Black radish

Black radish is an extremely useful plant, which has been known to our compatriots since ancient times as a health-improver for the human body and is widely used in folk medicine for the treatment and prevention of many diseases.

The homeland of radish is Asia. Radish has been grown as a vegetable since ancient times. It is no longer known in the wild today. Black radish is now cultivated in Europe, North America, Australia and in the temperate climate of Asia. The best soil for growing black radish is humus, deep, somewhat damp soil. The plant prefers humus, deep, somewhat damp soil.

Black radish has an unusually ancient history. It is known that even in Ancient Egypt, during the construction of the pyramids, Egyptian workers ate black radish to maintain health, body tone and performance. Today, radish is used as a vegetable and for medical and healing purposes. There are different varieties of radish, they differ in the shape and color of the root crop. Black radish is considered the most useful and effective: the fact is that it is hotter than other types, and the hotness determines the principle of action of radish.

Composition of black radish

Black radish is not a leader among vegetables in terms of vitamin and mineral content, however, its composition is perfectly balanced, it has a little bit of everything. A unique combination, which includes minerals, essential oils, vitamins and much more, makes black radish an effective medicine.

Black radish contains proteins, carbohydrates in the form of sucrose and fructose, fats, provitamin A (carotene), retinol (vitamin A), vitamin B9, K, C, trace elements - iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, zinc. Black radish is most useful when fresh. 100 g of radish contains: almost 2 g of proteins, 0.2 g of fats, 6.7 g of carbohydrates, 2.1 g of dietary fiber (cellulose), as well as organic acids, water, starch, ash, mono- and disaccharides.

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Useful properties of black radish

Vitamins B and C, which are part of black radish, are necessary for the normal functioning of the human body. Ascorbic acid, which is found in large quantities in black radish, promotes recovery from liver diseases, gall bladder, bronchial asthma, and restores the body after illnesses.

Vitamin B1 in black radish is needed by small children for growth, helps with fat metabolism, the cardiovascular and nervous systems.

Benefits of Black Radish

• Black radish has diuretic and choleretic effects: it is characterized by promoting and accelerating the processes of dissolving stones and sand in the kidneys and gallbladder.
• Black radish has a bactericidal effect: phytoncides contained in root crops in large quantities have a detrimental effect on microbes and protect the human body from various infectious diseases. And black radish in combination with onions and garlic is the best natural remedy for improving the health of intestinal microflora.
• Black radish tends to increase expectoration processes, so if you have bronchitis, whooping cough, hemoptysis, and it is accompanied by a strong, prolonged cough, radish with honey is recommended for you.
• Stimulates appetite. Sulfurous essential oils, which are abundant in black radish, stimulate appetite and digestion.
• Black radish can serve as a painkiller. Acupressure with black radish juice will relieve pain from radiculitis, as well as from a bruise.
• Black radish reduces cholesterol levels in the blood, therefore it has an anti-sclerotic effect.
• The high content of iodine makes black radish its source, therefore it is extremely useful for thyroid dysfunctions, as well as for its diseases, since iodine promotes the formation of necessary hormones.
• The presence of fiber in large quantities helps the work of the organs involved in digestive processes. Therefore, black radish is used when a person has chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, cholecystitis, gallstone disease, weak intestinal peristalsis, constipation.
• Black radish relieves swelling by removing excess fluid from the body and normalizing the water-salt balance.
• Due to the content of lysozyme in black radish, this root vegetable is extremely effective against various parasites.

Medicinal properties of black radish

The miraculous healing and medicinal effect of radish is achieved due to potassium salts, which are easily absorbed and beneficial to health. Potassium salts remove toxic metabolic products from the human body with urine, excess fluid in tissues, and help regulate water-salt metabolism. But in terms of potassium salt content, radish is just the recognized leader: it contains 600 mg%.

In addition, black radish contains many useful organic substances, enzymes and phytoncides. It is also a natural antibiotic, which is facilitated by the high content of glycosides, which are antimicrobial substances.

