This treasure vegetable is the "little ginseng" of autumn and winter. You will miss out if you don't eat it.

Radish is a seasonal vegetable in winter, and "eating radish in winter" is a long-standing health-preserving concept among the people. After entering winter, many families begin to stew radish soup, such as radish and mutton soup, radish and pork ribs soup, white radish soup, radish and vermicelli soup, etc. No matter how cold it is outside, as long as you have a bowl of it, your whole body will be warm. People from both the north and the south love to eat it.

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As a "star vegetable" in winter, what is the nutritional value of radish? This article will let you know how to eat it.

Different radishes, each with its own strengths

When discussing radish, we must first bring up the word "carrot". Although both of them have the word "radish" in their names, carrots are not a member of the radish family. The radish we usually talk about is a plant of the genus Raphanus in the cruciferous family, while carrots are a plant of the genus Daucus in the umbelliferae family.

Figure: China iPlant Plant Intelligence

The real radish family includes white radish, green radish, red radish, small water radish, heart-shaped radish, cherry radish, etc. These are the radishes we usually eat. Different radishes have different appearances and nutrients.

1. White radish

White radish, also known as radish, is the most common white-skinned and white-fleshed radish. It contains vitamin C, dietary fiber, minerals potassium, magnesium, sulforaphane and other nutrients. The vitamin C content is quite good, at 19 mg/100 g, which is similar to that of tangerines. The calorie content is not high, only 16 kcal/100 g, which is lower than Chinese cabbage.

2. Green radish

Green radish is a radish with green skin and green flesh. Although its vitamin C content is not as high as that of white radish, only about 1/3 of that of white radish, its potassium content is nearly 1.5 times that of white radish. In addition, as a green-skinned and green-fleshed radish, its radish has a higher content of radisin, which is 2 to 3 times that of white-skinned and white-fleshed radish. Some studies have mentioned that radisin has physiological effects such as antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-cell mutation, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial.

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3. Carrots

Common carrots have red skin and white flesh. Their nutritional value is not outstanding in the radish family, and their vitamin C content is almost the lowest among common radishes.

4. Small radish

Water radish is also called red radish. It has the highest vitamin C content among common radishes, at 22 mg/100 g, which is comparable to that of lemon, so it is a good supplement for vitamin C.

5. Red radish

The red heart radish is what we often call the beautiful heart radish. It can be regarded as a star in the radish family. It is better than other radishes in both appearance and nutrition.

Xinlimei radish is a radish with green skin and red flesh. It looks very beautiful when cut and stimulates appetite. Nutritionally, its insoluble dietary fiber, minerals potassium and magnesium are higher than other common radishes. Its potassium content is higher than that of bananas, which is 1.5 times that of bananas. Its vitamin C content is also good, at 20 mg/100 g, which is slightly higher than that of white radish. It is also rich in antioxidant anthocyanins.

6. Cherry Radish

The calorie content of cherry radish is the lowest among many radishes, only 12 kcal/100 grams, which is less than half of broccoli. It is particularly friendly to people who are losing weight. Not only do they not have to worry about gaining weight, but they can also replenish water, vitamin C, and the mineral potassium.

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The key is that cherry radish has crispy and tender flesh, sweet and juicy taste. It tastes great when eaten raw and the nutrients are better preserved.

In summary, different radishes have different nutritional values, but generally they are rich in dietary fiber, vitamin C, minerals potassium, magnesium, radish extract, and the calories are not too high. So, eat whichever you like.

"Autumn and Winter Little Ginseng" helps prevent many diseases

Radish is known among the people as "little ginseng in autumn and winter". There are few local fresh vegetables in the north in winter, and radish is relatively durable in storage, making it one of the rare local fresh vegetables that can be eaten in winter.

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Radishes belong to the cruciferous plant family. These vegetables all contain glucosinolates, which are secondary metabolites in plants. A large number of experimental studies have shown that glucosinolates have biological activities such as antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-cancer. At the same time, the presence of glucosinolates can also promote the production of sulforaphane in radishes.

