Description, benefits and harms of radish tops. Application of vegetable leaves

Russian crops are most often divided into "tops" and "roots", that is, those that use the upper part of the plant, and those that use the lower part. Radish belongs to the second, however, radish tops can also be used both as a food product and as a raw material. In this text, we will talk about what radish greens are and how it can be used with benefit for oneself.

Radish is a very popular vegetable in our country, its root crop is used as food. As a rule, it is 2-3 centimeters in diameter, dark red, pink or light pink. The fruits are dense, with white flesh. The taste of radish is quite sharp, due to the presence of mustard oil in its composition.

What does it look like and what is it?

The name of the radish comes from the Latin radix, which means root. It is he who is the main thing in the radish, and greens, or tops, are long green leaves that stick out of the ground in the garden, most often they are thrown out during the processing of the vegetable.

How is it arranged?

The leaves of the radish are quite long and wide at the ends, green or dark green in color, sometimes with dark red edges. The taste of tops reminds cabbage, which is not surprising, because these plants are from the same family. The leaf is elongated in length, the closer to the root crop, the narrower it becomes.

The chemical composition of radish leaves

In the composition of radish tops there are a lot of vitamins and minerals. First of all, these are B vitamins:

• riboflavin (0.04 mg);
• thiamine (0.01 mg);
• choline (6.5 mg);
• pyridoxine (0.1 mg);
• pantothenic acid (0.18 mg);
• folates (6 mg).

In addition, the tops are rich in:

• iodine (8 mg), which is extremely important for our iodine-deficient regions;
• potassium (255 mg);
• fluorine (30 mg);
• iron (1 mg);
• chromium (11 mg);
• zinc (0.2 mg).

Wherein:

• protein 1.2 grams;
• fat 0.1 grams;
• carbohydrates 3.4 grams;
• organic acids - 0.1 grams;
• dietary fiber - 1.6 grams.

Quite a lot of sugar in the composition of these leaves is about 3 grams per 100 grams of tops, which makes it easy to eat them.

Is it possible to eat and are there contraindications?

Based on the specified composition, radish tops do not have any toxic properties. The only thing that can potentially harm the human body is mustard oil and organic acids. Therefore, the tops of radishes, as, indeed, the radish itself, are not recommended for people with an acid imbalance in the stomach, with an ulcer or gastritis. Everything else that is in the composition of radish leaves cannot cause any harm and only benefits.

Beneficial features

As you know, a balanced diet should include a sufficient amount of vegetables and herbs. AND radish leaves fit perfectly into the diet of a healthy person:

• The first is fiber.
• Secondly, radish leaves are eaten only fresh.
• Thirdly, they contain a lot of useful substances.
• Fourthly, it grows in our country, and not only in organized farms, but in almost every garden.
• Radish is easy to grow, it is tasty and contains a lot of healthy things.

Dish recipes

1. The main dish, where radish leaves are mainly put, is, of course, okroshka. This cold summer soup includes kvass, radish root vegetables, cucumbers, boiled potatoes, meat / sausage.Before serving, radish tops are finely chopped and added to the soup, it gives okroshka an additional sour taste.
2. You can also add radish leaves to a popular summer soup with sorrel, or even replace chopped sorrel in a 1: 1 ratio. The acids in the radish will provide the very favorite light flavor of acid in the soup.
3. Of course, radish greens are great for salads. Freshly washed tops, after slicing, can be added to any green salad.
4. The now popular dietary vegetable smoothies can be enriched with nutrients from radish tops. To do this, radish greens are crushed in a blender and mixed with other smoothie ingredients (celery, nuts, etc.).

Infusions

Infusions of radish leaves are used in folk medicine as anti-inflammatory and bactericidal agents.

1. A tablespoon of chopped herbs should be poured with 250 ml of hot water and left for an hour.
2. After this, the infusion is filtered and taken 3 times a day, two tablespoons after a meal.

Fresh juice

Radish leaves contain a lot of moisture, it is quite possible to squeeze juice out of them. However, you should not drink it undiluted due to the high content of essential oils, it can damage the gastric mucosa.

1. Dilute fresh juice of radish leaves with water in a ratio of 1: 1, and take it with vitamin deficiency and lower immunity.
2. Freeze fresh juice in cubes and add it to mineral and fresh water to make a great green smoothie.

Green masks

The chemical composition of green radish determines its effect on human skin, in particular, whitening properties.

How to make a mask of greens:

1. Grind radish tops in a blender.
2. Mix it with kefir.
3. Apply on face for 15-20 minutes.
4. Rinse off.

Additional methods: how else can I use it?

Sliced ​​and dried radish leaves will fit perfectly into everyday cuisine as a seasoning. Their composition with the presence of organic acids determines the spicy and spicy taste, which gives the soups, lettuce, second courses an additional taste.

1. To use radish tops as a seasoning, you need to thoroughly wash the leaves from the ground and finely chop them.
2. Then the chopped leaves are dried in the oven and dried on the windowsill. The resulting volume of dry greens can be mixed with salt for better storage and put in a glass or plastic jar.

Thus, radish tops are excellent garden greens, growing everywhere in our country and suitable both as a food product and as a cosmetic product. The main condition is to eat radish greens in the freshest form.

Useful video

You will learn from the video why you don’t need to throw radish tops: