Radicchio is an extremely popular quick-growing green vegetable with a long history in Italian cooking, particularly as a popular side vegetable with pizza sauce. It is usually used in salads, although sommeliers will serve radicchio with pasta if it is properly prepared. The health benefits of this vegetable are numerous and the nutritional value is particularly good for those on restricted diets, including vegetarians. Radicchio contains a variety of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids making it an excellent and very nutritious alternative to common vegetables and fruit.
Radicchio has been shown to be high in antioxidants and has high levels of vitamin A, C, K, B2 and E. Radicchio also has considerable amounts of vitamin C which is important as an antioxidant and in providing vitamin K needed for healthy skin, nails and hair. It is also high in vitamin E and has significant amounts of carotene which are the most powerful antioxidants. Radicchio is one of the few vegetables to contain all eight essential fatty acids and all seven phytochemical compounds. It supports immune system health, is a source of dietary fiber and has high dietary protein. In addition to these, it contains significant quantities of magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, calcium, silica, magnesium and manganese.
Many people believe that the spicy taste associated with the leaves of the radicchio makes it unpleasant to eat, but this really is not true. Radicchio tastes delicious and provides the body with the vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids it needs. In fact, the bitter taste is an act of nature meant to increase the nutrient value of the vegetable. Radicchio supports many of the essential health benefits not only of the regular spinach but of the much more abundant kale too.
Radicchio supports several diseases and health conditions that help maintain good health and long life. Radicchio and kale are both good sources of vitamin A, which is essential for healthy vision, healthy skin, proper bone growth, healthy kidneys and glands and healthy pancreas. Radicchio and kale are also good sources of vitamin K, an antioxidant which inhibits free radical damage and is important for reducing the risk of cancers and heart disease. Radicchio and kale are both excellent sources of vitamin C, which is essential in strengthening the immune system and reducing the risks of infections and diarrhea. Radicchio also has significant amounts of vitamin E, which is important as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiseptic.
As far as the health benefits of Radicchio are concerned, studies have shown that it is rich in antioxidants (vitamin A, C, B2, etc), minerals (magnesium, sulphur, zinc), as well as phytochemicals (potassium, chromium, manganese, iron, etc). Radicchio, in particular, is very rich in vitamin A which is necessary for strong bones and teeth. Radicchio also has vitamin B complex, vitamin C and vitamin D. All these vitamins and minerals together are very powerful in their own right and are very helpful in maintaining good health. In addition to its rich nutritional content, radicchio varieties also contain plenty of other healthy nutrients like flavonoids, porphan, tryptophan, indole-3-carbinol, riboflavin, quercetin and procyanidins. Flavonoids and porphan are powerful antioxidants, which protect the body from cell damage, lowering the risk of cancer and other chronic health disorders.
Celery leaves and stems are rich in a compound called carotenoids. This compound protects the retina of the eye from damage caused by UV light. In addition, various compounds found in the leaves and stems of celery, such as phytosterols, are powerful antioxidants that protect the liver and pancreas from damage caused by free radicals. In addition to its overall nutritional benefits, it is also a powerful natural detoxifier and may help reduce the symptoms of certain types of cancer, especially prostate cancer.