White radish: health benefits and harms

White radish has been familiar to people since ancient times. In ancient Greece, it was carried as an offering to the god Apollo. In many countries, from Latvia to Armenia, it was added to meat, salads and sweet dishes were made with it. In Russia, it was used as a cure for colds, pains, wounds, as a snack with a drink, and they were also fried and seasoned. Today, radish is grown all over the world - in Europe, North America, Asia, Australia. The article will describe the main properties of this product and its application.

What is the difference between black radish and white

Black radish is common in Europe and America. Green, first bred in Uzbekistan, is grown in Asia. Black radish has a dark skin and a completely white flesh inside, has a sharp taste and is very tough, therefore it is mainly used in salads, seasonings for meat dishes. Its main use is in cosmetics or medicines. Green radish has a green tint to the skin and fruit, but its taste is much milder and not bitter. It is more often used in cooking, fried, and chips are made from it.

In Japan, a special kind of radish was bred - white, also known as daikon. It has a pleasant taste, is not bitter and contains the same set of vitamins and minerals as black and green radish. In addition to taste, daikon also has an unusual shape, its fruits are long and elongated.

What is more useful

Of the three main varieties, black radish is believed to be the richest in nutrients. However, white does not contain mustard oils, which give a sharp taste and strongly affect the stomach. Therefore, it is believed that white radish is more useful for the body.

Composition and calorie content

The white radish is only 20 kilocalories per 100 grams, which makes it popular among athletes, artists and losing weight people. It consists of 13% solids, 8% carbohydrates and 3% protein.

White radish is unusually rich in vitamins and minerals. 100 grams contains:

1. 30% of the daily intake of vitamin C, which is a natural antioxidant, a stimulant of immunity.
2. Vitamin A, which has a beneficial effect on vision.
3. Vitamins of group B, which are useful for the absorption of sugars and the body to produce sufficient energy.
4. Calcium is necessary for the formation and health of bone tissue and the nervous system.
5. Magnesium and iron, which are necessary for the health of the circulatory system and blood forming organs.
6. Sulfur, which helps to produce amino acids and vitamins necessary for the body.
7. Phosphorus, important for joints.
8. Other substances: iodine, pectin, fiber, enzymes.

Useful properties of white radish

General benefit

1. When consumed in food, the most important property of radish is that it stimulates the digestive tract. Thanks to its severity, the production of gastric juice and pancreatic enzymes is accelerated. Fiber in the composition of white radish prevents the absorption of substances from which cholesterol is produced, which is dangerous for the cardiovascular system.
2. Potassium salts in the composition of white radish help cleanse the kidneys and liver, which prevents urolithiasis. Fiber stimulates the stomach and intestines, which helps cleanse the body.
3. With regular use, the vegetable helps to strengthen the immune system due to the content of volatile and proteins that destroy the pathogenic flora in the body.
4. White radish helps reduce blood glucose, and also contains fructose, so it can and should be consumed by those who suffer from diabetes.
5. The fruit is used as a wound healing agent and as part of acne remedies.

For women

White radish contains a lot of folic acid and thiamine. Thanks to this, it is extremely useful for women's health, including during pregnancy.

Calcium, which is rich in white radish, entering in sufficient quantities into the body of a woman, helps to strengthen bones and teeth, maintain a healthy appearance of hair. The low calorie content makes white radish a tasty and healthy dietary product. Cosmetic use helps maintain facial beauty.

For men

1. White radish supports the nervous system, helps those who often experience stress, which makes it an important product for men.
2. Due to the general strengthening properties of white radish with regular use, potency improves.
3. For men engaged in sedentary work, the benefits of white radish are to improve the blood flow of organs in which blood stagnates with prolonged exposure to one position.

During pregnancy

White radish is useful for those who are expecting a baby. It has a diuretic effect and helps fight swelling. Calcium in its composition helps the mother to strengthen teeth, hair and bones, and also participates in the formation and development of the child’s bone system. Contraindications should be discussed with the doctor who is pregnant, he will tell you the possible limitations.

