Radishes

The radish, raphanus sativus, belongs to the Brassicaceae family, the same as cabbage, turnip and mustard. Radish was used by the ancient Egyptians who gave it to eat, together with garlic and onions, to those people who worked to build the Pyramids. There are mainly two varieties, one wild also called black horseradish, the other cultivated with the classic round shape and the pinkish color. The latter is also the radish we are talking about in this article, with stimulating properties for appetite, a diuretic and depurative action, detoxifying effect for the liver and expectorant properties since the body releases the respiratory mucus. Radishes are a very low-calorie food and are mostly composed of water, vitamins, B and C, and mineral salts such as iron, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium. These characteristics give the radishes also a sedative, relaxing and antispasmodic action, help to keep under control nervous hunger, relax tension, muscles and the central nervous system. You can eat radish, raw and cut into slices, and add it to salads or use it as a tasty appetizer. In Asian cuisine, radish is also widely used as an ingredient in miso and algae soups. Alternatively, you can eat radish sprouts, spicy and very rich in vitamins, which are good to be added to salads. You can also prepare healthy herbal teas using radish leaves. Bring to boil a liter of water, remove from heat and infuse for ten minutes two handfuls of fresh leaves, filter and drink up to two cups a day for a stimulating and diuretic effect, this drink can also help to calm the cough and it is against respiratory infections.