The radish is a vegetable from the cruciferous botanical family. The different varieties share similar attributes, such as a firm, well-hydrated, spicy flesh. The well-formed radish is smooth with healthy green leaves. Radishes harvested after their maturity date are excessively spicy and have cracked skin. The radish is particularly popular in Asian cuisine. Americans often use radishes in salads and as a garnish. The nutrients in radishes help support digestive health.
Carbohydrate Digestion
Radishes contain amylase, the enzyme the body uses to digest carbohydrates. The Japanese often add radishes to carbohydrate-concentrated meals to aid digestion. In 2009, Shizuoka University in Japan evaluated radishes for their amylase activity and found they were useful for carbohydrate digestion.
Fiber
A 1 cup serving of radishes provides 1.9 g of fiber, or 8 percent of the 25 g daily value recommended by the FDA. Fiber is the most important nutrient for digestion because it expands in the stomach, prolongs hunger suppression, absorbs waste in the intestines and stimulates regular elimination.
Minerals
The mineral content in radishes is important for the contractions in the intestines called peristalsis that propel waste elimination. A 1 cup serving of radishes provides 270 mg of potassium, or 8 percent of the 3,500 mg FDA daily value. Potassium functions as a contraction-supportive nutrient, while the 12 mg of magnesium, or the 3 percent of the 400 mg FDA daily value, improves the relaxation of the intestinal walls.
Water
The nutritional composition of radishes includes 95 percent water. The hydration radishes provide in the body assists with healthy intestinal waste consistency, important for regular elimination. The water content in foods often supplements the 64 oz. of fluids commonly recommended each day for the prevention of dehydration.