In rare cases, white radish can cause problems with the gastrointestinal tract, negatively affect the nervous system, causing irritability. In general, it is recommended to consume no more than 100 grams of fresh white radish twice a week. In the last trimester, you should completely abandon it.

When breastfeeding

There are no contraindications to the use of white radish during breastfeeding. Moreover, it can enhance milk production. Eat a vegetable or not, it should be decided by the mother herself, based on her preferences and the reaction of the child's body. If a child experiences an allergic reaction or digestive problems when consuming white radish, the vegetable should be excluded from the diet.

For kids

Despite the fact that white radish has few mustard oils and is not bitter, children rarely love it. The vegetable has a high fiber content, which is difficult to digest the child’s body. Therefore, to start giving it to the child should not be earlier than after three years, and in small quantities.

When losing weight

White radish is often included in diets for weight loss due to its low calorie content. As part of salads, boiled or steamed, it gives a feeling of satiety, but at the same time does not cause weight gain. White radish helps to remove water from the body and cleanse it of toxins and toxins, which is the key to success on the road to weight loss. The use of white radish helps to improve metabolism and improve digestion.

White radish in folk medicine

Useful properties of radish have been known since ancient times, the following are recipes for the treatment and prevention of various diseases of traditional medicine.

White radish is often used for colds, bronchitis, and flu.

1. A mixture of grated white radish and honey (1: 1) is used to treat cough. The mixture should be filtered and insisted for about 12 hours, and then take 1 tablespoon three times a day.
2. Coughing can also be treated with baked radish. Finely chopped radish (1-2 small fruits), mixed with sugar (100 grams), bake for one to two hours, then strain and drink the juice obtained twice a day, 1 tablespoon.
3. To treat bronchitis, a grated horseradish mixture with radish (1: 1) is used. She is rubbed on the patient’s chest. The best effect is achieved if, after massage with a mixture of radishes, the patient takes a warming drink (milk with honey or raspberry jam).

Still there are such recipes:

With neuralgia, sciatica, myositis, fresh radish juice is rubbed into the skin along the nerve.

With radiculitis and rheumatism, compresses from grated white radish are used. You can use a compress consisting of only radish, and its mixture with vodka (30 grams per 300 grams of fruit) and honey (50 grams per 300 grams of pulp).

Radish juice mixed with apple juice is useful for treating heart vascular diseases.

Also daikon juice, 30-50 grams after a meal, is recommended to use to reduce blood sugar. It is important to remember that freshly squeezed juice of white radish is stored in the refrigerator for no more than three days in a container tightly closed with a lid.

Daikon juice is often used as a natural mild laxative. Half a glass of white radish juice before bedtime will help to establish digestion in 1-2 doses.

Older people are recommended to use 100-150 grams of fresh white radish in salads or with juice for the effective prevention of atherosclerosis.

To accelerate the healing of wounds, cuts and scratches, you can apply a grated or thinly sliced ​​daikon. In no case should you apply a white radish to an open wound, this will cause irritation and inflammation. Wound healing properties of radish should be used only after the appearance of a crust on the wound.

White radish is used in the treatment of hypertension. White radish juice (three parts) mixed with carrot juice (1 part), beets (1 part) and horseradish (2 parts) are drunk three times a day, 30 ml each.

White radish as part of complex treatment is also an excellent means of treating and preventing anemia. White radish juice (5 parts) mixed with beet juice (4 parts) and carrots (2 parts) are infused in an oven at a temperature of 160 degrees for 3-5 hours. When applying the resulting mixture three times a day before meals for three months, the symptoms of anemia recede.

When using traditional medicine recipes, you should always first consult with your doctor, be careful - dosage, frequency of administration. It is necessary to immediately stop treatment in case of side effects or allergic reactions.

