Radish Envy

Reviewing the list of health benefits and possible ways to enjoy the daikon radish, one might think it is the envy of the veggie world 🙂

Usually we hear that we should “eat the rainbow” when it comes to our vegetables, meaning those with the most color are the healthiest for us.  But the pale white-ish daikon radish just might be the big exception to this rule.

This is what Herbwisdom.com has to say about the daikon radish:
“Raw daikon root is a white fleshed radish that has a very mild taste and is very low in calories, coming in at around 6 calories per ounce. Because of the multitude of benefits it gives, daikon is considered a superfood. It contains large amounts of enzymes that aid in fat and starch digestion as well as high levels of vitamin C, phosphorus and potassium. It also contains other phyto-nutrients that fight cancer. The extract from the seed is also a powerful immune booster and cancer fighter.”

As if that weren’t enough, in our research on this special veggie we found that they help to treat, colon, kidney, intestinal, stomach and oral cancers by having an impact on cancerous cells that causes them to eliminate the cell’s ability to reproduce.

They are also high in potassium which has been positively connected to reducing blood pressure. In addition, eating daikon radishes can be a good treatment for headaches, acidity, constipation, nausea, obesity, sore throat, whooping cough, gastric problems, gall stones, upset stomach and diabetes.

These versatile radishes are used in virtually every type of Eastern and Asian cuisine, from Indian curries to Chinese and Japenese dishes of all sorts and sometimes as the main ingredient for Korean kimchi, as well as being used in the Vietnamese Bahn Mi sandwich.  They can be steamed, sauted, roasted, pickled or eaten as is, raw in salads, or all by themselves as a snack.

These wonderful veggies may not have a place on your usual shopping list but we would encourage you to think about picking some up on your next trip to the market and enjoying them as a part of a salad or, as one site suggested, dipped in peanut butter as a healthy and very enjoyable snack.

Jeremy Vann, (Robin’s grandson), taste testing a daikon radish as a part of a school assignment

You might also try making Do Chua, a traditional Vietnamese pickle, that can be served alongside meats or on a sandwich.

It’s a new year….try something new from the produce aisle.  You never know, there could be a new love for the daikon radish and joy and abundance awaiting you!

Do Chua

The addition of carrots adds color, flavor and texture.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound carrots, julienned or cut into match-like strips
1/2 pound daikon radish, julienned or cut into match-like strips
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Directions

In a large bowl, mix water, sugar and salt. Stir until sugar and salt completely dissolved.
Add carrot and daikon strips into the bowl and mix well.
Transfer to sterilized jars. Seal and refrigerate for at least overnight before consuming. It should last about 1 month in the refrigerator.