Beetroot vs. Radish — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Calories

Both of these vegetables are low-calorie foods.

Beetroot is higher in calories, being denser in nutrients. One hundred grams of beetroot contains 46 calories, whereas the same amount of radish has only 16 calories.

Protein and Fats

Beetroot is also higher in both protein and fats.

Beetroot contains over twice the amount of protein that radish does. Both have some levels of all essential amino acids.

Beetroot and radish are low in fats; however, beetroot is slightly higher. The predominant fat type found in both of these vegetables is the preferable polyunsaturated fat.

Carbohydrates

Beetroot contains almost three times more carbohydrates in comparison to radish. 

Beetroot also has a higher percentage of dietary fiber and, therefore, a lower percentage of sugars.

The primary sugar found in radish is glucose, followed by fructose and then sucrose.

Cardiovascular Health

Section reviewed by cardiologist Astghik Grigoryan

Beetroot juice has been studied to have positive effects on blood pressure. In one study, beetroot juice showed a trend to decrease systolic blood pressure (10). Another study found that beetroot juice consumption can improve endothelial function and the impairment of brachial artery dilation after a mixed meal, meaning that it can have blood-pressure-lowering effects  (11).

Another research about beetroot juice demonstrated its protective property against reperfusion myocardial infarction and ventricular dysfunction, potentially due to endogenous hydrogen sulfide generation (12).

Overall, in various studies, beetroot supplementation has been reported to reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure, inhibit platelet aggregation and improve vascular and endothelial function (13).

Radish seed crude extract has been shown to have hypotensive and cardio-modulatory effects through the activation of muscarinic receptors (14).

A variety of daikon, Sakurajima radish, contains a compound that can improve vascular endothelial functions (15).

Even though there’s a lot about beets and radishes that have yet to be discovered, evidently, both can play a protective role in cardiovascular health.

Diabetes

Beetroot juice contains antioxidant phytochemicals, such as neobetanin, that help suppress blood glucose levels after food intake (16). Besides reducing blood glucose, beetroot juice has also been researched for its ability to improve insulin homeostasis (13).

Radish is recommended as a part of a diabetic diet, as it has been demonstrated to possess anti-diabetic qualities. These qualities may be due to radish’s ability to enhance antioxidant defense mechanisms and reduce the production of free radicals, as well as affect glucose homeostasis, promote glucose uptake and energy metabolism, and reduce the absorption of glucose in the intestines (17).

When talking about diabetes, we have also to pay attention to the lipid profile in order to improve diabetic dyslipidemia. Beetroot juice consumption lowers the levels of all lipids except for high-density lipoprotein, also known as the “good” cholesterol (13).

Cancer

It has been found that pigments contained in red beetroot, called betanin, are effective at cancer chemoprevention at low doses in drinking water. This effect probably relies on the antioxidant capacity of beets (18). Betanin may play a role in suppressing the development and growth of human prostate and breast cancer cell lines (19), as well as colorectal cancer cell lines (20).

Radishes have also been found to have anticancer activities, mainly due to the antioxidants contained within cruciferous vegetables, namely glucosinolates. The extract of Spanish black radishes has been demonstrated to have an inhibitory effect on human liver cancer cell lines (21). Different parts of several varieties of radishes have also exhibited anticancer properties against colon, breast, cervical, lung, and prostate cancer cell lines (22).

Risk of beetroot

Intake of high levels of nitrates has been shown to cause an increased risk of several types of cancer. Meaning paradoxically, an overuse of beets or beetroot juice may potentially increase the risk of developing certain cancers. However, there are not enough studies to conclude this as a certainty (23).

Risk of radish

Some studies have found that prolonged consumption of radish, as well as other cruciferous vegetables, may lead to the development of a relative state of morphological and biochemical hypothyroidism, even in the presence of iodine (24).