Another irreplaceable wealth of black radish is the substance lysozyme. Its important property is the suppression of the growth of bacteria, fungi, and protozoa.

Harm of black radish

Gastroenterologists recommend introducing black radish into the diet gradually, with some caution, to see how the body reacts to this product. It should not be eaten in large quantities at once.

Contraindications to the use of black radish

Black radish has an effect on mucous membranes, so there are cases when its use may be contraindicated. You should not include radish in your diet if a person has:

• gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer;
• gastritis with increased acidity of gastric juice;
• simply with increased acidity;
• inflammatory liver diseases;
• glomerulonephritis;
• organic heart disease
• if a person has recently suffered a heart attack.

In addition, a person may suffer from individual intolerance to radish.

Recipe for making black radish juice

Black radish is cut and placed in a juicer or grated, then squeezed well. The course of treatment begins with 50 g per day, on an empty stomach. After a few days, the dose is gradually increased to 200 g of juice per day (preferably in 4 doses); after that, its dose is again gradually reduced to 50 g per day.

Black radish juice is used for bronchitis, cough, colds and hoarseness, diseases of the gallbladder and liver, bronchi and heart, and rheumatism. Fresh radish juice is used locally for radiculitis, neuralgia, and myositis.

Recipe for making black radish juice with honey

A large radish is grated, the resulting mass, as well as the juice that was released during the grating process, must be mixed with three tablespoons of honey, infused for 10 hours, and then squeezed out. The resulting black radish juice is taken by spoon several times a day.

Black radish with honey

There is another option for preparing black radish with honey: the top of a large radish is cut off (about one third), the middle is cleaned out. As a result of these actions, a cavity is formed in the radish, which is filled with honey or sprinkled with sugar. After all this, the radish is kept warm for several hours. Under the influence of honey or sugar, the radish will release juice into the cleaned cavity, which is drunk, and then the radish itself is eaten.

Black radish juice

Radish juice for anemia and low immunity:

• 100 ml of radish juice is combined with 100 ml of beetroot juice. Take 100 ml twice a day before meals for one month.

Radish juice for bronchitis and cough:

• Drink 100 ml of radish juice three to four times a day and gargle with it.

Radish juice for colds:

• 100 ml of radish juice is combined with 15 g of honey and mixed. Take 100 ml three times a day until complete recovery.

Radish juice with sugar for cough:

• 100 g of radish is cut into slices, sprinkled with 20 g of sugar and left until juice appears. Juice in the amount of 20 ml is taken every two hours.

Radish juice for the prevention of atherosclerosis:

• Mix 50 ml of radish juice with 50 ml of apple juice. Take 100 ml of the resulting mixture twice a day for one to two months. Repeat the course of treatment every six months.

Radish juice for sinusitis:

• To eliminate the symptoms of sinusitis, 3-6 drops of freshly squeezed radish juice are instilled into the nose twice a day.

Radish juice with bay leaf infusion for diabetes:

• 10 g of bay leaf is poured with 600 ml of water and infused for 3-4 hours. Usually 100 ml of infusion is taken, adding 20 ml of freshly squeezed radish juice to it, three times a day.

Radish juice if you have poor appetite:

• 15-20 ml of radish juice is taken three times a day fifteen minutes before meals.

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Treatment with black radish

Since ancient times, black radish has been used for treatment in different ways. One of the most common forms of using black radish is its juice. It is considered very healing and helps with many ailments.

Black radish for bile stasis

Black radish is famous for its choleretic properties, so it is used in cases of obstructed bile flow and in situations of accumulation of a large amount of salts. To get rid of bile stagnation, juice is extracted from black radish using any of the above methods, in this case it is best to simply squeeze juice from black radish using a juicer. To drive out bile, black radish juice is consumed one teaspoon after meals.

After starting the course of such treatment, pain may be felt in the liver area in the first few days, which can be relieved with a hot water bottle. When the pain passes and no longer makes itself known, the volume of juice consumed can be gradually increased to 100 ml at a time. When undergoing treatment with black radish juice, it is better to go on a bland diet, avoid sour and salty foods.

