Eat Me: Diabetics friendly, prevents jaundice… 10 health benefits of radish

Radish is a carrot-like edible root vegetable with a pungent taste. It comes in white, pink, red, purple and sometimes black colour varieties.

Red radish is packed with vitamins E, A, C, B6, and K. It is also high in antioxidants, fibre, zinc, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, copper, calcium, iron and manganese.

It can be sliced thinly and used in salad or cooked for consumption or in making soups. The leaves, flowers, pods, and seeds of the radish can also be consumed.

Here are 10 health benefits of consuming radish.

Prevents jaundice

Radish can get rid of excess bilirubin, a yellow pigment and regulates its production. Excess bilirubin leads to jaundice, a condition characterised by yellowing of the skin and eyes.

Good heart health

Radishes are a good source for anthocyanins that keep our hearts functioning properly, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Regulates blood pressure

Radish also provides your body with potassium, which can help lower your blood pressure and keep your blood flow in control.

Boosts immunity

Vitamins C and K present in radish can protect you from common cold and cough, and improve your overall immunity system. These vitamins also control the development of harmful free radicals and inflammation.

Diabetics friendly

Diabetics do not have to worry about blood sugar spikes when it comes to eating a radish. This is because radishes have a low glycemic index, which means that it has little or no impact on blood sugar levels.

Rehydration pack

When summer comes, and the air is dry and your body loses a lot of water, you can turn to radish. Its high water content will rehydrate you and boost your energy level in no time.

Mood booster

The sulphur content of radish helps to keep hypothyroidism, underactive thyroid, in check. Hypothyroidism leads to fatigue, poor metabolism, weight gain, mood swings.

Aids digestion

Radishes are rich in fibre that adds considerable bulk to bowel movements, which promotes regular excretory patterns and relieves the symptoms of constipation.

Fights cancer

Radishes are rich in vitamin C, folic acid, and anthocyanins, all cancer-fighting agents. The isothiocyanates found in cruciferous vegetables like radish have a major impact on the genetic pathways of cancerous cells.

They alter the pathway and can cause apoptosis (cell death) thereby stopping cancerous cells from reproducing.

Prevents anaemia

Radishes have high iron content. Iron helps to transport oxygen throughout the body. A deficiency of iron in the body can lead to anaemia, a condition in which the blood doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells.