Radishes are among the first spring vegetables, and can produce a harvest in 3 to 4 weeks from seeding. Radish (Raphanus sativus) is a cool season vegetable that has long been cultivated in many parts of the world. Domestic radish is believed to have originated from wild relatives in both Europe and Asia, and may have developed from distinct wild species on both continents. Radishes will be available at market in the spring season.
Radishes are delicious raw, and there’s nothing better than a radish pulled out of the soil and eaten immediately. Radish greens are edible and very nutritious, and actually contain more nutrients than the roots. Radish leaves are very high in calcium and 100 grams contain almost as much as the recommended daily allowance. Radish leaves contain 4 times the flavonoid levels of the roots. Radishes have a high water content and are a good source of vitamin C and K. Radish leaves can be used raw, wilted, and in pesto and smoothies. There are a variety of radish greens soup recipes widely available. Radishes are excellent in salads, pickled, in stir fries and roasted.
| Plant Species | Calcium | Magnesium | Iron | Potassium | Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) |
| Radish leaves | 752.64 g/100g | 57.04 g/100g | 3.74 g/100g | 495.31 g/100g | 38.69 g/100g |
| Radish roots | 147.87 g/100g | 14.98 g/100g | 0.15 g/100g | 380.11 g/100g | 16.59 g/100g |
Sources
Goyeneche, R., Roura, S., Ponce, A., Vega-Gálvez, A., Quispe-Fuentes, I., Uribe, E. and Di Scala, K., 2015. Chemical characterization and antioxidant capacity of red radish (Raphanus sativus L.) leaves and roots. Journal of Functional Foods, 16, pp.256-264.
