They are the exemplary plants of the Brassicaceae family, which give the root vegetable called Radish, which has various flavors. There are many species and varieties of Radish, about whose homeland various opinions have been put forward and on this subject the name of many places from Ancient Egypt to China and Japan has been mentioned, and can be grown abundantly almost everywhere in our country.
Radishes, with flower stalks that can grow up to 60-90 cm, are annual or biennial herbaceous plants depending on their variety. The most practical method of classifying radishes, which are classified according to many characteristics they carry, is to separate them according to their growing seasons. Accordingly, radishes are divided into spring varieties, summer varieties and winter varieties. In general, the lower leaves of the radish plant are spread out and wide, while the upper leaves are serrated or notched. Their flowers bloom in purple, white or yellow.
The fruit of the radish is similar to that of the mustard: small, spherical, reddish brown and pungent. The roots of the wild radish are in the form of a stake, while the roots of the edible garden radish are tuberous. These roots can be grown in different seasons of the year, are spicy and delicious, and if harvested in time, have important nutritional values as well as crunchy and appetizing properties, so they are enjoyed on our tables as snacks. The most well-known types of radish are the red radish and the black radish (horseradish).
NUTRITIONAL VALUES
The nutritional values of 100 g. fresh radish are as follows: 15 calories; 1 g. protein; 2.8 g. carbohydrates; 0 cholesterol; trace amounts of fat; 0.7 g. fiber; 27 mg. phosphorus; 43.7 mg. calcium; 1.9 mg. iron: 59 mg. sodium; 241 mg. potassium: 11 mg. magnesium; trace amounts of vitamin A; 0.04 mg. vitamin B1; 0.02 mg. vitamin B2; 0.2 mg. vitamin B3; 0.1 mg. vitamin B6; 10 mcgr. folic acid and 25 mg. vitamin C.
BENEFITS TO OUR HEALTH
In addition to the nutritional values listed above, some of which are very significant;
Radish, like other vegetables in its family, minimizes the body's risk of developing certain cancers: These types of cancer include lung and colon cancer.
It also significantly reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke and cataracts due to the high levels of antioxidants it contains.
With its high iron and folic acid content, radish minimizes the risk of anemia and also the risk of pregnant women having children with spina bifida (an open spine on one side).
Radish lowers high blood pressure due to its high potassium content.
Radish has a wide range of applications in folk medicine: We can summarize these applications as follows: People are advised to eat plenty of radish to help pass kidney and gallbladder stones, relieve hoarseness, tonsil infections, relieve rheumatic inflammations and increase milk flow in lactating women. In addition, the juice obtained by squeezing radish is good for coughs and bronchitis.
Caution: Like other vegetables in the Brassicaceae family, radishes reduce the body's absorption of iodine. People who eat radishes more than 3-4 times a week should take iodine-rich foods and iodized salt. This should be taken into consideration, especially in regions where drinking water contains little iodine.