When you extracted the juice from the radish, there should be a cake left – the pulp separated from the juice. This cake should be mixed with sugar or honey in the proportion of half a kilogram of sugar or three hundred grams of honey per kilogram of radish pulp. The resulting mass is placed in a warm place under a press, it needs to ferment, and then it will be ready for use. After drinking the juice, the second part of the treatment begins – the resulting fermented mass is taken one to three tablespoons during meals until it is finished.

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Black radish for bronchitis

The pulp of black radish obtained after squeezing the juice is also used as mustard plasters. These are called radish plasters, they are made from fresh pulp, and it is good that there is some juice left in it - do not squeeze it too much. Then put it on gauze and place it like a mustard plaster on a spatula for 15-20 minutes. It is not recommended to use polyethylene, since air must get to the radish plaster. After some time, a person will feel a burning sensation in the area of the radish plaster, similar to the burning sensation from a mustard plaster. The radish plaster helps to draw out the viscous secretion that has accumulated in the bronchi.

After the skin under the radish turns red, the compress is moved to another place, to the other side of the body. To make the effect more intense, it is recommended to also take 100 ml of black radish juice orally when performing this procedure.

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Black radish compress

Black radish compresses can be used not only for bronchitis. In situations similar to the use of mustard plasters, radish can be used instead. To do this, grated black radish in a gauze bag is applied to the sore spot.

Black Radish for Poor Digestion

Black radish is an indispensable assistant if you have poor digestion. You can make a salad from it, mix it with carrots and beets and season it with vegetable oil. If you eat this combination of vegetables at least once a day, the work of the stomach and intestines will noticeably improve.

Black radish for treating rheumatic pain in muscles and joints Black radish can be used to treat rheumatic pain in muscles and joints. To do this, mix one and a half glasses of radish juice with a glass of honey, add half a glass, 0.5 glasses of vodka and a tablespoon of salt. Shake the resulting mixture and rub it on the sore spots.

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Black radish for constipation

Due to its high fiber content, black radish promotes more complete bowel movement. Therefore, it is often used for atonic constipation. The main thing here is not to get carried away and eat no more than 50 g of black radish per day.

Black radish for anemia

Black radish is a wonderful remedy for anemia. It is treated by mixing three juices: black radish, carrot and beetroot juice. For example, take half a kilo of each vegetable, extract the juice, pour it into one container (heat-resistant dish), cover it with a lid, and for a better effect, seal it with dough, and put it in the oven for three hours. The resulting mixture is consumed one tablespoon three times a day, fifteen minutes before meals, until the patient's condition improves. It is not recommended to continue this treatment for more than three months.

Black radish for hypertension

People who suffer from hypertension will find black radish very useful. In this case, it is useful to consume the following mixture three times a day, one tablespoon at a time: 20 ml of radish, beetroot, horseradish and carrot juice, and the juice of one lemon.

Black radish for severe cough

Black radish has an expectorant effect, so it is widely used to treat severe coughs. To get rid of a cough, doctors recommend drinking black radish juice. It can be prepared as follows: radish is cut into small cubes, covered with sugar and infused for eight hours. The resulting juice is drunk one tablespoon every hour.

Black radish for cough for children

Black radish is often used to treat coughs in children. It is a strong expectorant that helps remove mucus and get rid of coughs.

To get rid of a child's cough, radish with honey is most often used. It is prepared in one of two most common ways - either by cutting off the "lid" of the radish and cleaning out the cavity, which will fill with juice under the influence of honey, or by cutting the radish into cubes and pouring honey over it. Both methods are good, your goal is to get radish juice, which is given to the child one teaspoon four to six times a day. The presence of honey makes the taste of honey more pleasant and sweet, so it will be easier for the child to take it. The only thing you need to make sure that the baby is not allergic to honey.

Black radish tincture

Various tinctures of black radish have a wide range of effects. They are also used to treat various diseases.

Black radish tincture for skin diseases: 100 ml of wine is mixed with 100 ml of radish juice and kept on low heat until all the liquid evaporates. Apply locally, treat the affected areas.

