Radish Benefits, from Herbal Medicine to Becoming a Diet Friend

Radish is a type of vegetable that has a shape resembling a carrot and white or red. Vegetables that are often used as a mixture in making this salad, it turns out that it has a myriad of benefits that are a pity to miss. Then, what benefits of radish can you get?

Vegetables that have a variety of sizes, colors, and flavors, can be consumed cooked or raw. Besides being cultivated for consumption as food, radishes are also often used as traditional medicines, such as sore throats, fever, and inflammation.

Radish itself contains nutrients that are good for the body. In 100 grams of turnips there are 16 calories, 3.4 grams of carbohydrates, 1.6 grams of fiber, and 0.1 grams of fat. In addition, radishes also contain antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B complex, folate, vitamin C, calcium, manganese, potassium (potassium), magnesium, iron, and phosphorus even in small amounts.

Anything Benefit Turnip for Health?

So many benefits that can be obtained by eating radishes thanks to its abundant nutrients. Some of the benefits of radishes include:

  • Smooth the digestive system

    Radish is a type of vegetable that is rich in fiber content. Therefore, consuming radishes regularly can nourish the digestive system, smooth bowel movements (BAB), and prevent constipation.

  • Help lose weight

    Apart from being good for the digestive system, turnips are also beneficial for weight loss. This is because the fiber in radishes makes you feel full quickly, thereby reducing the amount of food you consume. The benefits of radishes on this one are also obtained from the low calorie content in radishes.

  • Good for diabetics

    The glycemic index (GI) of radish is relatively small, so this vegetable is safe for consumption by diabetics and does not increase blood sugar levels. In addition, radishes also contain anthocyanin, which is a type of antioxidant that is useful for preventing cell damage due to free radicals caused by diabetes. Even so, this research is still limited to testing on animals, not yet on humans.

  • Inhibits the growth of cancer cells

    Not only does it contain anthocyanins, radish vegetables also contain substances isothiocyanate which is useful for preventing cancer. A study even revealed substances isothioocyanate useful for killing some cancer cells, such as breast cancer, lung cancer, and prostate cancer.

  • Has antifungal properties

    The benefits of radishes do not stop there, radishes themselves are known to contain natural antifungal proteins that are useful for killing fungi Candida albicans, namely the fungus that causes canker sores, vaginal yeast infections, and skin candidiasis.

  • Good for heart health

    The benefits of radishes are also good for heart health. The content of fiber, nitrates, and antioxidants in it have a good effect on preventing the formation of plaque in the heart blood vessels, dilates and relaxes blood vessels to support smooth blood flow.

    Research in South Korea shows that a high-fiber diet from vegetables such as radishes has a good effect in reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

In addition, radish is also used to treat other diseases, such as inflammation of the mouth and throat, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, bile ducts, infections, fever, cough, bronchitis, and excess mucus in the respiratory tract. Unfortunately, further research is needed on the effectiveness of the benefits of radish in overcoming these conditions.

How to Serve Radishes

Here's how to turn radishes into a healthy dish.

Material:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil.
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
  • A pinch of salt.
  • 1 teaspoon mustard.
  • 1 cup radish thinly sliced.
  • 1 large apple, cut into small matchsticks.
  • 4 cups mixed vegetables.
  • 1 peeled orange.
  • Cheese to taste.
  • cup coarsely chopped walnuts.
  • cup grated carrots.
  • cup jicama chopped into small pieces.

How to make:

  1. After all the ingredients are ready.
  2. Combine olive oil, white or apple cider vinegar, salt, and mustard in a large bowl. Then stir until evenly distributed.
  3. After that, add all the vegetables that you have sliced ​​thinly. Then, stir the salad until evenly mixed.
  4. Serve the salad into small bowls, then garnish the salad with the cheese.

In general, radishes are safe to eat as a healthy food. Even so, pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and people with thyroid disease, are advised to limit the consumption of radishes. In addition, pay attention to the amount of radish intake, because consuming radishes in large quantities is at risk of causing irritation to the digestive tract.

If you have certain health conditions and intend to consume radish to get its herbal properties, you should first consult a doctor.