise the gas level in stomach and cause flatulence. Radish oil used by ancient Egyptian before the presence of olive oil and they have cultivated radish since 400 BC. Not only the root, the flower, leaves and the seed of radish may also be consumed
People around the world consume radish and even Americans consume 400 millions pound of radish every year and it is a common breakfast item in Pennsylvania dutch. Japanese and other Asian people also loves to consume radish. Japanese usually add radish to their meal or add it to ramen, while Chinese used to mashed the radish into dough and make cake from the dough. In Mexican tradition, especially in the Oaxaca city radish used to be cut in animal shape during Christmas eve or called as Night of the radishes.
Radish is cool season vegetable which only can be cultivated in cool weather. It used to planted during cool spring but nowadays people plants it during summer. There are many varieties of radish that may found in market such as Cherry Belle’ (round red), ‘French Breakfast’ (long crimson and white), ‘Purple Plum’ (purple), ‘White Icicle’ (white). Winter: ‘Black Spanish Round’ (black skin), and ‘Mantanghong’ (red). In Japan, white large radish called as Daikon. Daikon is also known as Chinese radish or satsuma radish. It has milder flavor rather that the small red radish. Daikon can grow until 3 feet long and with 100 pounds weight but farmer usually harvest it when it reached 1 or 2 pounds.
Nutrition of Radish
Radish contains some nutrients that may fulfill your daily needs intake. Here the table of radish nutrients
| Principle | Nutrient Value | Percentage of RDA |
| Energy | 16 Kcal | 1% |
| Carbohydrates | 3.40 g | 3% |
| Protein | 0.68 g | 1% |
| Total Fat | 0.10 g | <1% |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.6 g | 4% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Folates | 25 µg | 6% |
| Niacin | 0.254 mg | 1.5% |
| Pyridoxine | 0.071 mg | 5.5% |
| Riboflavin | 0.039 mg | 3% |
| Vitamin A | 7 IU | <1% |
| Vitamin C | 14.8 mg | 25% |
| Vitamin E | 0 mg | 9% |
| Vitamin K | 1.3 µg | 1% |
| Electrolytes |
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| Sodium | 39 mg | 2.5% |
| Potassium | 233 mg | 5% |
| Minerals |
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| Calcium | 25 mg | 2.5% |
| Copper | 0.050 mg | 5% |
| Iron | 0.34 mg | 4% |
| Magnesium | 10 mg | 2.5% |
| Manganese | 0.069 mg | 2.5% |
| Zinc | 0.28 mg | 2% |
| Phyto-nutrients |
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| Carotene-ß | 4 µg | – |
| Carotene-a | 0 µg | – |
| Lutein-zeaxanthin | 10 µg | – |
* Radish (Raphanus sativus), Fresh, raw, Nutrition Value per 100 g, (Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)
Health Benefits of Radish
Radish that you consume suprisingly can give you worth benefits for health. Below are some benefits that you can get from consuming radish
1. Purify blood and detoxify the body
Radish is useful in cleaning the body from toxin and other cell debris. Fiber which contained in radish can help to detoxify process the body by binding toxins and waste.
2. Treating jaundice
Jaundice also known as icterus is a condition of skin which show yellowish pigmentation. Jaundice is usually symptoms that built in several liver disease such as hepatitis. Radish can help to detoxify blood by reduce red cell damage which occur in people who suffer jaundice. So it is believed that radish is one of best natural remedy to treat jaundice.
3. Promotes healthy digestion
Radish contains indigestible carbohydrate and fiber which can promotes digestive function. Fiber keeping normal bowel movement by ease it to pass the digestion tract. It also improve the intestine ability to absorb nutrients.
4. Prevent and Relieve constipation
The juice of radish can help to cure constipation by soothes the digestive and exretory system.
5. Prevent and cure urinary disorder
6. Help in weight loss
Radish is very low in calories but it will make your stomach feel full for longer time. It is slowly digested so it will also keep you from hunger before next approriate meal time. Eating radish can be an alternative to replace other kind of carbohydrate which is high in calories. Radish is high in fiber and has low Glycemic index which means it doesnt rise your blood sugar and causing hunger just in some moments after eating meal.
7. Increase body metabolism
Most proven radish benefits for increase body metabolism. Fiber contained in radish can increase efficiency of body metabolism process . it contains some vitamin and mineral which are reponsible as cofactor and enzyme part in metabolism process.