Black radish tincture for neoplasms

An alcohol tincture made from black radish is good to use as a medicine for neoplasms. Half a kilo of black radish is cut and poured with two glasses of vodka. The resulting mixture is infused for two weeks in a dark place, then consumed 30 g per day before meals.

Black radish tincture for the treatment of arthrosis

In the treatment of arthrosis, a tincture of black radish, cranberry and cognac is effective. Cranberry, black radish and beetroot, each in the amount of 500 g, are poured with a liter of cognac and left for fourteen days in the open form. The tincture is consumed in the amount of one tablespoon in the morning, on an empty stomach.

Black radish tincture for cancer

As strange as it may seem, black radish is even used to treat cancer. In this case, black radish tincture is prepared as follows: one kilogram of grated radish is poured with a liter of vodka and left for two weeks. A quarter of a glass of this tincture is drunk several times a day for half a month. The course is repeated every two months.

Black radish for weight loss

The set of substances contained in black radish helps to speed up metabolic processes in the human body. That is why black radish juice is often used for weight loss – drink small portions daily after each meal. The results become more noticeable if you eat right and limit fatty and starchy foods.

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Black radish for hair

Black radish juice has a beneficial effect on hair. Cosmetologists use it to strengthen hair and improve its growth. Hair follicles are revived when black radish juice is rubbed into the scalp, the presence of nutrients in it promotes nutrition of the roots and hair growth.

Black radish is used to make hair masks. To do this, black radish is chopped (using a blender, grater, or meat grinder). Then the pulp is squeezed through cheesecloth to get the juice. Before washing your hair (an hour before this procedure), black radish juice is rubbed into the hair roots. Black radish can cause your scalp to burn a little, but this is normal, there is nothing wrong with it. If the burning is hard to bear, you can wash the radish off your hair earlier. Hair grows well after such a mask, and if it was falling out before, it will stop. To make the effect more noticeable, a black radish hair mask is used every week.

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Black radish for baldness

Due to the fact that black radish has a beneficial effect on the condition of hair, scalp, strengthens hair and prevents hair loss, black radish juice and masks based on it are widely used as a remedy for baldness. The fact is that black radish has a high content of such microelements as zinc, calcium, silicon and sulfur, and they are necessary for good hair growth.

Radish juice is rubbed into the scalp half an hour to an hour before washing. After the third or fourth such procedure, fresh fluff can be seen on the bald areas.

Black radish shampoo is good for combating baldness. To prepare it, you need two large black radishes, one raw egg yolk, and one small lemon. Finely grate the radish and squeeze out the juice. Mix half a glass of black radish juice with one yolk and lemon juice. Rub the prepared shampoo into the scalp, massaging gently for two minutes. Rinse with cool water, adding a little vinegar.

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Black radish during pregnancy

Black radish is contraindicated for use during pregnancy. The presence of essential oils in it is the main reason why black radish cannot be eaten by expectant mothers. In addition, many experts agree that black radish promotes uterine tone, and this is a threat to bearing a fetus. Therefore, this folk remedy cannot be used during pregnancy under any circumstances.

Although many expectant mothers still eat radish with honey, not knowing or turning a blind eye to such warnings. Of course, when radish with honey is prepared, it usually stands for several hours until the juice is released, and during this time the concentration of essential oils in it decreases. In addition, radish juice is usually taken as a medicine in very small quantities, so the likelihood of harm to the mother and child is very small. And in addition to the above, it is important what condition the uterus of the expectant mother is in: if the uterus is calm, its tone does not cause concern, nothing threatens the bearing of the child, then many allow themselves a little black radish as a medicine.

But doctors agree: black radish can be dangerous for pregnancy, so it is better not to take risks and not to consume it during this period, because you can never predict with absolute certainty how it can affect the health of the expectant mother and her baby.

