Remontel: a vegetable with superfood properties

November9, 2023 (13:30 CET) Radish is a superfood vegetable

The radish is an herbaceous species in the amaranth family, belonging to the subfamily Betoideae. It is the most important economic plant in the order Rosaceae.

Nutritional value of radish:

• For 100 g:
• - 34 calories
• - 9.8 g carbohydrates
• - 2.8 g fiber
• - 7 g sugar
• - 1.6 g protein
• - 0.2 g fat
• - 4.9 g vitamin C
• - 16 mg calcium
• - 0.8 g of iron
• - 78 g sodium
• - 325 g potassium
• - 23 mg magnesium

Interesting facts about radishes:

- What we think of as the "root" of the radish (Beta vulgaris) is actually the lower stem of this plant, which grows in''dark red color and can sometimes have concentric white circles. This is due to the high amount of sugar, making it a sweet product with a high carbohydrate content and a slight tart flavor. France and Italy are the two largest producers of table beets. In Spain, it is produced in the northern, central and eastern regions in the winter, while spring and summer production is concentrated in the Andalusia region. To preserve beets, it is best to store them in the refrigerator wrapped in a plastic bag. It is not recommended to freeze beets.

The benefits of eating radishes:

- Possesses anti-cancer properties. Betaine is the dye that gives beets their red color, and is a flavonoid that can prevent the appearance or''the growth of cancerous tumors, as confirmed by physician Alexander Frereni in his experiments on animals and humans.- Helps control blood pressure. Beet juice lowers blood pressure because it increases the concentration of nitric oxide in the blood, which dilates blood vessels. In addition, due to its high fiber content, it reduces the absorption of cholesterol.- It has an antihistamine effect in allergies and asthma. Asthmatics benefit from a diet rich in vitamin C, and beets contain it in its raw form, so for better prevention, it should be consumed raw, sliced into rings, grated in salads or in the form of smoothies and juice.- Improves athletic performance.

What science says about radishes:

Many articles talk about the health benefits of radishes, especially for athletes. We highlight this article published in 2021 in Food Science & Nutrition ("Beets as a functional food with great health benefits: antioxidant, anticancer, functional status and chronic metabolic'industrial) reduces its nutritional qualities, neutralizing most of its vitamin C and increasing its sugar content. However, it still contains all of its minerals, folic acid, pigments and flavonoids that give it such great preventative properties.