Eating radish during pregnancy helps weight control, prevents jaundice, maintains cardiovascular health, controls diabetes, prevents cancer, resolves urinary problems, provides immunity and improves skin condition.

Hey, would-be-mother, are you planning to give your baby a healthy treat of soup or some salad? Well, then let me warn you that you are in a crucial stage so everything that used to be healthy normally may not be safe during pregnancy. Yes, though the health benefits of raw vegetables remain same they may have some side effects on your baby. So, actually when you are pregnant it seems that danger is all around. So, you better be careful for the safety of your kid. Radish is one such vegetable which is highly nutritious but at the same time it can lead to some fatal consequences if you do not take some precautions.

During pregnancy you are prone to bacterial and parasitic illness due to the low immunity that develops during this stage. Vegetables that grow under the ground have sprouts which may some bacterial growth on them which may cause some problem for you. But, we cannot overlook the richness of nutrition in these vegetables.

Nutritional value of radish

A cup of washed radish  can provide with you a whole lot of essential vitamins and minerals such as  potassium, folate,calcium, iron,Vitamin C,Vitamin A, B-Vitamins, zinc and manganese. Folate plays a very important role in the development of the baby in the womb, whereas vitamin C and iron help in the development of the circulatory system and the other vital organs. Calcium is extremely important for the development of the teeth, skeletal system and muscles.So, as you can see the nutritional value of radish is not worth neglecting. This nutrient richness makes it a ‘must’ as a part of your diet. It can be incorporated into your diet in form of soup or stew, or cooked along with pasta. Radish is also used in many dishes such as paranthas, chutneys and sambar. So, it’s a very healthy as well as tasty choice.

Eating Radish in Pregnancy: Health Benefits and Side Effects

Since, you know the nutritional value of radish as mentioned above, let’s look into the benefits of including it in your diet during pregnancy:

Weight control

Radish is a solid food which has the ability to quench your hunger needs. But the intake of calories remains less. Moreover, they are rich in dietary fibres and have low carbohydrates and sugar, which adds to it’s importance.

Prevents jaundice

Radishes are great at detoxification. It removes all the toxins present in the blood and the lymph fluids. The phytochemicals present in radish help to increase the supply of red blood cells and thus reduces the chances of bilirubin synthesis. Increased level of bilirubin causes jaundice. Thus, radish is very beneficial for the liver.

Maintains Cardiovascular health

During pregnancy, many women are said to have high blood pressure. The abundance of potassium in radish improves blood circulation thus lowers blood pressure. It also contains anthocyanins which lower the risk Cardiovascular diseases.

Controls diabetes

Radish has low level of sugar in it. It has a low glycemic index, so it doesn’t affect the level of glucose in the blood. Moreover, it is very important for diabetic patients to check and take appropriate diet during this stage.

Prevents cancer

The body is very prone to diseases during pregnancy. Cancer can be one of them. Surprisingly Radish has some powerful anti-carcinogens isothiocyanate and sulforaphane. Thus, it will prevent you from any kind of cancer.

Resolved urinary problems

Among the various properties of radish is it’s diuretic property. So, it improves the flow of urine. Moreover, if you are having any inflammatory problem, radish can help you heal it. It’s anti-inflammatory properties help to treat swelling and infections in the urinary tract.

Provides immunity

During pregnancy, there are changes in the immune system as it has to protect you as well as your baby. Some parts of the immune system are suppressed so that the body may not reject the fetus. So, comparative to normal days you are more prone to diseases and infections during pregnancy. Radish increases the immune cell production of your body as well as your baby’s  as it is rich in Vitamin C. What more? A cup of cooked radish can provide you with up to thirty percent of the daily vitamins required by your body.

Improves skin conditions

The Vitamin C, Vitamin B and Zinc are present in abundance in radish. These nutrients work wonders in healing skin. They improve the efficiency of certain enzymes which are extremely helpful in the development of collagen.  Collagen is that protein structure which holds skin cells together.

Risks and consequences of eating radish during pregnancy

Owing to its various health benefits, including radish in your diet turns out to be quite beneficial. But, there are certain risks related to this vegetable when you are pregnant.

If you are lazy and don’t prefer washing raw vegetables  thoroughly before eating them, then this is for you. Radish is healthy otherwise,but the risk comes when they are taken in without proper cleaning or proper cooking. Since they grow under the ground and also contain sprouts, they are a home to many bacterias. These bacterias do not affect us much normally as out immunity is quite strong. But due to weak immunity during pregnancy, you are prone to bacterial and parasitic diseases.  E.coli is one of the fatal diseases you may have to encounter. You may also develop symptoms of Salmonellosis, Toxoplasmosis and Shigellosis. The common symptoms of these diseases are diarrhea, dehydration, high fever, and body aches. These symptoms can affect your pregnancy and you may have to rush to your doctor who will surely give you doses of antibiotics. If the symptoms are neglected and not properly treated or the infection is quite severe it can lead to fatal conditions such as stillbirth, miscarriage and premature labour. So, it’s better to take all the safety measures and consult the doctor as soon as you witness any such symptoms.

For the sake of your baby’s proper and safe growth, as a mother it’s your responsibility to avoid any kind of risks. As long as you pay heed to the safety measures, proper diet and rest, you are providing your baby with a healthy and happy growth. Happy parenting!