Application in cosmetology

White radish is not the most common ingredient in cosmetics, but it is a universal assistant for any skin type, at any age. It helps to narrow pores, remove oily sheen, reduce rashes, whiten and improve complexion.

1. Lotion from the peel of radish causes a flush of skin, tones it and nourishes, this tool is great in adulthood. Well washed peel from 3-5 fruits to insist in 100 grams of vodka. After a few days, the lotion can be used once a day.
2. A hair mask helps reduce hair loss, stimulate hair growth, improve blood circulation to the scalp. Rub the white radish into a small slurry, squeeze out the excess juice and apply a thin layer on the scalp for 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.
3. A mask with a white radish will help to smooth the tone of the face, reduce age spots. Apply oily nourishing cream to previously cleansed skin, apply slices of white radish on top of it. After half an hour, wash your face. For this procedure, you can use warm milk, which removes the remnants of the mask and moisturizes the skin after the procedure.
4. To rejuvenate the skin and reduce wrinkles, use a mask of white radish with olive oil. Finely chopped fruit (50 grams) mix with oil and apply on pre-cleansed skin for 10-15 minutes.

For oily skin, vegetable oils and oily cream should be replaced with aloe juice.

Harm and contraindications

White radish is not recommended for those who suffer from peptic ulcer or colitis, since it irritates the tissues of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. Excessive consumption of radish can harm even healthy people, so you should eat it with great care.

Like other products with a high content of essential oils and a high concentration of vitamins, white radish can cause allergic reactions, so before you start its regular use for therapeutic and preventive purposes, you should make sure that it does not cause unwanted reactions.

How to choose and store

The fruits of the best quality white radish should be strong, resilient, with a pleasant aroma. The pulp of the fetus should be uniform, of the same color. The presence of cracks, veins and black dots on the fruits suggests that they were either stored for a long time, or the storage conditions were not observed. In such fruits, the content of nutrients is lower, and the developed toxins with the onset of rotting can harm the body.

The daikon should be large enough, about 20 centimeters in length. Small fruits are unripe. Larger ones often acquire a woody flavor, become too harsh. The surface of the vegetable should be smooth, almost glossy. If the daikon is hard or rough, then this indicates that the storage or transport conditions were violated.

The color of the white radish should not have a gray or yellowish tint. Such fruits have an unpleasant aftertaste. The tops of a delicious healthy fruit should also have a healthy appearance, be bright green in color.

You should not buy a white radish with traces of damage. Such fruits are stored for a very short time and can have an unpleasant aftertaste.

If the radish grows on a personal plot, it is important to collect it in cool weather, a week before the cold weather. If you collect fruits on dry, warm days, it will not be stored for long. Also, when harvesting, there should be no rain, the fruits should be dry and clean, so that their shelf life is maximum. Too long to delay cleaning is also impossible. Even minimal frosts can harm fruits, start rotting processes.

Radish is stored without tops, after drying and purification from pollution. All fruits that began to deteriorate should be separated from the bulk. The basement is best for storing radish, where it is dark and cool. Optimum storage temperature - plus –3 degrees Celsius. You can also store radish in the refrigerator at a temperature of about zero or plus one degree. Shelf life of white radish in the refrigerator is no more than two weeks.

Late varieties of radish can be stored for six months or more if the conditions are met.

What can be cooked from white radish: recipes

There are many recipes with white radish added to cooking sites. It is important to remember that when preparing dishes from fresh radish, they should be insisted. After 20 minutes, it does not affect the digestive system so much. If the peel was removed from the radish during cooking, but then for some reason the cooking was delayed, the fruit without the peel should be stored in the refrigerator in water.

