Radish, also called mooli, is one of the edible vegetables people eat today. With the scientific name Raphanus raphanistrum (with the subspecies sativus), radish is a root vegetable that is is cultivated and eaten across the globe. The following are the health benefits and sample recipe for radish.
Health Benefits
Fiber
As a vegetable, one health benefit of radish is fiber. Fiber is a substance that acts as sweep and assists in cleaning up the body, getting rid of agents like toxins and free radicals that cause disorders like heart disease and cancer. Fiber also helps promote digestion through mobilization of unabsorbed materials in the intestines. This way, it helps prevent gastrointestinal disorders like constipation, hemorrhoids, colon cancer, and diverticulitis, pouching of the intestines related to lack of fiber in the diet. Also, fiber helps reduce blood cholesterol levels, which keeps a person away from heart disorders like hypertension, atherosclerosis (accumulation of fat deposits in the blood vessels), coronary artery disease, and stroke. Hence, eating radish for fiber has many positive benefits to the body.
Weight Loss
Radish also helps reduce a person’s weight. According to Organic Facts, radish offers a sense of fullness, which reduces extra food cravings and prevents a person to gain additional weight. In addition, radish has low glycemic index and low digestivble carbohydrates, which enhances a person’s bowel movement. Hence, people who are interested in losing weight may consider including radish to their meal plan – it can be breakfast, lunch, snacks, or dinner.
Potassium
Another health benefit of eating radish is potassium. According to Mercola, potassium is one of the nutrients found in radish. Potassium prevents water retention in the body by countering the water absorbing effects of sodium; this way, potassium will help prevent high blood pressure and conditions like edema and congestive heart failure. Potassium also allows muscle contraction, which facilitates movement. Without potassium, the body would feel weak, tired, and not capable of moving effectively. Hence, people who exercise and lift weights need potassium in their diet for them to lift weights or their body weight.
Sample Recipe
One recipe that includes radish as one of its ingredients is Lettuce with Hot Bacon Dressing. According to All Recipes, the ingredients are eight radish (thinly sliced), eight cups of leaf lettuce (rinsed, dried, torn into bite-size pieces), half teaspoon salt, four teaspoons white sugar, one-fourth cup of water, one-fourth cup of wine vinegar, half cup sliced onion, six slices bacon, and an egg.
To prepare, as per the publication, the egg is placed in a sauce pan and covered with cold water, which is brought to a boil. Then, the saucepan is covered and removed from heat, allowing the egg to stand in hot water for ten to 12 minutes. Then, the ingredients are removed from hot water, cooled, peeled, and chopped. After that, the bacon is placed in a big and deep skillet, and cooked over medium-high heat until evenly brown. The dish is drained, crumbled, and set aside. Then, the excess grease is reserved. The onions are added to the skillet with reserved grease and cooked until tender. Once done, the bacon, water, vinegar, sugar, and salt are added, stirred in, and brought to a boil. After that, the lettuce is placed in a large bowl and hot dressing is poured over and tossed well. The dish is garnished with egg and radishes.
Radish is one of the nutritious foods people can eat today. With its many health benefits, it can be paired with other ingredients in various dishes for breakfast, lunch, snacks, or dinner for groups of friends or the entire family.
Source: shakahariblog.com
