Radishes and Radish Plants - Facts, Nutrition and Health Benefits

Radishes are a tasty and nutritious food and are a great addition to salads and other meals. The part of a radish plant that is most commonly eaten is the root. Radish roots come in a variety of colors, including red, pink, purple, white, yellow, green and black. Most radishes have a white interior, but some have a colored flesh. Radishes have a peppery taste, which ranges from hot to mild, depending on the variety of radish. They add a crunchy texture to salads, and the colored forms also give salads an attractive appearance.

The entire radish plant is edible and can be eaten raw. The roots are usually crisp and moist. The leaves are often discarded, but they can be used as a nutritious salad green. The peppery radish seeds add a spicy taste to meals. The seed capsules, commonly known as “pods”, can be eaten too, and so can the flowers. Some people like to steam or boil radish roots and leaves or add them to soups and stews. In addition, radishes can be microwaved. Daikon radishes, popular Asian vegetables that are also grown in other parts of the world, are white and have large, carrot-shaped roots. Daikon radishes are eaten raw, but are also pickled, baked and added to stir-fries.

Radishes contain many vital nutrients. The roots are a very good source of vitamin C. One cup of raw radish slices provides about 29% of our daily vitamin C requirement, depending on the variety of radish. It’s important to remember that Vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient and escapes from the radishes into the surrounding water if the radishes are boiled. Radishes are also a good source of folate (a B complex vitamin), vitamin B6, riboflavin (vitamin B2), potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, manganese and fiber. Like vitamin C, the B vitamins are water soluble. Radishes are almost fat-free and are low in calories. Radishes, like all plants, contain no cholesterol.

The scientific name of the radish is Raphanus sativus. Radishes belong to the family of flowering plants called the Brassicaceae, sometimes known as the Cruciferae. The family also includes cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, turnips, rutabagas, horseradish, mustard, cress, wasabi and watercress.

Like many other members of their family, radishes contain chemicals called glucosinolates which contain sulfur and give radishes their pungent taste. An enzyme called myrosinase is present inside radish cells, separated from the glucosinates. When radishes are chewed or cut the myrosinase is released and reacts with the glucosinolates, producing other compounds such as isothiocyanates and indoles. Research suggests that these new compounds may reduce the chance of a person developing cancer. Investigations are ongoing, but the current recommendation of scientists and nutritionists is that we should eat lots of vegetables, including cruciferous vegetables like radish. They provide many essential nutrients and may have the added benefit of helping to prevent cancer.

Growing your own radishes is fun and easy, and freshly picked radishes are the most nutritious kind. The popular red, globe-shaped or oval radishes that are commonly found in stores and planted in gardens grow best in spring and late summer/early fall when they are planted outside, and are known as “summer” radishes. Despite their name, they don’t grow as well in the hottest part of the year. If they’re being grown during the summer months they'll need to be planted in partial shade. Too much hot sun will cause the plants to bolt (grow tall and produce seeds instead of growing leaves and building up their roots). The roots of a radish plant that has bolted develop an unpleasant taste.

The soil for planting radish seeds needs no further preparation than is usually required for growing plants. It should be fertilized and have stones and pebbles removed. The seeds should be planted about half an inch deep in the soil and about one inch apart from each other in their row. You will need to thin the plants at some point after the seeds germinate. Radishes don’t grow well when they’re crowded. You can eat the plants that you remove, so they won’t go to waste! Rows should be separated by about eight inches. Radish plants need to be kept well watered. The radishes should be ready to pick in three to six weeks. They shouldn’t be left in the ground too long or the roots will become woody and their taste will become hot and bitter.

Radishes are a good plant for children and beginning gardeners to grow since the plants grow quickly, can be planted in containers, and are usually healthy. They can be eaten as sprouts or left to form mature radishes.

If you’ve bought summer radishes from the store and you want to store them, remove the leaves (and eat them!) so that the leaves don’t draw nutrients from the radish. The radishes will keep for about two weeks in a refrigerator. Don’t store them in a plastic bag.

The term “Daikon radish” is used for several different types of large winter radishes. The so-called “winter” radishes are planted in mid to late summer and are ready to pick in late fall. They grow more slowly than summer radishes and reach a larger size. Once they are picked they can be kept in cold storage for several months.

Any type or color of radish, whether it’s grown at home or bought in a store, is a healthy food and makes a nutritious addition to a meal and a good snack. The tangy taste works especially well in salads. One drawback to eating radishes might be their high salicylate concentration. People with salicylate sensitivity may find that they need to limit radishes in their diet, eat them only in peeled or cooked form or avoid them completely.