Crunchy, juicy, spicy and healthy Radishes are ideal for light nutrition

Healthy Radishes: Low in calories and full of essential vitamins and minerals

Radishes have been offered everywhere in supermarkets for weeks. The crisp, red tubers are not only delicious, but thanks to the contained vitamins and minerals also extremely healthy. In addition, they have few calories and thus offer themselves for the light spring cuisine.

Healthy regional vegetables

Health experts recommend consuming at least five to ten servings of fruit and vegetables daily. It is ideal if you can rely on regional goods. At present, radishes are one of them. The red tubers are not only delicious, but also serve health. Even the radish leaves are not useless green, they too can be eaten.

Radishes are currently in season. The red tubers are not only delicious, but also very healthy. In addition, they are low in calories and are ideal for the light spring cuisine. (Image: oksanka8306 / fotolia.com)

Low in calories - rich in essential minerals

Radishes are ideal for the light spring cuisine. As the German Federal Center for Nutrition (BZfE) reports, more than 90 percent of the crunchy tubers are water and contain just about 15 kcal per 100 grams.

The small power packs provide the body with vitamins C and K as well as plenty of minerals such as potassium and iron.

According to experts, the tasty tubers work against bacteria, are urinary and cholinergic and release cramps.

In addition, the ingredients contained in the radish, as well as many other phytochemicals are natural blood pressure and cholesterol depressants.

Mustard oils give radishes the sharpness

Radishes from the field taste particularly spicy, as they have a higher content of mustard oil glycosides.

Mustard oils not only give the tubers their spiciness, but also have an appetizing effect and support the immune system.

The leaves can also be consumed

The best tastes of the spring vegetables raw hand to mouth or cut small as a topping for the butter bread. In mixed salads, radishes set accents both visually and in terms of taste.

The BZfE has a tip ready: If the tubers are too hot, helps a pinch of salt. However, the root vegetables can also be steamed briefly in butter and served as a side dish to fish and jacket potatoes. When cooking, however, it loses its bright red color.

Many people are not aware that the leaves of radishes can also be used in the kitchen. The tender green is first thoroughly washed, cut into strips and then sprinkled over salads, vegetable pans and soups as seasoning.

Pay attention to freshness and quality

Radishes belong to the cruciferous plant family and have been known in Europe since the 16th century.

Most popular are the red, round tubers. But there are also bright red, purple, white, yellow and red-white varieties and turnip-like spiky radishes.

When shopping should be paid to freshness and quality. The best choice is plump, juicy tubers, without cracks and with fresh green. Smaller specimens often taste better and are less woody.

So that less moisture is lost during storage, the leaves are removed with a knife.

Wrapped in a damp cloth, radishes are preserved in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator for about two to three days. (Ad)