When cooking dishes from white radish, you can improvise, invent your own dishes. However, it should be remembered with which Daikon products are best combined:

1. A classic is the combination of white radish and fresh vegetables. A vegetable can be an excellent basis for salads from cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, cabbage.
2. In the East, it is believed that fruits perfectly complement the sharp bitter taste of radish. In the cuisine of the peoples of the East, you can often find recipes from white radish with pineapples, mangoes, apples, pears, oranges and even melon.
3. Various nuts can be added to daikon dishes, including peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pine nuts, as well as sunflower and sesame seeds.
4. In the homeland of Daikon, in Japan, it is often consumed with seafood. The aroma of white radish sets off the smell of fish or shellfish, complements their taste.In Japan, many recipes are known when daikon is used as a side dish with shrimp, fish, crabs and other marine delicacies.
5. Daikon goes well with meat, so it can be stewed with meat dishes, served as a side dish and added to soups along with potatoes or instead.
6. In Japan, daikon is often dried and salted for the winter. In Russia, it is also often used in blanks, but as part of salads.

Salads

1. The most common is Vitamin Salad. You need to mix 1 radish, 2-3 medium carrots, 1 green apple, 2 cloves of garlic, butter, sour cream or mayonnaise and salt to taste. In the Far East, seaweed is often added to such a salad - kelp (half a small can of canned seaweed). And on the table is a salad, which is especially useful to use in the spring during seasonal vitamin deficiency and in the fall, during the cold season.
2. Another simple and healthy salad consists of finely grated radish, garlic, parsley and sour cream with salt. You can also add a little grated horseradish to it to give more piquancy. This salad will decorate meat dishes, great as an appetizer.
3. The combination of the bright taste of white radish and garlic with delicate grated cheese and mayonnaise is a win-win option for a quick salad. To do this, 1 small radish fruit should be grated, mixed with 3 cloves of grated garlic and 150 grams of cheese. You can fill a salad with homemade mayonnaise or low-fat sour cream. Cheese is better to choose soft varieties, without a pungent odor.
4. Unusual salad with chicken and melon. For the salad you will need 6 cloves of melon, 1 medium-sized fruit of white radish, 1 cucumber, 2 chicken breasts, 50 grams of green onions, 30 grams of toasted walnuts, sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of honey, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and soy sauce, 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 30 grams of fresh cilantro. Fry the chicken fillet on a grill or pan, cool and cut into small cubes or thin slices. Cut onion, cilantro, melon, cucumber and daikon into small slices. Thoroughly mix all the salad ingredients with dressing, let stand for about 15 minutes and serve with chopped walnuts sprinkled on top.

Side dishes

1. Garnish for meat and fish dishes, which can also be used as an independent dish: 1 radish (daikon fruit), celery stalk and 2-3 small turnips are required. Cut the fruits into medium-sized cubes and simmer in a frying pan in vegetable oil for half an hour, with the addition of 2-3 cloves of garlic and salt to taste.
2. Pork with radish can diversify ordinary meals and surprise guests with a pleasant taste or family. To prepare this recipe, you will need 300 grams of meat, 2 medium-sized radishes, 2 onions, 1 carrot, parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Fry the meat in a pan, then add the radish cut into small cubes and simmer for about an hour. Then add onions, carrots, herbs and spices, simmer another 15 minutes.
3. Braised Radish. For cooking, you will need 2 radishes, 300 grams of sour cream, 2 onions, salt, black pepper. Peel the radish, boil until it becomes soft. Then fry the onions in a pan in any vegetable oil. After 5-7 minutes, add the radish, sour cream and spices, chopped into small cubes, to the onion. Simmer the resulting mixture for 15 minutes and serve as an independent dish or with rice, potatoes and other side dishes.
4. Roasted daikon with bacon. Fry one large white radish, parsley and 200 grams of bacon in a pan in vegetable oil with the addition of pepper and salt to taste. Drain excess fat before serving. For consumption during fasting, it is possible to replace bacon with onions.
5. Daikon in batter is a very simple recipe for a universal side dish that goes with any dish. Fry the radish in flour in vegetable oil with the addition of salt and spices and serve with fish or meat dishes or on your own.

