What Are the Benefits of Eating Radish Greens? Key Points of the Growing Method Explained
Radish is a vegetable everyone commonly eats, while radish greens are the seedlings that grow after radish seeds are planted. They taste very refreshing, but they have a distinctive flavor that some people cannot accept. Besides eating radish greens fresh, some people blanch them in boiling water to make pickles. So what are the benefits of eating radish greens? What are the key points of the growing method?
I. What are the benefits of eating radish greens?
The radish greens we refer to here generally mean radish sprouts. Radish sprouts contain fewer calories and more fiber, and eating them easily creates a feeling of fullness, all of which help with weight loss. Radish sprouts can induce the human body to produce interferon on its own, increase immunity, and inhibit the growth of cancer cells, playing an important role in cancer prevention and anti-cancer effects. The mustard oil and refined fiber in radish sprouts can promote gastrointestinal motility and help with the excretion of waste from the body. Regularly eating radish sprouts can lower blood lipids, soften blood vessels, stabilize blood pressure, and prevent diseases such as coronary heart disease, arteriosclerosis, and gallstones. Radish sprouts are also a traditional Chinese medicine, cool in nature with a pungent and sweet taste, and can remove accumulated food stagnation, resolve phlegm and clear heat, descend qi and soothe the middle, and remove toxins.
II. What are the key points of the radish greens growing method?
1. Variety selection
For radish varieties, choose faster-growing varieties, and select plump, undamaged new seeds from the current year with a high germination rate.
2. Growing environment
Radish does not have high requirements for the growing environment and does not need too much light. It requires fresh air and smooth ventilation. It can be grown on an open-air balcony.
3. Specifications of the foam box
Radish plants grow short, so a very deep box is not needed. Usually a foam box 60 long, 40 wide, and 25 cm deep is sufficient, and the bottom should be flat and have drainage holes.
4. Sowing
Wash the seeds, and throw away the seeds that float on the water surface.
Soak the selected seeds in warm water at 20°C for 12-17 hours, changing the clean water 1-2 times during this period.
Place a sheet of newspaper at the bottom of the foam box, spread 2 cm of river sand, evenly scatter the soaked seeds inside the box, and cover with a layer of black plastic film to keep warm, retain moisture, and block light. Keep the temperature inside the box at 23-28°C, and spray water 2-3 times a day.
5. Cultivation management
The most suitable growing temperature for radish is 18-25°C. In summer, you can spray frequently to cool it down, and in winter, cover it with a plastic bag to keep it warm. During the growing period, water it 3-4 times a day, watering thoroughly.
6. Harvesting
Radish grows quickly. Under normal care conditions, from sowing to harvest takes 7-8 days in summer and autumn, and 8-10 days in winter and spring. When the sprouts grow to 12-15 cm, and the leaf petals at the top show no signs of stem rot, elongated cotyledons, or long fibrous roots, they can be harvested. Pull them out directly and separate the leaves from the radish.
The above is the answer to the questions of what are the benefits of eating radish greens and what are the key points of the growing method. We hope it is helpful to you. When you have free time, you can also try growing radish greens on your home balcony.