Chinese white radish (daikon) for bloating and indigestion

If you suffer from indigestion, bloating or sluggish bowel movements, be inspired by the Chinese and add Chinese white radish (daikon) to your diet.

White radish (Raphanus sativus) is known as Radish in English, Daikon in Japanese, and “Laifu” or “Luobo” in Chinese.

White radish is extremely popular in traditional Chinese cooking, both at home or when eating out. In fact, there’s a popular saying in certain regions of China, that says: “Eating more Chinese radish can keep you healthy”.

In China, it’s not uncommon for the family to cook Chinese radish if someone in the family is suffering from indigestion (also known as food stagnation). Chinese radish can benefit all members of the family, and can be made into dishes including Chinese radish cake, Chinese radish porridge and other Chinese radish sweets. Chinese radishes feature in many restaurant dishes, and are readily available in most Chinese markets.

This article will look at the health benefits of Chinese white radish.

What is Food Stagnation?

In Chinese medicine the Spleen system controls the body’s digestive functions. Sometimes when the Spleen is weakened or if you have eaten too much, it can take longer time to digest food and metabolise it. Undigested food retained in the digestive tract and intestines will cause accumulation of heat and toxins, and this syndrome is known as food stagnation in Chinese medicine. In western medicine, these symptoms are commonly described as indigestion.

The extra heat and toxins in the digestive system can lead to to a range of uncomfortable symptoms including:

• bloating
• sluggish bowel movements
• dark and pungent stools
• pungent wind
• bad breath
• headaches
• feeling very emotional or irritable
• insomnia
• red face
• hot body
• heavy body
• craving foods or loss of appetite.

Children suffering from food stagnation syndrome will tend to cry in the evening, suffer from unsettled sleep, have a redder face, sweating on the forehead, and a poor appetite.

Clinical experience has shown that diseases of diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and fatty liver can all be associated with long term food stagnation syndrome.

Whether you are an adult or a child, food stagnation can have a significant impact on your health. If you are suffering from any of the above symptoms, or are being treated for food stagnation, adding Chinese white radish to your diet may benefit your health.

Health benefits of Chinese white radish

Although the leaf, seed and root of white radish are used in cooking, only radish seed (Raphani Semen) is regarded as a herb of traditional Chinese medicine called “Lai Fu Zi”.

Radish seed is commonly used in Chinese herbal medicine for its functions of promoting digestion, relieving distention, directing “Qi” downward, and dissipating phlegm.

Traditionally, it is used to treat food dyspeptic retention, distending pain in the epigastrium and abdomen, constipation, diarrhea and dysentery, panting, and cough with phlegm congestion clinically in combination with other TCM herbs (Sham et al., 2013).

Helps digestion and improves bowel movement

Chinese white radishes can be very helpful in relieving symptoms of food stagnation, as mentioned above. It is popular to drink white radish and ginger soup (see recipe below) after consuming a heavy meal.

Helps to clear phlegm

There is a traditional Chinese medicine quote that says: “phlegm is stored in the Lung, but produced from the Spleen.”

This refers to the idea that excessive phlegm can be produced from two areas of the body, disorders affecting the lung as well as the digestive system.

Lung disorders that produce phlegm include the common cold or flu, heat and cold in the lungs, and from long-term smoking.

Chinese medicine believes that phlegm can also be produced by food stagnation syndrome. Especially after overeating very sweet, oily and deep-fried foods. Symptoms may include:

• productive, thick white phlegm
• bloating, especially after eating
• burping
• poor appetite or craving foods
• sluggish bowel movements
• heavy arms and legs
• being overweight

Eating white radish while you are undergoing treatment for this type of phlegm problem may be helpful.

Precautions

We suggest to avoid eating Chinese white radish if you are experiencing diarrhoea. Certain studies have shown that radish seed can interact with the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin.

If you’re unsure if Chinese white radish is suitable for you, please consult with your Chinese medicine practitioner.

Food as medicine (A disclaimer)

Our “food as medicine” articles share knowledge about health foods in the context of traditional Chinese medicine diet therapy and practices often dating back thousands of years. We also support this knowledge with references to published scientific research. Please keep in mind that scientific research into the health benefits of foods is still emerging and human research is limited.

Consuming a wide variety of natural foods as part of a balanced diet is most beneficial for health, however, we don’t advise using food alone to treat diseases. Please consult with your doctor or health professional about which foods are suitable for your body or health issues.