Under normal circumstances, glucosinolates are located in the vacuoles of plants, while endogenous mustard enzymes are located in specific protein bodies in cells, and there is a natural physical isolation between the two. When plant tissues are damaged (such as being chewed by humans), glucosinolates come into contact with endogenous mustard enzymes and undergo hydrolysis to produce sulforaphane.

Sulforaphane has antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging effects, and is one of the most powerful anti-cancer ingredients found in vegetables. Some studies have shown that sulforaphane has an inhibitory effect on liver cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer and other cancer cells. Other studies have shown that consuming cruciferous vegetables can reduce the risk of gastric cancer and breast cancer.

However, sulforaphane and glucosinolate are both ingredients that are sensitive to heat, and cooking and heating will reduce their content. If you want to obtain them, you can choose radishes that are easy to eat raw.

Another point to note is that glucosinolates inhibit the thyroid gland's absorption of iodine. This has little effect on healthy people, and normal daily consumption of cruciferous vegetables will hardly have a negative impact on the thyroid gland. However, if you are a thyroid disease patient with insufficient iodine intake, you should consume it with caution and not eat large amounts of raw radishes.

In 2023, a study published in the journal Nature found that there is a protein called aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) in the pulmonary vascular endothelial cells. After being activated by the ligand, AHR can protect the pulmonary vascular endothelial cells from damage caused by influenza virus infection, prevent red blood cells and white blood cells from infiltrating the alveoli, and thus alleviate lung infections caused by respiratory viruses. The natural molecules such as indole rich in cruciferous vegetables (cabbage/radish/broccoli/cabbage, etc.) can activate AHR, thereby protecting the lung barrier and relieving lung infection. Therefore, eating radishes often really helps to "protect the lungs."

Tips:

Most of the radishes bought from the market are bare, with the radish tops thrown away. If you grow your own radishes, it is best not to throw away the radish tops, because they are really nutritious!

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For example, the vitamin C content of green radish tops is 41 mg/100 g, nearly 6 times that of green radish; the potassium and calcium content are 1.7 and 2.3 times that of green radish respectively, and the iron, zinc and selenium content are higher than green radish. For another example, the carotene content of cherry radish tops is 1440 μg/100 g, 80 times that of cherry radish, and the iron content is nearly 10 times that of cherry radish. The magnesium, calcium, phosphorus and zinc content are also higher than cherry radish.

Radishes are in season now. They replenish water, vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium, and are also very durable in storage. So, what kind of radish do you like to eat?

References

[1] Yang Yuexin. Chinese Food Composition Table 6th Edition Volume 1[M]. Peking University Medical Press, 2018

[2] Cai Da, Jiang Yuying, Wang Wenzheng, Gao Rui, Gao Lei, Wang Wenbo, Wang Yutao. Analysis and comprehensive evaluation of nutritional quality of different types of radishes in Shandong and Sichuan [J]. Journal of Food Safety and Quality, 2022, 13(8): 2649-2657

[3]Gong Guangli. Study on the variation of main pigments of Xinlimei radish and its influence by light quality[D]. Shandong Agricultural University, 2023.DOI:10.27277/d.cnki.gsdnu.2023.000924.

[4] Zhao Songmin, Li Yingchang, Dong Gaoyuan, Cui Fangchao, Tan Qianqian, Li Jianrong, Yu Zhangfu, Shen Ronghu. Research progress on the functionality and mechanism of sulforaphane[J]. Food and Fermentation Industries, 2023, 49(13): 357-362

[5] Chinese Nutrition Society. Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents[M]. People's Medical Publishing House. 2022

[6].MajorJ,CrottaS,FinsterbuschK,etal.EndothelialAHRactivitypreventslungbarrierdisruptioninviralinfection.Nature.2023.doi:10.1038/s41586-023-06287-y

Planning and production

Author: Xue Qingxin, registered nutritionist

Review丨Zhong Kai, Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center