23rd December: Night of the radishes

Today is the Night of The Radishes in Oaxaca in Mexico, which is basically a celebration centred around carvings made from radishes. The centrepiece of the whole festival is a nativity scene made entirely from radishes. So here are 10 things you might not know about them.

1. Radishes are members of the Brassicaceae family. Hence they are related to kale, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Horseradish and wasabi, a type of Japanese horseradish.
2. Varieties of radish include Bunny Tail, Sicily Giant, French Breakfast, Plum Purple, April Cross, Cherry Belle, Champion, Red King and White Icicle.
3. They are known as very quick growing plants - plant a radish seed and 25 days later you'll have edible radishes. The leaves are edible as well as the tubers.
4. Before Olive trees were introduced to Egypt, radish seeds were an important source of oil. Radishes, along with onions and garlic, were given in wages to the pyramid builders.
5. “As God is my witness, I’ll never be hungry again,” says Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With the Wind. She says this after eating a radish, the only food available at the time.
6. In 1979, scientists published a study in Psychological Reports: Effects of Holy Water on the Growth of Radish Plants. The conclusion? Holy water had no beneficial effects on the plants whatsoever.
7. Radishes are rich in ascorbic acid, folic acid, and Potassium. They are a good source of vitamin B6, riboflavin, magnesium, Copper, and calcium. One cup of sliced red radish bulbs contains approximately 19 calories.
8. The Greeks believed that it is better to eat radishes before dinner, because they are good for the digestion.
9. Radishes grown during hot weather are hotter to the taste than radishes grown in cooler weather.
10. The weight of radishes sold in the UK last year was more than the weight of the Eiffel Tower.