Health Benefits Of Radish: 11 Reasons To Love It!

Who doesn’t love the crunch of radish in their salad? This peppery vegetable comes in loads of shapes and sizes – from the cherry-sized, red-skinned variety to the black radishes common in eastern Europe and the carrot-shaped daikon radishes popular in Asia, there’s plenty to choose from. Radishes are delicious raw or cooked, but their worth goes beyond just taste.

The humble radish can give you quite a nutritional shot in the arm. It’s chock full of nutrients such as vitamin K, magnesium, calcium, niacin, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, and folate. But vitamin C is the major player here – ½ cup of radish can give you about 14% of the amount you need daily.¹ Radish is also prized in traditional Greek, Arab, and Indian medical systems for their health benefits. Bioactive compounds such as glucosinolates and isothiocyanates in it may be responsible for many of their medicinal properties. Let’s take a look at what this versatile vegetable can do for you:

1. Radish Is Rich In Fiber And Can Help With Weight Loss

A low-calorie vegetable, radishes contain no fat or cholesterol and have a high water content. They also have a significant amount of digestive fiber, which increases satiety and keeps you feeling full for longer. So, if you’re on a weight loss mission, this is the vegetable to load up on.²

2. Radish Protects The Liver

Every day, we are exposed to many environmental toxins that can damage the liver. But radish is widely known for its liver protective activity. As one animal study showed, it can help deal with liver toxicity. Subjects exposed to a harmful chemical that can cause fatty liver, cirrhosis, and necrosis were given a radish extract. It helped prevent liver damage by suppressing inflammation and also reduced levels of an enzyme that serves as a marker for liver damage. So include radish in your diet to keep this important organ functioning smoothly.³

3. Radish Sprouts Promote Digestion By Stimulating Bile Flow

Are you suffering the after-effects of a decadent, rich meal? Radish sprouts may be able to help you out. One animal study showed that an extract of Chinese radish sprouts was able to significantly induce bile flow. Bile helps in the breakdown of fats and promotes digestion. Chinese radish or daikon radish sprouts have a strong peppery radish flavor and are commonly used in Japanese cuisine in sushi, salads, and as a garnish. Try it the next time you overindulge!⁴

4. Radish Juice Lowers Blood Glucose

Radish juice can be a powerful ally if you’re trying to control your blood sugar. Animal studies show that it can lower blood glucose. Radish may exert an antidiabetic effect by enhancing the production of a hormone called adiponectin. This hormone is involved in the regulation of glucose.⁵

5. Radish Fights Toxins And Helps You Detox

Our bodies are constantly bombarded by toxins. And for a simple way to detox, just include radish in your diet. One animal study exposed mice to a purified toxin that’s found in chargrilled foods. It was found that mice which consumed Spanish black radish showed a significant increase in detoxification enzymes. Moreover, their bone marrow cell counts were less affected and the toxin concentration in their blood was 47% lower than in the control group. Glucosinolates and vitamin C present in radish may be responsible for this protective effect.⁶

6. Radish Prevents Cholesterol Gallstones

High-fat diets, obesity, and sedentary lifestyles contribute to the formation of cholesterol gallstones. Estimates suggest that 14–16% people in Western countries have them. Black radish has traditionally been used in Mexican traditional medicine for treating gallstones. And research indicates that they may, in fact, be able to prevent the formation of cholesterol gallstones thanks to their antioxidant and anticholesterol properties. These beneficial effects of radish are attributed to two important glucosinolates – glucoraphanin and glucoraphasatin.⁷

7. Radish Protects Against Cancer

Cancer is one health concern that most of us try to avoid thinking about. But did you know that many cruciferous vegetables like radish have a protective effect against this disease? According to research, radish can inhibit cell growth and induce cell death by modulating genes involved in the process.⁸ Glucosinolates present in radish may be responsible for its anticancer properties. So be sure to include radish, as well as other cruciferous vegetables like kale, broccoli, and cabbage in your daily serving of vegetables.⁹

8. Radish Leaf Juice Relieves Constipation

Traditionally, radish leaf juice has been used as a laxative to treat constipation as well as bloating. Medical research now confirms its beneficial effect. According to one animal study, radish leaf juice increased the stool output of rats and sped up the movement of food through their gastrointestinal tract. So the next time you get the runs, try this ancient herbal remedy.¹⁰

9. Radish And Radish Leaves Have Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

According to research, both radish leaves and radishes have anti-inflammatory effects. ¹¹ So why is this important? Persistent inflammation has been linked to a slew of health problems from diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and heart disease to Alzheimer’s. And since our diet today contains refined carbohydrates, fried foods, red meat, and unhealthy fats that promote inflammation, it’s critically important to have foods like radish which fight inflammation.¹²

10. Radish Juice Has Anti-Aging And Skin Brightening Effects

Thanks to its antioxidant properties, raw radish juice exerts an anti-aging effect on your skin. It can also inhibit tyrosinase, an enzyme that’s involved in the production of melanin, the pigment which gives skin a darker shade. Phenolic compounds and vitamin C present in radish may account for these effects. So for brighter, smoother skin, drink up radish juice and apply some on your skin as well.^{13 14}

11. Radish Juice May Help Treat Piles

If you have hemorrhoids or piles, radish juice may be able to ease your discomfort. Try drinking around 60–100 ml of radish juice with a bit of salt twice a day to ease this condition. Although this treatment does not appear to have been studied scientifically, it is commonly used as a home remedy and may prove to be helpful.¹⁵ A mixture of white radish juice and honey can also be applied to the affected area for relief.¹⁶ This benefit is attributed to the laxative and anti-inflammatory properties of radish.