Radishes for Weight Loss and Health Boosting Benefits

Radishes may not be the most popular vegetables on the market, but they sure are amongst the healthiest.

Black radish, white radish, red radish, daikon radish, horseradish, watermelon radish, and round radish are some of the many types of radishes.

Radishes can be consumed in many different ways. You can slice them raw in your salads. They can also be pickled and used in sandwiches, roasted, or added to casseroles.

This spicy and pungent vegetable’s health benefits include preventing diabetes, improving heart health, lowering blood pressure, and boosting weight loss!

Let’s look closer at the health benefits and weight loss effects of eating radishes.

Is radish good for weight loss?

Radishes are great helpers when it comes to weight loss. Here’s how they can help you lose weight.

1. Radishes are high in fiber and water

Radishes contain 1.9 g of fiber for every 1 cup of vegetable. They improve digestion, making it easier for you to lose weight. Being a fibrous and watery vegetable, radishes help you manage your appetite.

2. Radishes are low in fat and calories

A radish is extremely low in calories. 1 cup of radishes contains about 19 calories. That’s why adding slices of raw radish to your salad is a good choice when you’re pursuing a weight loss diet.

3. The glycemic index of radishes is very low

The higher the glycemic index of a food, the more it will affect your blood glucose, and the more you will feel hungry again in a short while. Radishes affect the blood glucose so little that you will feel full even hours after eating them.

Nutritional Values of Radishes

Radishes are very high in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Here is the nutritional profile of 1 cup of raw, sliced radishes (116 g).

• Calories: 19
• Protein: 0.8 g
• Carbohydrates: 4 g
• Fiber: 1.9 g
• Fat: 0.1 g
• Potassium: 270 mg
• Vitamin C: 17.2 mg
• Niacin: 0.3 mg
• Vitamin B6: 0.1 mg
• Folate: 29.0 mcg

Health Benefits of Radishes

1. Supports the immune system

Radishes are rich in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, and are therefore good supporters of the immune system. Radishes help to fight illnesses such as seasonal flu.

2. Prevents diabetes

With a low glycemic index, radishes are a great food to balance your blood sugar level. Radishes improve the insulin response of the body, help with prediabetes, and can even prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.

3. Improves digestion

Having a diet with enough fibrous food is essential for perfect digestion. According to the Mayo Clinic, this amount is between 21 and 25 grams of fiber a day for women, and 30 to 38 grams a day for men.

This means that eating just one radish a day fulfills around 10% of your daily fiber requirement.

A fibrous diet is essential to prevent constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, and other digestion-related problems. One serving of radishes makes a good source of daily fiber.

4. Helps fight Candida

Radishes are proven to be effective in combating fungal infections, including the infection caused by Candida albicans. 

Candida is known to cause vaginal and oral infections. It is one of the most common fungi found in the human body and can be very difficult to eliminate. The antifungal compound found in radishes is called RsAFP2.

5. Supports heart health

The antioxidants in radishes, along with the minerals they contain such as calcium and potassium, help lower high blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease.

In addition, radishes contain “anthocyanins”, which are a type of flavonoid with antioxidant effects that can be particularly helpful in supporting heart health.

6. Makes the skin glow

Being a watery vegetable filled with vitamin C, radishes are great for making the skin look better by helping the skin form collagen. Plus, vitamin B6 can reduce acne breakouts and premature aging.

To sum up

Radishes may not be on everyone’s everyday shopping list, but perhaps after learning about their weight loss and health-improving effects, you’re more ready to include them in your diet.

Why don’t you just give radishes a try? After all, even if you try them but don’t like the taste, you don’t need to worry because they’re very low in calories!