Red Radish

Name: Red radish — the small, round, red-skinned type of radish (Raphanus sativus), with crisp white flesh, also called the globe radish. Daikon and black radish are described on their own pages.

Description

The small red globe radish is the type most familiar in Western cooking, and was bred in Europe from older long radishes. It is a quick, easy garden crop, and varieties such as ‘Cherry Belle’ and ‘French Breakfast’ are common. Red radishes are sold in bunches with their leafy green tops attached.

The red skin gives a peppery bite, while the white flesh is milder, crisp and juicy. Their sharpness varies with the season and how quickly they grow: radishes grown in heat or left too long become hot and woody.

Main nutrition value

Red radishes are low in calories and provide vitamin C, folate, potassium and fibre, and red skin anthocyanins.

How best to be consumed

Red radishes are best crisp, cold and raw.

1. Slice thinly into salads, tacos, sandwiches and grain bowls.
2. Eat whole with butter and sea salt, as a French snack.
3. Pickle in vinegar for a quick, tangy topping.
4. Roast or sauté to mellow their bite.
5. Eat the leafy tops too, in soups and sautés, or blended into pesto.

Overconsumption could cause…

Red radishes are safe in food amounts.

1. Bloating and gas, since cruciferous vegetables contain raffinose and other fermentable carbohydrates.
2. Possible effects on thyroid function in people with an underactive thyroid or iodine deficiency if very large amounts are eaten raw, since brassicas contain goitrogens; normal cooked servings are fine.
3. Stomach irritation from very large amounts of pungent radish in some people.
4. Woody, bitter texture from overgrown radishes.

GroupsCruciferous VegetablesCruciferous (cabbage family)Low fatLow sodiumFresh

Related foodsRadishBok Choy / Pak ChoyDaikon / White RadishGai Lan / Chinese BroccoliKohlrabiMustard Greens

Wikipedia — Radish, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radish