Eat Radishes Smartly: Nutrients Vary by Section
As white radishes are rich in vitamin C, carotene, and dietary fiber, they are an ideal food for lowering blood lipids, softening blood vessels, stabilizing blood pressure, and preventing coronary heart disease and gallstones. Scientific research has also found that white radishes can induce the human body to produce interferon, which enhances immune function and inhibits the growth of cancer cells, playing an important role in cancer prevention and treatment.
When selecting radishes, choose fresh ones that are uniform in size, free from disease, and undamaged. The skin of a radish should be delicate and smooth. Tapping its middle section with the back of your finger should produce a deep, solid sound, indicating it is not pithy; a muffled sound usually means it is pithy. Different parts of a radish contain different nutrients, so different sections can be prepared in different ways to maximize the absorption of its nutritional value.
From top (thick end) to tail (thin end), it can generally be divided into three sections for consumption. The first section, from the top down to 3-5 cm, contains the most vitamin C but is somewhat firm. It is suitable for being shredded or cut into strips and quickly cooked, such as stir-frying. It can also be shredded for soups or used as a filling, which is delicious. The second section is the middle part of the radish. This section also contains a good amount of vitamin C and has a higher sugar content. It is relatively crisp and tender, so it can be diced for salads, shredded and dressed with sugar and vinegar for a cold dish, or stir-fried and boiled, which is also tasty.
The third section is from the second section to the tail. This part contains more substances like amylase and mustard oil and has a slightly spicy flavor that can aid digestion and stimulate the appetite. It can be pickled. If peeled and eaten raw, it is an excellent substitute for fruit for diabetics. For cooking, it can be stewed in chunks, stir-fried in shreds, or used in soups.
Clever Uses for Radishes
● When you have a sore throat, eating raw radish can reduce swelling and relieve pain.
● For someone mildly intoxicated, drinking white radish juice can help sober them up.
● Boiling radishes in water and using it to wash feet can stop foot sweat and treat foot odor.
● For persistent coughs or chronic bronchitis, drinking white radish juice like tea can relieve coughing and ease asthma.