Can Radishes Be Eaten Raw? Read These Precautions Before You Eat Them

Radish belongs to the genus Raphanus in the family Brassicaceae, a biennial or annual herbaceous plant, and is a vegetable we often eat in our daily lives. Historical research shows that the original species of radish originated on the warm coasts of Europe and Asia, but today it is widely cultivated around the world. Radish is crisp and sweet, rich in carbohydrates and a variety of vitamins, and is extremely beneficial to the human body, so can radishes be eaten raw?

1. Can radishes be eaten raw?

The radish we usually refer to is generally the white radish (daikon), and it can be eaten raw. Eating white radish raw can effectively promote salivation and clear heat, cool the blood and stop bleeding, and relieve cough and dissolve phlegm. White radish is rich in vitamin C and the trace element zinc, which can enhance the body's resistance. Although carrots can also be eaten raw, they are not suitable for eating raw; eating carrots raw is not easy to digest, and it also causes 90% of the carotene to be unable to be absorbed and to be excreted from the body along with waste.

China had already cultivated radishes very early on. More than 2,000 years ago, the “Erya” called radish “lufu”, and around the 530s, in “Qimin Yaoshu” by Jia Sixie of the Northern Wei Dynasty, there were already records of radish cultivation methods. In the Song Dynasty, Su Song's “Bencao Tujing” mentioned that radish “is found throughout the north and south, ....... it is especially widely grown in the north”. This shows that at that time it was already widely cultivated throughout China.

2. The main value of radish

When eaten, radish has long enjoyed the folk reputation of “little ginseng”. Every winter, radish is one of the indispensable foods. In winters past, residents in the north would stockpile radishes and cabbage to prepare for the winter. According to incomplete statistics, using radish as an ingredient together with other edible plants can make nearly 100 dishes for daily consumption, and more than 60 kinds of side dishes can be made, so the potential of radish still remains to be further explored.

Besides being eaten, radish is also used medicinally in traditional Chinese medicine. In traditional Chinese medicine theory, radish has a strong function of promoting qi flow, and can also relieve cough and dissolve phlegm, remove dryness and promote salivation, clear heat and relieve toxicity, and promote bowel movements. Modern nutritional research shows that radish is nutritious, containing rich carbohydrates and a variety of vitamins, among which the vitamin C content is 8—10 times higher than that of pears. Regularly eating radish can lower blood lipids, soften blood vessels, stabilize blood pressure, and prevent diseases such as coronary heart disease, arteriosclerosis, and gallstones.

That is all for now about radish. Eating more radish is good for your health. Friends who want to experience the original flavor of radish can eat it with confidence, but before eating, it must be washed to prevent pesticide residues.