Here's What Happens If You Eat Radishes Every Day
Are you trying to work more vegetables into your daily meals? Most people are, especially since adults should eat at least 2-3 cups of vegetables daily to keep a healthy diet. Have you ever made a list of your favorite and least-favorite vegetables? Maybe you haven't, but you probably know which vegetables you like most and which you simply can't stomach. According to the North Dakota State University Ag Department, turnips, beets, and radishes are the top three least favorite vegetables among U.S. residents. Potatoes and corn made the top of the list.
If you don't like beets, turnips, or radishes, you could miss out on some fantastic side dishes and meals, like roasted beet dip and radish top soup. More importantly, you may miss out on some significant health benefits, especially with radishes. So what would happen if you were to add radishes into your daily diet? A lot!
The small-but-mighty radish
Radishes are rich in antioxidants, calcium, potassium, and vitamin C. They belong to the superfood family of vegetables, alongside greens and cabbage, and contain substances known to reduce inflammation. Even though they are beneficial in many ways, Healthline says that these little red vegetables have not been studied much for medicinal use in humans, and many of the health studies we now have were conducted on animals. Still, radishes are used in many at-home remedies for stomach issues, inflammation, and even fever.
If you eat them daily for their health benefits, you should know they are low in saturated fat and cholesterol and very low in calories, so they are not detrimental to most diet plans. If you want to incorporate them more into your diet but don't like the taste, pair them with fruits, like in pickled mango radish slaw, or even roast them with honey. Since radishes have a slightly spicy, peppery flavor, the honey adds balance and plays down the earthy aftertaste of the radish.
The downside to radishes
If you think the taste of radishes would be the hardest thing for you to overcome, you should know that radishes, while generally good for you, can have some adverse effects on your thyroid. This is especially true if you already have thyroid problems. A study conducted on rats found that high radish consumption increased the weight of the rodents' thyroids, which decreased their thyroid hormone levels. This showed as an underactive — or hypoactive — thyroid, even after the rats were given supplements to help ease the condition. People with underactive thyroids can experience weight gain and increased tiredness, among other symptoms.
Additionally, radishes have been shown to increase bile production, which is good for digestion, but if you are prone to gallstones, that increased bile can increase gallstone production. So while radishes are great for many health reasons, there are some precautions to take if you intend to eat more of them to add vegetables to your daily diet.