10 Amazing Health Benefits of Eating Radish

Health Benefits of Radish

The radish is a vegetable that is often forgotten and perhaps is not a part of everyday diet of most people. It’s a root vegetable that a lot of people aren’t quite sure what to do with. You may have some questions about radish nutrition content and how to consume them. Can you eat radishes raw or should they be cooked? Are radishes good for diabetics? What dishes complement radishes well? Are radishes good for you at all? In this article, we will strive to answer those questions and let you know the health benefits of radish as well as radish nutrition facts.

By the end of this, you will know all the nutritional basics of the humble radish.

10 Health Benefits of Radish

There are numerous benefits to radish. It’s a very healthy vegetable that can be an asset to your health in ways that you may not be aware of. To that end, we’ve put together a list of 10 of the best health benefits of radish.

1. Rich in Vitamin C: They are an excellent source of vitamin C. One cup of radishes (116 grams) can carry 28% of your daily vitamin C intake. Vitamin C is helpful in everything from shortening the length of colds to possibly fending off cardiovascular disease. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18826726%20?dopt=Abstract

2. Helps with Bone Health: Vitamin C may be good at limiting damage to cartilage in the body as it is essential to the growth and repair of connective tissues in the body. This, in turn, can be a help to people who suffer from various types of arthritis.

3. Improve Bowel Movements: Radishes are a good source of fiber. One cup of radishes contains seven percent of your daily fiber needs. Fiber can help improve bowel movements and slow the absorption of sugars into the blood stream, which, in turn, can help normalize blood sugar levels.

4. Helps with Weight Loss: Radishes may help with weight loss. Due to the fiber content of radishes, as well as their very low-calorie count, they may be able to help with weight loss goals. The fiber can help you feel fuller, leading you to eat less, and the lack of calories means fewer calories to burn off.

5. May Prevent Cancer: Radishes may help with cancer protection since they contain isothiocyanates. According to some studies, like one done by the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in India, isothiocyanates can help prevent certain cancers like prostate, breast, colon, and ovarian from taking hold within your cells. Isothiocyanates may even be able to kill cancer cells.

6. Helps with Liver Detox: Radishes may also be useful for treating jaundice. Acting as a natural diuretic, radishes can help the liver flush out excess bilirubin from the body. A buildup of bilirubin in the blood leads to jaundice.

7. Radishes are good for Skin Health: Due to the numerous antioxidants and vitamin C, B9 (folate), and traces of beta-carotene in radishes, they are also very good for the skin, as those vitamins help repair and protect damaged skin cells.

8. May help with UTI: Radishes The diuretic properties of radishes also may help relieve the symptoms associated with urinary tract infections (UTIs). Radish can increase urination, which may help flush out the bacteria from the body, and radish juice is often used to ease the burning sensation.

9. Helps Fight Gallstones: Radishes may also help with gallstones. Radishes contain several enzymes (like esterase, myrosinase, and amylase) that are produced by the liver to help regulate the creation and flow of bile. Boosting these enzymes can help your natural bile fight the creation of gallstones.

10. Radishes help with Cardiovascular health: Radishes contain flavonoids called anthocyanins which are beneficial for our heart. They have anti-inflammatory properties. They circulate metabolites in the blood which reduce oxidative stress and helps the cardiovascular system.

With all of these benefits, you are probably wondering what the actual nutritional stats are for radishes. Fortunately, we have the stats that may clear up any remaining dietary concerns you may have. From vitamin C to how much iron radishes contain, we have stats for radish nutrition.

Radish Nutrition Facts

In 1 cup (116 grams) of Raw Radish, there are 19 Calories.

Nutrient % of Daily Value
Sodium (45mg) 1 %
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Vitamin C 29%
Vitamin B6 4%
Folate 7%
Potassium 8%
Calcium 3%

*Source: SELF Nutrition Data

As you can see, radishes are very low in calories and very high in several nutrients. Radishes also have good levels of magnesium, zinc, copper (which is harder to find in vegetables), and manganese. These nutrients contribute to the many health benefits that radishes provide, including the fact that radishes are a natural diuretic and may help with controlling diabetes.

Are Radishes Good for Diabetics?

As you can there are lots of health benefits of Radish, but many a people want to know that are radishes good for diabetics? The answer to which is yes. Radishes are a natural diuretic and due to the number of other things they do for the body and its various systems, radishes can help those who suffer from diabetes. As we previously noted, radishes can help lower blood sugar levels due to the abundance of fiber, vitamin C, and folate. Radishes can also help keep your sodium levels in check, as it stimulates the body to create more urine and help flush excess minerals like sodium out.

Radishes also help with the digestive system in several ways, like helping to create bile and absorbing sugars into the bloodstream—both of which can help a diabetic regulate blood sugar levels. The one thing you do have to watch is that your diet doesn’t lower your blood sugar too much. As always, with anything related to diet and your health, make sure you consult with a doctor if you are unsure if you should be adding radishes to your diet.

Radishes Are Awesome

As you can see, there are loads of health benefits of radish. They are packed full of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that your body needs. They may help in the prevention of certain cancers. They may help with your blood sugar levels if you are a diabetic. As an added bonus, radishes can be used as a natural breath freshener.

Radishes are a nice way to change up dishes. Add them to a salad, or slice them up and put them on a sandwich. Radishes can provide a natural little zip to some of your meals.You can even eat them raw like you eat a cucumber. Sprinkle some lemon juice and black pepper on raw slices of a radish and enjoy.


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