Farmers' Market Finds - Watt Works Nutrition

With the growing season in full swing, it is a great time to check out what’s new at your nearest farmers’ market. I find it so much fun cruising through the various farmer’s booths and seeing what is new for the week.

Watermelon Radishes

If you haven’t seen watermelon radishes or tasted them, I highly recommend them. They look like a watermelon once sliced. Their pinky instead with green “rind” makes an eye-catching addition to a vegetable platter or a radish-cucumber salad.

Whether English Breakfast radishes, daikon radishes or watermelon radishes, radishes are a member of the mustard family. According to David Wolfe, “[R]adishes rejuvenative properties are found in their high sulfur, silicon and vitamin C content.” [1] Since vitamin C is a key player in connective tissue formation, vegetables like the radish which are high in this vitamin makes them an excellent pick. Wolfe labels red radishes the most beautifying because of their high silicon content and that daikon radish, although excellent, do not have as high a content of silicon. Black radishes are a very powerful mucus dissolver and is high in sulphur. As an added bonus, radishes contain folic acid (vitamin B9) making them a supporter and strengthener of the nerve system.

Radishes are also kidney cleaners thus reducing water retention and improving elimination.

Cucumbers

Cucumbers have been showing up at the market for the last couple of weeks. You can find crunchy mini cukes that are great for your afternoon snack with a handful of nuts or perhaps, slice and add to your lunch or dinner salad.

Cucumbers are a member of the melon family. However, unlike many melons, cucumbers are low in sugar content making them an excellent addition to your whole foods diet. Interestingly, they have a reputation as the best kidney cleanser. Why? Because cucumbers are a diuretic, thus they prevent bloating from water retention and flush the bladder and kidneys.