Are White Radish and Carrot Incompatible Foods? The Best Ways to Eat Them
Since ancient times in China, there has been a saying that “if you eat radish in winter, you won't need a doctor's prescription.” However, can white radish and carrot be eaten together? I believe everyone has seen quite a few claims online telling us that white radish and carrot cannot be eaten together, and the theory seems quite reasonable. In fact, this is simply a rumor.
Is that really the case?
Online rumor:
White radish has an extremely high vitamin C content, but carrot contains an enzyme called ascorbate that breaks down vitamin C, and it will destroy the vitamin C in white radish. Once white radish and carrot are combined, the vitamin C in white radish will be completely lost. Not only that, when cooked together with vegetables containing vitamin C, carrot plays the role of the destroyer.
Rumor refutation:
Legend has it that carrot contains an enzyme called ascorbate that breaks down vitamin C in white radish, greatly reducing its nutritional value. The so-called “ascorbate-decomposing enzyme” is actually ascorbate oxidase, and this substance exists in all plants. Moreover, vitamin C is inherently a nutrient that is very easily destroyed by oxidation. When white radish is cut and cooked, the process exposes it to light, oxygen, heat, and so on, all of which destroy vitamin C, and it has nothing to do with carrot. In addition, carrot is also very rich in vitamin C, so eating the two together would only increase vitamin C.
The Benefits of White Radish
White radish can promote human digestion. In winter, people lack enough exercise, and at the same time the weather is dry, the body tends to be hot and dry inside, and with increased food intake, symptoms such as indigestion and even constipation are very likely to occur. Eating some white radish at this time can help avoid indigestion.
Modern medical research has also found that white radish can improve human immunity. It is rich in a variety of vitamins and trace elements and can enhance the body's resistance to disease. Radish also has a certain anti-cancer effect, can enhance the function of macrophages in engulfing pathogens and cancer cells, and the amylase it contains can break down the carcinogen nitrosamine.
People with weak spleen and stomach, and patients with chronic bronchitis and asthma, had better not eat white radish often, and white radish should not be eaten together with tonics, common ones being codonopsis and astragalus.
The Benefits of Carrot
In addition to containing relatively more inorganic salts such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and iron, carrot more importantly contains abundant carotene. Carotene can be converted into vitamin A by the small intestinal wall, and for people who overuse their eyes and often stay up late, it can help relieve fatigue.
How Best to Eat White Radish and Carrot
1. White radish is best eaten raw
White radish has a rich water content, a crisp texture, and contains a variety of nutrients, but it is not suitable for high-temperature heating, otherwise it will cause the loss of nutrients and reduce the nutritional value of white radish. Therefore, white radish is best eaten raw or served as a cold dish, so that nutrients can be absorbed to the greatest extent.
2. Carrot is best eaten cooked
Carrot contains fat-soluble vitamins, and eating it raw is not conducive to the absorption of vitamins, so after carrot is heated, the absorption of nutrients can be increased.
Tips
From this we can see that there is no reason white radish and carrot cannot be eaten together, and there is absolutely no harm. But if you want to cook them together in soup, because white radish is suitable for eating raw, making soup destroys the nutrients, so don't later think it was caused by carrot. In addition, many restaurants like to cut carrot and white radish into chunks or shreds to make small dishes with alternating red and white and a full range of color, aroma, and taste, which not only look attractive but also taste refreshing. Cold-dressed shredded white and red radish is indeed very delicious, but carrot is best eaten cooked, so that nutrients can be absorbed to the greatest extent.