Don’t go on the radish only diet; you’ll wither away and die. You should definitely eat radishes, however. They are supremely healthy and will help control your appetite. From organicfacts.net:

Radishes are very filling, which mean that they satisfy your hunger without running up your calorie count. They are also low in digestible carbohydrates, high in roughage and contain a lot of water, making radishes a very good dietary option for those who are determined to lose weight.

Okay, I made up the radish diet thing. It doesn’t exist (does it?). I don’t advocate making weight loss your aim. Instead, shoot for eating whole, healthy foods and “crowding out” the processed and sugar filled ones. In doing so, you’ll be less likely to crave junk. Your body’s signals will alert you that you don’t need to eat more. From integrativenutrition.com:

The body can only take so much food. If you fill the body with healthy, nutrient-dense food, it is only natural that cravings for unhealthy foods will lessen substantially.

I posted yesterday about my trip to the farmer’s market in Cincinnati. Among other items, I left with a bunch of organically grown radishes. The root veggies have been a staple in my salads for many moons, and I eat them occasionally on their own simply to enjoy the sweet and spicy crunch.

In researching the health benefits of the little red balls of joy, I found that each one contains a single calorie, give or take. I had to put the “hunger satisfaction” claim to my own, very non-scientific, test.

At the crack of dawn this morning, I had a normal breakfast. A few hours later, I boarded the airplane transporting me to California from Ohio. As is my usual practice, I brought some snacks for the flight.

My snack menu is kale, radishes and blueberries. 15 minutes ago, I downed a glass of water, a huge handful of kale, four radishes and a cup of blueberries. Total calorie intake worked out to be roughly 100. I’m full. I’m not kidding when I say this; I don’t desire a bite of anything.

Granted, I didn’t eat the radishes alone. I could have tried that experiment if my intention was to isolate, but make no mistake; the nutritional punch packed by those suckers is substantial and likely contributed to my current state of satiation. Diets tend to fail over time, but controlling our appetites through whole foods helps us to reach our physique goals. Your pants will fit better, yes, but more importantly, you’ll be healthier.

Radishes can help alleviate symptoms of jaundice, urinary disorders, cardiovascular conditions, high blood pressure and diabetes. From organicfacts.net:

Apart from the benefits outlined above, radishes work as a good appetizer, mouth and breath freshener, laxative, and metabolism regulator. People whose weekly diets are supplemented with normal amounts of radish see an improvement in blood circulation, and radishes are a good treatment for headaches, acidity, constipation, nausea, obesity, sore throat, whooping cough, gastric problems, gall stones, and dyspepsia.

Wonder drug? Well, no individual pabulum (boom!) is a cure-all. By diversifying our diet and including many varieties of whole, natural foods, we will be healthier in general. The more nutrient rich foods we understand, appreciate and incorporate into our routines, the less garbage we have room for. Radishes from the earth in, one more processed, man-made product out.