Daikon cocktails

1. A cocktail common in Thailand consists of a mixture of bell pepper, daikon, cucumber, (one each), basil leaves and tarragon, salt and water. Beat the mixture of vegetables and water with a blender.
2. Another version of the cocktail is with mango and apples.To prepare a tasty drink, you need 2-3 apples, 1 daikon, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of honey, several sheets of mint and 100-200 ml of water. It can be consumed with the addition of green tea, yogurt or apple juice.
3. Especially useful for men is a cocktail made of daikon and celery. It includes daikon, cucumber, celery, green apple, (1 each), lemon juice (2-3 tablespoons), parsley, water (100 ml) and salt (to taste).
4. Smoothies and smoothies can be prepared not only vegetable, but also fruit. A simple recipe with a pear: take 1 piece of daikon, one pear, 50 grams of spinach and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and honey and beat.

Diet / Vegetarian

1. For weight loss, it is recommended to consume 100-150 ml of fresh daikon juice daily. It can be drunk on its own or added to apple, orange and other juices.
2. A complex, but extremely healthy and low-calorie salad: 300 grams of white radish, 150 grams of fresh cucumbers, carrots, beets, green apples, carrots, grate, mix with 50 grams of onions, 1 clove of garlic, 30 grams of parsley and season with vegetable oil . To enhance the taste and give a greater flavor to the salad, you can add quite a bit of salt to the taste of ground black pepper.
3. Pickled daikon can be used to decorate rice or boiled vegetables. To prepare it, take 1 kilogram of daikon, 0.5 liters of water, 3 tablespoons of 9% vinegar, 4 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of turmeric, 3 tablespoons of salt, 5 cloves of garlic, 4 pieces of cloves, 3 pieces of bay leaf, ground black pepper to taste. Raw daikon cut into small slices or thin circles, mix with salt and leave for 15 minutes. To prepare the marinade, add sugar and spices to the water, except for garlic, bring the resulting mixture to a boil, then pour vinegar into it and let cool. After that, add daikon, finely chopped garlic to the water mixture. Pickled daikon infuse for at least 12 hours before use. Store pickled radish directly in the refrigerator, and no more than two weeks. You can also harvest it for the winter.

Unusual white radish dishes

1. Vareniki. For cooking, you need dough (water-flour-salt), one small radish, onion, salt, allspice. Fry white radish in a pan with onions and spices to taste until golden brown and then add to the filling of dumplings. The taste is similar to dumplings with potatoes, but more piquant. Serve with minced green onions and sour cream.
2. A recipe for daikon pancakes is popular in Korea. Grated daikon (1 piece) mixed with flour (1 cup), salt, red and black pepper to taste, starch (1 tablespoon), lemon juice (1 tablespoon), egg (one piece). Fry in a pan until golden brown. Serve the finished pancakes with soy sauce.

Interesting Radish Facts

1. In Russia, radish was called a “repentant vegetable”, since in the days of fasting it was one of the main foods. The conditions in the houses did not allow storing cabbage, potatoes and other vegetables until the next harvest. Radish, due to its properties, is stored for a long time, so it made up a significant part of the diet on days when meat, milk, and fish were banned.
2. There is a variant of okroshka with radish. In Russia, a kvass, boiled radish and potato stew was often prepared. Dressed with sour cream.
3. In ancient Egypt, radish fed the builders of the pyramids. The workers were either enslaved or simply worked under difficult conditions, so the radish gave them strength and energy for hard physical labor.
4. The largest variety of Sakurajima daikon can reach 50 cm in diameter and weigh up to 45 kilograms.
5. Daikon is very popular among lovers of carving for vegetables (carving). You can find many images of lotus, chamomile and other flowers cut from a white radish.
6. Daikon greens are also very tasty and healthy, but it is stored for a very short time, so its use is available only to those who grow white radish on their own in a personal plot.

Photo of a white radish