Radish Health Benefits, Properties, and Uses

Radish plants are cruciferous vegetable plants, also known as Raphanus sativus. These plants belong to the Brassicaceae family, which includes similar plants like cabbage, turnips and horseradish. 

Radishes are taproot plants that produce a round, edible vegetable with a fleshy consistency and a peppery taste. Radishes come in many varieties and colors including white, pink, purple and red. Some even develop into a darker black color.

The radish plant has been cultivated for thousands of years. It has been selectively bred by humans over centuries. It’s unknown where the radish plant originally came from exactly, although it is believed to have originated in the Mediterranean region. Today, radishes are cultivated all over the world for a variety of climates. ¹

Radish Health Uses and Health Benefits

Radishes have plenty of health benefits not to be overlooked. Radishes are high in vitamin C with one serving accounting for 25% of the daily recommended intake. Radishes are also high in several B vitamins, including riboflavin and folate. They’re also excellent sources of copper, magnesium, manganese and potassium. Radishes are also high in fiber. ²

These nutritional benefits in radishes give it plenty of important health properties. Radishes are known to help fight inflammation throughout the urinary and renal systems because they act as a natural diuretic. Being high in vitamin C, radishes also have antioxidant effects, which help protect the body from diseases and infections and boost the immune system. ²

Other radish uses include:

• Regulating blood pressure and increasing oxygen in the blood
• Relieving congestion and respiratory conditions
• Protecting against cancers like prostate, breast and colon
• Soothing skin rashes, dryness and irritation

References

1. http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77159305-1
2. http://foodfacts.mercola.com/radish.html