Since ancient times, there has been a saying in China that "eat radish in winter and ginger in summer without a doctor's prescription". These days, we have stewed radish and ribs soup for dinner. After work, we went home shivering in the cold wind and had a bowl of wine. It was really nice.
But why is there always the saying of eating radishes in winter? What's special about radishes? Does eating radish really have special benefits in winter? Let's talk about eating carrots in winter.
Carrots and carrots are not a family
Speaking of carrots, we have to mention carrots. There is only one word difference between them. Everyone will regard them as a family. But you know what? Carrots and carrots are not a family. Carrots are not actually "radishes".
Radish cultivation has a long history, which was recorded in Egypt 4000 years ago and China 2000 years ago. There are more than 2000 varieties of radish planted in China, including Cherry Radish, carrot, green radish, white radish and heart radish. They are all members of the radish family.
If you look closely, you will find that they are all cruciferous vegetables. However, carrot is a member of the genus carrot in Umbelliferae. There are great differences in botany classification between the two disciplines. So carrots are not carrots.
Radish has high water content, high dietary fiber and low calories
But there is nothing special compared with other vegetables
There are many ways to eat radishes, such as raw, cold mix, soup, pickles and so on. Every method is very delicious. I like it very much. Many people say radish is good and has high nutritional value. is that true?
According to the food nutrition database of the U.S. Department of agriculture, the data of three nutrients per 100 grams of white radish are: sugar 1.86 grams, protein 0.68 grams and fat 0.1 grams; The content of dietary fiber was 1.6g and vitamin C was 14.8mg.
From the analysis of nutritional data, as an edible vegetable, the nutritional characteristics of radish are as follows:
1. High moisture and low heat: the water content of radish is more than 90%, and the content per 100 grams is about 20 kcal. Winter weather is dry, eat more food with high water content, which is conducive to supplement the water needed by the body.
2. High dietary fiber content: radish contains a lot of dietary fiber, which can increase the sense of satiety. Radish contains mustard oil, which can promote intestinal peristalsis and help alleviate constipation.
3. The vitamin content is quite rich, and it also contains a variety of trace elements: for example, the vitamin C content of radish belongs to the medium level. Eating more radish is also conducive to obtaining vitamin C, but from the analysis of nutritional components, these nutritional components of radish are not prominent in vegetables.
For example, the vitamin C content in every 100 grams of green pepper is more than 60 mg, and the dietary fiber in every 100 grams of peas is much richer than radish.
Generally speaking, radish can be used as a vegetable to provide various nutritional sources for human beings, but it has nothing special.
Eat radish better than ginseng in winter?
In fact, it was because there were few vegetables in winter
There are many folk health legends about radish. For example, some people say that radish is "little ginseng", "eat radish in winter and ginger in summer without a doctor's prescription", "radish is on the market, the doctor is fine" and so on. Does radish really have such magical effect?
It's good to eat radishes in winter. I think an important reason for the popularity of these statements is that there were few vegetables in winter. As a very cold resistant vegetable, radish is one of the few vegetables that people can eat in winter. In ancient times, eating fresh radish in the long winter was very helpful for people to supplement nutrition, especially vitamin C, so people thought it was good to eat radish in winter at that time.
But in modern times, with the development of food technology, especially the progress of cold chain, fruit and vegetable storage and fruit and vegetable planting technology, we can eat all kinds of vegetables and fruits all year round, and the function of radish is not so magical.
In fact, although radish has its own nutritional advantages, it has no special ingredients. The nutrients contained in radish are common in many fruits and vegetables, and can also be obtained by eating other fruits and vegetables.
Moreover, if you are really ill, simply eating several nutrients provided by radish can not achieve the therapeutic effect.
The real treatment of the disease still needs diagnosis, symptomatic treatment and effective treatment of the cause, so as not to delay the disease and ensure physical health.
Are there anticancer factors in radish?
It has not been fully confirmed in humans
Scientists have also found some possible health ingredients in radishes. For example, in recent years, many media reports will mention an anti-cancer factor - sulforaphane, glucosinolates and so on.
Studies have found that these substances have "antioxidant" and "anticancer" effects, but most of them are found in cell and animal experiments, but there is not enough evidence in human body, so it is too early to think that they are effective and anticancer.
Overall, according to the current research evidence, radish is delicious, but it really has no special health effects. You shouldn't be too superstitious. You should see a doctor when you are ill.