Black radish recipes

Black radish salads

Layered salad of black radish - salad "Gorodeisky"

Ingredients for making layered salad with black radish:

• one black radish;
• one carrot;
• three potatoes;
• one onion;
• two chicken eggs;
• 150 g mayonnaise;
• two pinches of salt

The essence of this salad is in its layering: it has a cylindrical shape. It is not easy to achieve this. You can use a deep plate and then turn the prepared salad onto a dish, but there is a risk of doing this procedure unsuccessfully, and the salad may fall apart, the layers may mix, and the dish will acquire a sloppy and unappetizing appearance.

To make everything as good as possible, it is good to use Whatman paper or thin cardboard, lining them with foil from the inside. After preparing the salad, the structure is pulled up and removed from the salad.

Boil the potatoes in their skins, cut into small cubes, then lay them out as the bottom layer, cover with a thin layer of mayonnaise and add a little salt. Sprinkle the chopped onion over the next layer. Grate the radish on a Korean carrot grater and lay it down as the next layer, which is also greased with mayonnaise. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater and lay them on top of the radish with mayonnaise. Then peel the apple and seeds it and grate it on a medium grater, spread the resulting apple mass over the carrots, and then generously pour mayonnaise over it. Sprinkle the top of the salad with hard-boiled eggs, grated on a fine grater. After all the layers of the salad have been laid out, remove the foil form – you can pull it up and remove it this way.

Black radish salad with meat

Ingredients for making a salad of black radish with meat (quantity is chosen at discretion, to taste):

• black radish;
• onions;
• boiled beef or veal;
• mayonnaise;
• salt to taste.

To prepare the salad, first boil the meat and cut it into strips. Then grate the peeled radish on a coarse grater. Fry the onion, cut into half rings, in vegetable oil until golden brown. Mix all the prepared ingredients and season with mayonnaise, add salt to taste. The salad is ready to serve.

Black radish salad with carrots and sour cream

Ingredients for making a salad of black radish with carrots and sour cream:

• one large black radish;
• two carrots;
• half a glass of sour cream;
• salt to taste.

Grate black radish and carrots on a beet grater, add salt to taste and leave to stand for twenty minutes to reduce bitterness. After that, pour sour cream over everything and put it in a salad bowl. This salad goes well with hot and cold dishes, especially beef and lamb.

Black radish salad with sour cream and cottage cheese

• three hundred grams of black radish;
• one hundred grams of onion;
• one hundred grams of tomatoes;
• one hundred grams of cottage cheese;
• one hundred grams of sour cream;
• salt, sugar to taste.

The radish is peeled, grated, lightly squeezed to get rid of excess juice, salted to taste. Then mixed with finely chopped onion, sugar, mixed everything, placed in a salad bowl, poured with sour cream on top and sprinkled with cottage cheese. The salad is decorated with sliced tomato slices on top.

French Salad with Black Radish

Ingredients for making French salad with black radish:

• one beetroot;
• one carrot;
• one radish (medium size);
• two or three potatoes;
• one bunch of greens (dill, parsley, green onions, etc.);
• two hundred and fifty grams of mayonnaise.

Raw vegetables - beets, carrots, black radish - are grated on a coarse grater or shredded. Potatoes cut into thin strips are deep-fried until crispy and golden brown. All vegetables and finely chopped greens are laid out in equal-sized piles on a flat plate. Mayonnaise is poured into the center. The recipe stipulates that the salad does not need to be salted; it is mixed on the table.

Radish in Korean

Ingredients for cooking Korean radish:

• half a kilogram of black radish;
• one onion;
• two cloves of garlic;
• vegetable oil;
• black pepper;
• allspice;
• red hot pepper;
• carnation;
• cinnamon;
• bay leaf;
• table vinegar;
• salt.

Using a coffee grinder, grind and mix all the available spices - black, allspice, red hot pepper, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf. Cut the black radish into thin strips, salt and leave to stand for several hours. Pass the garlic through a press, then add a little vegetable oil to it. Mix the radish with the prepared spices and garlic, leave the whole mass for fifteen to twenty minutes. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan, cool and pour into the salad.

Salad "Chinese Emperor"

Ingredients needed for the Chinese Emperor salad:

• three hundred and fifty grams of sweet pepper;
• three hundred grams of cucumbers;
• three hundred grams of black radish;
• two hundred and fifty grams of carrots;
• two hundred grams of boiled chicken fillet;
• garlic;
• soy sauce.

