Healthy Food – Radish

Radish is also known as Mooli, Mula or Muli. It is a root vegetable with a crisp texture and a peppery hot flavour, which varies from mild to very strong depending on its age and type. The different types come in a variety of sizes, shapes and colours. The most commonly found are the small, round Cherry Belle, the Red Globe radish or the white carrot shaped variety.

1. High on Fiber: If you eat it as part of your daily salad intake, without going overboard of course, radish also provides your system with ample roughage and fibers, therefore improving your digestion. It also regulates bile production, safeguards your liver and the gall bladder, and is great for taking care of water retention.
   2. Guards the Heart:Radishes are a good source for anthocyanins that keep our hearts functioning properly, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Plus they are high on vitamin C, folic acid, and flavonoids too.
   3. Controls Blood Pressure:Radish also provides your body with potassium, which can help lower your blood pressure, and keep your blood flow in control, especially if you are known to suffer from hypertension. According to Ayurveda, radish is believed to have a cooling effect on the blood.
2. Improves Immunity:Given that the radish has high vitamin C, it can protect you from common cold and cough, and improve your basic immunity system. But you must consume it regularly. It also controls the development of harmful free radicals, inflammation and early ageing.
3. Fortifies Blood Vessels: Now this is important – radish plays an important role in the generation of collagen, which in turn boosts our blood vessels and decreases our chances of getting atherosclerosis.
4. Metabolism-Friendly: This root vegetable is not only good for your digestive system, but it also helps to fix acidity, obesity, gastric problems, and nausea, among others.
5. High on Nutrients:Red radishes are packed with Vitamins E, A, C, B6, and K. Plus it’s high on antioxidants, fiber, zinc, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, copper, calcium, iron and manganese. And each of these is known to keep our body in good working condition.
6. Good for the Skin: If you drink radish juice every day, you’re giving your skin special boosters to stay healthy, and that’s mostly because of the Vitamin C, zinc, and phosphorus. Plus it also keeps dryness, acne, pimples, and rashes at bay. Plus you can use radish paste to cleanse your face. And if you apply it on your hair, it helps to remove dandruff, prevent hair loss, and strengthens the root too.
7. Good for Hydration:If you tend to eat radish a little more in summer, it’s probably because it keeps the body hydrated because of its high water content.