Drinking boiled white radish water can help alleviate coughing.
Daikon radish is cold in nature and pungent in taste, entering the lung and stomach meridians. It moistens lung dryness, relieves coughing, and dissolves phlegm. However, there are many types of coughs. Daikon radish water is primarily used for lung-heat coughs characterized by yellow phlegm, accompanied by symptoms like dry mouth, sore throat, constipation, dark urine, and body heat. Note that daikon radish only provides auxiliary relief for coughing and should not be relied upon as the sole treatment.
Method for Making Radish Water to Relieve Coughs
1. Prepare 1 white radish, honey, or rock sugar.
2. Wash the radish thoroughly, slice it, then place the slices in a pot with an appropriate amount of water. Bring to a boil and simmer.
3. Once softened, add rock sugar and stir until fully dissolved. Consume immediately. If using honey, wait until the mixture cools slightly before stirring in the honey and consuming.
Precautions for Radish Water Cough Relief
1.Individuals with a cold-dominant constitution or spleen-stomach deficiency-cold should avoid radish decoction. Radish has a cold nature, and consumption may exacerbate internal coldness, further weakening the body.
2. Avoid consuming radish decoction alongside tonic herbs like codonopsis, astragalus, prepared rehmannia, or processed polygonum multiflorum, as it may diminish their efficacy.
3. Do not boil white radish for too long. Freshly purchased white radish should be consumed promptly. Prolonged storage causes the radish to secrete bitter compounds, resulting in a bitter taste.
4. For cough relief, raw white radish is most effective. While boiled white radish water has some cough-suppressing properties, raw white radish offers superior results. Juicing the radish for consumption is recommended.
Additional Benefits of Boiled Daikon Radish
Dubbed "the ginseng of autumn," daikon radish offers more than just cough relief and phlegm reduction. It aids digestion, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, fights bacteria and cancer, promotes bowel movements and urination, and eases headaches. Make sure to enjoy plenty of daikon radish this fall!
Tip
Daikon radish contains various vitamins and nutrients, making it more suitable for raw consumption. Eating it raw facilitates nutrient absorption, whereas heating improves texture but causes significant nutrient loss.