The Greens You Keep Throwing Away Could Support Gut, Metabolic, and Immune Health, Researchers Say

Looking to improve your gut health? It may be time to eat more radishes — just not the part you might expect.

In September 2025, researchers published a comprehensive review of a growing body of research on the potential health benefits of radish greens, the leafy tops typically trimmed off and discarded before the rest of the vegetable reaches your plate. As the review, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, found, these greens may offer the human body many benefits, particularly for gut health.

According to the study’s abstract, while radish roots have been widely studied for their vitamin and mineral content, the leaves have received far less attention. However, it’s their time in the limelight, as the studies these researchers analyzed found. Radish greens consistently contain higher concentrations of polyphenols and flavonoids than the root itself.