Short Answer: Yes, Radishes Are So Good for You

Radishes and other root crops are basically storage units for plants. They hold all the nutrients that these plants need as they grow and mature. And when a plant gets extra nutrients, water, or sunshine, it sends down deposits to the roots to save for the future. 

So when you eat a radish, consider this: You're bringing a little suitcase of nutrition into your own storehouse.

Because radishes are built for long-term nutrition storage, they also retain their nutrient content for more days after harvest than leafy greens. So quick answer: radishes and other root crops (think carrots and beets) are some of the most nutritious foods you can sink your teeth into.

Let's look at some of the health benefits of radishes.

The Health Benefits of Radishes

Radishes are part of the brassica plant family, alongside other nutritional powerhouses like kale, cabbage, broccoli, and arugula. If a veggie is part of this "cruciferous vegetable" bunch, you can pretty much bet it's super good for you.

Radishes Are Nutrient-Rich

Radishes contain calcium, vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, vitamin B6, folate, potassium, iron, manganese, and more.

Radishes Are Good for Your Liver

Radishes contain compounds that trigger enzymes thought to promote better liver function.

Radishes Are Rich in Vitamin C

Radishes are a great source of ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps our wounds heal and protects our cells from damage. Cell damage, of course, can lead to heart disease, cancer, and other diseases. Vitamin C is also important for supporting our immune systems, producing collagen in our skin, and (let's not forget) preventing scurvy.

One cup of sliced radishes provides about 30% of our daily value for vitamin C. If you were to eat an entire 7-inch daikon radish, you'd get 125% of your daily vitamin C.

Radishes Have Antibacterial & Anti-Fungal Properties

In studies, radishes have fought off H. pylori bacteria, which has been linked to ulcers and stomach cancers.

Radishes have also stopped the growth of fungi that cause infections. They actually contain an anti-fungal protein that's particularly effective against Candida. So if you're someone with habitual yeast infections, you definitely want to add more radishes into your diet.

Radishes May Have Cancer-Fighting Properties

Radishes and other cruciferous vegetables are full of antioxidants that fight free radicals in our bodies. Free radicals and oxidative stress, as I'm sure you know, are linked to certain cancers like cervical, breast, prostate, colon, liver, and lung cancer, plus a whole host of other diseases. The antioxidants in radishes basically protect cells against cancer-causing agents and then alter the way cancer cells reproduce in our bodies. Tons of studies have shown an inverse relationship between eating lots of antioxidant-rich foods and contracting disease.

Think of veggies like radishes and kale and cabbage as preventative medicine.

Radishes May Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease

Radishes provide more than 20% of your daily value for potassium, which along with other vitamins and minerals found in these root crops, helps control your blood pressure and lowers your overall risk of heart disease. Potassium is also important for our nerve and muscle function. Radishes contain nitrates, as well, which can improve your blood flow.

Radishes Are Full of Fiber

Listen, we all know we need to be eating more fiber, right? Radishes have about 2 grams of fiber per cup but only 9 calories.

Radishes May Lower Your Risk of Diabetes

Compounds found in radishes help manage your blood sugar levels. According to studies, these little roots might give you energy, lower your blood sugar levels, and reduce glucose absorption in your intestine.

I've been hearing a lot recently about CoQ10, an antioxidant touted for giving you energy as you age. Radishes—no surprise—contain CoQ10, which was recently shown to prevent diabetes in animal studies.

Radishes Can Reduce Inflammation

Like other brassicas, radishes contain health compounds that have been shown to reduce inflammation and protect cells from damage that causes premature aging.

Radish Leaves Have Even More Health Benefits Than the Roots

Radish greens are 100% edible, but they don't last as long on the shelf or in the fridge as their root counterparts. That's why you often see radish roots at the grocery store minus their leafy tops, even though those tops are potentially the most nutritious part of the plant.

Radish greens have more fiber, protein, vitamin C, antioxidants, and calcium than the roots of the plant. The leaves have almost four times more flavonoids (those really beneficial phytochemical compounds) than the roots and twice the vitamin C. The leaves are also where the iron is concentrated, so people with anemia should definitely take note.

Early studies suggest that extracts from the radish tops might even protect us from Alzheimer's disease.

How to Enjoy Radish Greens

Radish greens look and taste similar to arugula, and you can pretty much use them the same way. You can sauté them in olive oil, toss them into a salad, and add them to cooked dishes like soups, stews, and casseroles. You can even mix them in with basil leaves to make homemade pesto.

How to Enjoy Radishes

I love the flavor of radishes, but I know it's not for everyone. If you're not a fan of the peppery bite, try cooking them, which tamps down the flavor a bit. You might also try French breakfast radishes, which aren't quite as spicy in my experience. (The peppery bite, in case you're wondering, comes from the same enzyme that's found in wasabi, horseradish, and mustard.)

Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy radishes:

• Sliced up and tossed on salads
• Oven roasted with some EVOO, salt, and pepper
• Eaten raw as a palate cleanser between courses
• Sliced up on tacos
• Dipped into hummus or guac
• Grilled on a veggie skewer
• Pickled or fermented

Overall, I've found they're way more versatile than I expected.

How to Get More Radishes into Your Diet

Here's the thing: the best way to ensure you enjoy radishes at their nutritional peak is by eating them as fresh as possible. Yes, they're made for storage, but we want to be able to enjoy the whole plant—the roots and the leaves—as close to the moment they're pulled from the soil as possible so that we maximize the benefits for our bodies.

The way you get just-picked radishes is by growing them yourself. Don't worry. Radishes are one of the easiest plants to grow in your garden, and you don't need a lot of space. Here's how to grow your own radishes.

If you're not interested in setting up a garden or you don't have the outdoor space, there's an easier way to get more radishes into your diet. And these radishes will be even more jam-packed with nutrients than their mature radish counterparts. I'm talking about growing radish sprouts and microgreens.

Radish Sprouts

Here are the steps to grow your own radish sprouts. They're ready in about five to seven days, you can use supplies you already have to grow them, and they taste just like full-grown radishes. It's so easy to toss a tablespoon of radish sprouts on your sandwich or omelet and get all those vitamin and minerals you'd expect from radishes.

Radish Microgreens

Radish microgreens will take a little bit more time and work to grow (you'll need soil, growing trays, and some artificial lights), but the process is very easy. You can enjoy your own radish microgreens in just 15 to 20 days.

Time to Fill Up on the Good Stuff and Eat More Radishes

So, yes, radishes really are that good for you. They've been used medicinally for thousands of years, and I'm convinced that if we all ate our daily radish sprouts, we'd need fewer medical centers. (Our skin would probably look great, too.)

I hope this has encouraged you to work more radishes into your diet and maybe start your first batch of sprouts or microgreens. If you're looking for ways to be healthier, starting a simple indoor gardening project is such an easy and inexpensive way to go!

Sources:

• ScienceDirect
• USDA