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The radish is an annual or biennial
vegetable with a white taproot. It is usually eaten as a salad or
cooked in soups. It can also be preserved in salt or pickled.
The Radish's ancestor is thought to have
come from the Mediterranean or the Near East long before recorded
history. It was already familiar food to the ancient Egyptians around
2780 BC. Together with garlic, it was fed to the slave laborers
building the Great Pyramid.
Today the radish is firmly established
in tropical Africa, India and China. The root is a good source of
vitamin C and a variety of minerals like calcium and phosphorus. But
pink-skinned ones have a higher level of vitamin c than the usual
white ones. The leaves are also rich in calcium, iron, protein and
vitamins A and C.
Since radish is a fibrous material, it
stays in the stomach for a long time. So it's better not to eat it at
night. Also avoid eating it with milk. Choose only tender, small and
fresh radish. Peeling a radish removes most of the pungent taste, due
to the removal of the enzymes that are responsible for the production
of mustard oil.
Below are some radish preparations used
in traditional medicinal practices:
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Digestion: Radish pieces if eaten with
meals help to overcome gas problems in the stomach.
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Pain and swelling: Grated radish is tied
up in a clean cloth and warmed on a hot iron. Apply this warm-knot at
the site of pain or swelling but don't apply it on bleeding wounds.
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Stomachache, uneasiness, gas-induced
pain in the chest: Radish pieces sprinkled with salt, pepper and lime
juice give a lot of relief.
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Loss of appetite, loss of sensation in
tongue and throat: Was and chop small sizes radish and boil it in
water. Cool to a bearable temperature and serve it with a dash of
black pepper, coriander and cumin before meals. Sip this soup slowly
and it will definitely give much required relief.
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Worms (children): Mix four teaspoons
radish juice and two teaspoons honey. Take this mixture and after two
hours take 100 ml castor oil with warm water.
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Frequent bouts of cough and cold:
Prepare a soup of radish root and mung pulse, add black pepper, rock
salt, cumin and honey to taste.
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