Radishes, perhaps surprisingly, are yet another cruciferous vegetable. The familiar red, white, or purple radish seen in grocery stores is a spring or summer radish. It is rich in vitamin C, folic acid, and potassium, as well as a good source of vitamin B6, riboflavin, magnesium, copper, and calcium. Radishes are also relatively high in fiber.
Radish greens are said to have six times the vitamin C of the roots, and they provide calcium as well. The Oriental radish, also known as daikon, is a larger, winter radish. It is also a good source of vitamin C. As with the other cruciferous vegetables, radishes contain compounds that show potential in fighting cancer. Daikon also contains an enzyme called myrosinase that is believed to help in digestion and that, in the presence of water, converts to thiocyanates and isothiocyanates, some of which may be involved in the radish's anti-cancer benefits.
Look for spring and summer radishes at farmer's markets. Choose brightly colored radishes that are smooth and firm and not too big. If you can find them fresh with the green tops on, all the better. Trim off the greens, and store the greens and bulbs separately in the refrigerator. Eat the greens within a day or two; the bulbs will keep up to a week. Radishes don't need to be peeled. Just scrub them before eating. Daikon and other winter radishes should be smooth and hard, with no soft spots or bruises; they are usually white.
Rhubarb is a good source of vitamin C, fiber, and calcium, and it also provides some potassium. Rhubarb is very low in calories, and half of its carbohydrates are dietary fiber. Since it is very tart, rhubarb is usually sweetened with sugar when cooked. Its unusual flavor has led to its use in traditional medicine in many regions. It is known for its laxative effect, and the roots were initially cultivated for use as a purgative or cathartic.
More recently, researchers have been investigating rhubarb's potential as a cancer-fighting food. Anthraquinones in rhubarb appear to attack cancer cells in several different ways, including starving tumor cells by interfering with their ability to take in glucose, limiting their proliferation, and preventing metastasis. One rhubarb extract may also help relax blood vessels, lowering blood pressure. Another appears to help constrict blood vessels, useful for stopping bleeding. Rhubarb also appears to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Rhubarb, however, is a food that not only contains measurable amounts of oxalates, but is actually quite high in them. The leaves are so high in oxalic acid that they are regarded as poisonous, and although they were used in some traditional soups, it is better to avoid eating them altogether. The leaves also contain a second toxin, possibly anthraquinone glycoside, which is thought to be related to its laxative effect. The stalks contain much less oxalate, and these can be eaten by those who are not at risk. However, rhubarb can cause problems for those with kidney disease, gout, vulvar pain, rheumatoid arthritis, or other conditions that may require a low-oxalate diet.
Fresh local rhubarb is often available at farmer's markets in late spring - sometimes as early as April. Because it's ready so early, there is sometimes a second crop around the beginning of July. Some varieties of rhubarb are still green in color when ripe, but the redder the stalks, the more anthocyanins it is likely to contain, so if you have a choice, buy red ones. Stalks should be firm, glossy, and crisp.
If you buy rhubarb stalks with the leaves on, remember that the leaves are toxic - only the stalks are edible. Cut the leaves off and discard them as soon as you get the rhubarb home. Stored in plastic zipper bags, rhubarb stalks will keep in the refrigerator for two or three weeks. Peel any tough outer strings before cooking. To crisp rhubarb before cooking, stand the trimmed stalks in a glass of cold water. Rhubarb freezes well. Wash and trim the stalks, then drop them into boiling water. Boil for one minute, then remove, rinse in cold water to stop the cooking, drain, and pack in plastic zipper bags.
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