Radishes

Give your next salad or side a crunch with this healthy tuber

How to buy
Look for firm, compact radishes. If the leaves are still attached, they should be fresh and bright green.

Cut & clean
Wash and trim radishes just before using, being careful to remove any sand, and soak them in ice water for an hour or two to increase their crispness.

Power food
Radishes are an excellent source of vitamin C.

Preparation, uses, and tips

Wash and trim radishes just before using, being careful to remove any sand, and soak them in ice water for an hour or two to increase their crispness. Use sliced raw red radishes in salads, or braise sliced daikon in a little sesame oil and serve hot.

Buying and storing tips

Radishes are available all year long, with peak months in the spring and fall. Radishes can be found in the fruits and vegetables section of most health food stores and supermarkets; daikon is found in specialty markets. They can be found both trimmed and with their greens still attached. Buy firm, compact radishes (softer ones indicate a pithy interior). If the leaves are still attached, they should be fresh and bright green. Discard the leaves, place radish roots in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Varieties

Radishes come in a number of varieties, ranging in colour from red to purple to white, and in shape from small and round to long and oval. The most common radish is the oval, red-skinned variety, about the size of a cherry tomato. Daikon, a long, white, cylindrical variety that may weigh a pound (450g) or more, is used primarily in Indian and Japanese cooking.

Nutrition Highlights

Radishes, 1 cup (88g) (raw, sliced)
Calories: 23
Protein: 0.69g
Carbohydrate: 4.2g
Total Fat: 0.63g
Fiber: 1.85g
*Excellent source of: Vitamin C (26.4mg)

Daikon, 1 radish, 7 inches (17cm) long (oriental radish, raw)
Calories: 61
Protein: 2.03g
Carbohydrate: 13.9g
Total Fat: 0.34g
Fiber: 5.4g
*Excellent source of: Potassium (767mg), Vitamin C (74mg), and Folate (95mcg)
*Good source of: Magnesium (54mg)

*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value, based upon United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines. Foods that are a “good source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the USDA Recommended Daily Value. Nutritional information and daily nutritional guidelines may vary in different countries. Please consult the appropriate organization in your country for specific nutritional values and the recommended daily guidelines.

Learn more about Healthnotes, the company.

Learn more about the authors of Healthnotes.

The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or chemist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires August 2007.