8. Reduce the risk of CVD
The color of radish does not only attract our eyes but also has good benefits to your health. Radish contains a pigment called anthocyanin which are strong antioxidant that can protect the body from cardiovascular disease. Some studies reported that anthocyanin pigments in radish has significant effect in reduce the chance of developing CVD disease
9. Prevent cancer
Cancer is one of life treathening disease among people. Radish contains Vitamin C, anthocyanin, and folic acid that are well known as strong antioxidant. Antioxidant is substance which can prevent free radical damage that may cause cancer. Consuming radish regularly may prevent you from developing certain types of cancer such as kidney, stomach, oral, intestinal and colorectal cancer. Study reported that radish also contain a substance called isthiocyanates that may trigger apoptosis ( suicide ) of the cancer cells.
10. Treat leucoderma
The cleaning and detoxifying effect of radish make it perfect as home remedy to treat leucoderma. Leucoderma is rare skin disorder that marked by white spot and also known as vitiligo. Just simply eat radish to help the body cure the leucoderma
11. Heal respiratory problem
Radish has anti-congestive effect that can relieve respiratory tract problem. It reduce the congestion of respiratory tract and cure infection that occur in nose, throat and even lung. If you experience such irritation on your respiratory system just add some radish to your meal and consume it regularly.
12. Prevent allergy
Since radish contains many phytochemical factors and healing substance, it also can used in treat and prevent the symptoms of allergy such as asthma or other skin allergy.radish can soothes the muscle of respiratory tract and relieve asthma. While other substance in radish can clear the blood from histamine which are the protein that lead to rise the allergy symptoms.
13. Lowering blood pressure
Radish is excellent source of potassium. Potassium is a mineral which contribute in many organ and system function. It interact with blood vessel and causing vasodilation or the widening of blood passage that allow the blood flow in low pressure. This benefits make radish as good snack for people who experiencing hypertension.
14. Prevent diabetes
Diabetes people must have problem with controlling blood sugar. The rising level of blood sugar may cause tissue and organ damage, so it is important to always keep blood sugar level. Radish has been known long ago as treatment and good meal for diabetes. It has very low glycemic index which means it wont rise blood sugar level after consumption. It also inhibit the sugar absorption into the bloodstream
15. Maintain healthy skin
Vitamin C is one of strong antioxidant which can help to protect the skin from damage and aging that caused by free radicals effect. Vitamin C is present in radish with high level make it as good food for skin. Water that contained in radish also will help to moisturize the skin and keep it supple.
16. Prevent cold and fever
Radish can slightly help to decrease body temperature during fever. It also reduce the inflammation which occur in the body. Usually, fever as the sign of inflammation or infection that occur inside the body. Radish also contains vitamin C which can protect you from cold and infection of influenza virus.
17. Treat kidney disorder
Radish has diuretic effect which increase urine production. It also can clean the body and flush toxin away from the body. Those toxin usually accumulate inside the kidney which means radish can be used as home remedy to treat kidney disorder
18. Hydrates the body
Water is one main component that compose radish. Eating radish can help to hydrates the body and keeping balance fluid inside. Water is important factor in maintain healthy digestion and normal organ function.
19. Protect liver
Radish is a great food to protect the liver. It can help the liver to regulate the bile, bilirubin and other enzymes inside the body. It also can reduce the level of bilirubin in the blood stream. Consuming radish regularly may give many beneficial effect to the liver and prevent it from damage or ulcer.
20. Improve immune system
This benefits is one of the most important reason why we should eat radish. Consuming radish can provide you with Vitamin C which is important in improvement of immune system function by rejuvenate the antioxidant and white blood cells in the body.
21. Clear the sinus
Radish has pungent taste that is very good to prevent sinusitis. It also can help to reduce excessive mucus in the sinus and make it clean.
22. Reduce pain and swelling of insect bites
Radish contains anti-pruritic substance which can be effective treatment in cure insect bites such as bee sting. It is help to heal the inflammation on swelling skin and reduce the pain.
23. Get rid of bad breath
The spicy and pungent taste of radish may help you to get rid bad odor in mouth. Consuming radish regularly will make your breath smell fresh.
How to purchase, store and consume radish
If you want to purchase radish on store better follow these tips :
Those are all the benefits and explanation of radish. You can start to purchase radish on store and get the benefits by consuming it. But remember, too much eating something also may give you problem. Avoid eating too much radish, it can cause digestive problem such as constipation.