Eat This Zesty Bone-Building Veggie In Season Now

Vivian Goldschmidt, MA Nutrition

Evidence-Based
3 min Read

After an unusually long winter, spring is finally here. And as the weather warms up, it’s a great time to look for the season’s freshest produce that can also help you build your bones.

There’s a crunchy and alkalizing little vegetable that’s a bone health treasure trove, containing no less than nine Foundation Supplements, yet it’s often overlooked. It also happens to be at its best this time of year.

The Radish: A Good Source of Vitamin C… and Much More…

The alkalizing radish is a member of the mustard family, and it comes in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. The most common variety is bright red-and-white, but all varieties contain Vitamin C, a Foundation Supplement.

In fact, there are 8.6 mg of this bone smart vitamin and antioxidant in a half-cup serving of raw radishes. If you’ve been following the Osteoporosis Reversal Program, you’re familiar with the importance of antioxidants in bone health. And no less important is the fact that Vitamin C is essential for the production of collagen and bone formation.

It’s Impressive How Much Nutritional Power is Packed Into These Little Veggies!

Below is the list of other Foundation Supplements found in radishes:

  • Vitamin K is a bone health superstar. Researchers were amazed to find out that Vitamin K is crucial in maintaining healthy bones. They discovered that Vitamin K is essential to the formation of new bone, playing a complex role in the process.
  • Magnesium is crucial to more than 300 body processes, and it’s vital for calcium absorption.
  • Calcium is “the” bone-health mineral, and while it’s not the only one, there’s no denying its importance. If you’re looking for a plant-based source of this mineral, radishes are a crisp, colorful option!
  • Zinc is often overlooked with regard to bone health. But it actually helps regulate bone turnover, or remodeling. Studies have shown that individuals with osteoporosis often have low levels of zinc.
  • Folate, Niacin (B3), Pyridoxine, and Riboflavin, all of which are B vitamins that act synergistically with each other and with Vitamin B12.
  • Flavonoid antioxidants, such as beta carotene, zeaxanthin and lutein.

Who knew that little radish on the side of your plate had so much to offer?

Not Among the Dirty Dozen

There’s another important characteristic of radishes: they are not on the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list. So it’s not likely that they are contaminated with pesticides. Whether you get the conventional or organic kind, select smooth-skinned and firm bulbs with vibrant leaves (if still attached).

A Different Way to Enjoy Radishes

There is more to the radish than just a crunchy salad addition. For an interesting antipasto dish, try this delicious and easy to prepare recipe.

Roasted Radish Antipasto

4 Servings

Ingredients

2 bunches radishes, trimmed
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 teaspoon rosemary, ground
2 teaspoons garlic, minced (optional)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Slice radishes into halves (or quarters, if large).
In a bowl, stir the oil, rosemary, and garlic together; add radishes and toss to coat.
Spread radishes on a baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.
Roast in the oven for approximately 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so. 
Drizzle with lemon juice and serve hot or cold.

Enjoy!