Boil the chicken fillet and then cut into small pieces. Peel the cucumber, black radish and carrot and grate on a medium grater. Remove the seeds from the sweet pepper and cut into thin strips. Mix the chopped garlic with a small amount of soy sauce and water. It is best to place the salad on a flat plate so that the chicken fillet is in the center and the vegetables are around it, after which everything is poured with garlic-soy sauce. Usually this salad is mixed after it is served.

Black radish with squid

Ingredients for cooking black radish with squid:

• one hundred fifty to two hundred grams of squid;
• one or two black radishes;
• one to two tablespoons of vegetable oil;
• one to two tablespoons of vinegar;
• parsley;
• salt.

Boiled squid and peeled radish are cut into thin strips, everything is mixed, seasoned with vegetable oil, salt and vinegar, and then sprinkled with parsley.

Black radish dishes

Dumplings with black radish

Ingredients for making dumplings with black radish:

• two hundred to three hundred grams of black radish;
• one hundred and fifty grams of carrots;
• one tablespoon of oil (butter or vegetable);
• one tablespoon of sour cream (thick);
• one onion;
• salt;
• sugar (optional).

The radish is peeled and grated on a coarse grater, the same is done with the carrots, a pinch of salt is added to taste, sometimes a little sugar is sprinkled on top. Then the resulting mass is slightly kneaded with hands so that the vegetables release juice. In order for the bitterness to evaporate from the radish, it needs to stand for fifteen to twenty minutes. Those who like spicy food can skip this step. Finely chopped onions are fried in oil until golden brown. After this, the previously prepared mass of radish and carrots is added to the frying pan, as well as a spoonful of thick sour cream (in the Lenten version - a third of a glass of vegetable broth or water). The vegetables are stewed until the moisture is absorbed and evaporates, sometimes they are even fried a little. As a result, the vegetables should be soft, but not turn into mush. The resulting mince is cooled.

Meanwhile, knead the lean dough, from which dumplings are made with prepared vegetable mince.

Dumplings with black radish are cooked in boiling salted water for ten to twelve minutes.

Serve with sour cream; you can make a sour cream-garlic sauce with butter and ground pepper.

Black radish with kvass

Ingredients for making black radish with kvass:

• two small black radishes;
• one glass of kvass;
• two teaspoons of vegetable oil;
• salt.

Black radish is peeled and grated on a medium grater. After that, it is salted, seasoned with vegetable oil, filled with kvass and served in bouillon cups.

Storing Black Radish

Black radish is an extremely useful medicinal product that is widely used in folk medicine. In order for this healing root vegetable to always be at hand at any time of the year, it is important to understand how to store it correctly, what storage conditions are best to create in order to preserve the beneficial properties of black radish as much as possible.

Young black radish of summer harvests is stored at room temperature for a week. If summer radish is placed in the refrigerator (with a temperature of +1…+2°C and relative humidity of 94-96%), it can lie there without problems for twenty days.

Winter radish varieties are subject to longer storage. If you plan to store the radish in the refrigerator, it is advisable to place it in the chamber immediately after harvesting. Winter radish tolerates storage well and can easily be suitable for 200-220 days. The best stored varieties are Winter Round Black, Winter Round White.

Black radish is often stored in a cellar, it is best to do this in wet sand at a temperature of +2…+3°C with a relative humidity of 80-85%. At the same time, the root crops intended for storage must be whole without defects and damage, since the process of rotting can begin and from the damaged root crop pass to all the others. Radish may not be sprinkled with sand, but this way it is stored longer and better.

According to experts, when stored correctly, radish not only does not lose its useful microelements and medicinal properties, but, on the contrary, increases them, therefore, in winter and spring it is very useful for consumption and desirable to appear on the table.

Black radish is an extremely useful product, widely used in folk medicine for the prevention and treatment of many diseases. In addition, its unusual taste makes it possible to prepare interesting and piquant dishes.