Horseradish, freshly grated and added to sauces, can bring tears to a strong person’s eyes and take their breath away—at least for a moment. This amazing 3,000-year-old plant has been used as an aphrodisiac, a treatment for rheumatism, a bitter herb for Passover Seders, and a sharp complement for beef, chicken, and seafood. Horseradish’s history is intricate and mysterious, and it has earned esteem for both its medicinal and gastronomic qualities for centuries.
Egyptians wrote about horseradish in 1500 B.C. The ancient Greeks used it as a rub for low back pain and as an aphrodisiac. It is also used in religious observances during Passover Seders as one of the bitter herbs. A few people used horseradish syrup as an expectorant cough medicine, while others were convinced it cured everything from rheumatism to tuberculosis. The Delphic oracle relayed to Apollo, “The radish is worth its weight in lead, the beet its weight in silver, the horseradish its weight in gold.”
The Spread of Horseradish Across Continents
In the Renaissance period, horseradish consumption spread from Central Europe northward to Scandinavia and westward to England. It wasn’t until 1640, however, that the British began eating horseradish, and even then, it was consumed only by country folk and laborers. By the late 1600s, horseradish became the standard accompaniment for beef and oysters among all Englishmen. Horseradish was even grown in kitchen gardens at inns and coach stations to revive exhausted travelers. Early settlers brought horseradish to North America and began cultivating it in the colonies. By 1840, horseradish was growing wild near Boston.
Today, approximately 6 million gallons of prepared horseradish are produced annually in the United States. That’s enough to generously season sandwiches that could stretch twelve times around the world.
Among the many distinctions of horseradish are:
- Horseradish is still planted and harvested mostly by hand.
- Sales of bottled horseradish began in 1860, making it one of the first convenience foods.
- In the South, horseradish was rubbed on the forehead to relieve headaches.
- Horseradish is added to some pickles to add firmness.
- Before being named “horseradish,” the plant was known as “redcole” in England and “stingnose” in some parts of the United States.
- Horseradish has only 2 calories per teaspoon, is low in sodium, and provides dietary fiber.
- Researchers at M.I.T. claim that the enzyme “horseradish peroxidase” removes a number of pollutants from wastewater.
- Germans still brew horseradish schnapps, and some also add it to their beer.
Horseradish is planted with root crowns and root cuttings. Of the two types of horseradish produced, the crinkled-leaf or common horseradish is considered the higher quality. However, it is more susceptible to disease than the smooth-leaved Bohemian type. The intense pungency and aroma of horseradish result from isothiocyanates released from the glucosinolates sinigrin and 2-phenylethylglucosinolate by the naturally occurring enzyme myrosinase. Pungency develops when the root is crushed or ground.
When used as a condiment, the horseradish root is usually grated or minced and mixed with vinegar, salt, or other flavorings to make sauces or relishes. Horseradish is frequently used with fish or other seafood, or as an appetizer with meats. The plant material is also used in some catsups and mustards. Horseradish is available in a dehydrated form.
The fresh root of horseradish has been used as an antiseptic, diaphoretic, diuretic, rubefacient, stimulant, stomachic, and vermifuge. It has also been used as a remedy for asthma, coughs, colic, rheumatism, scurvy, toothaches, ulcers, venereal diseases, and even cancer. The humble horseradish has appeared as a treatment for a wide variety of ailments across the ages.
The Japanese horseradish, Wasabia japonica, a perennial herb with creeping pungent rhizomes, is found wild along streams in Japan. Like regular horseradish, it is cultivated and used as a condiment. The horseradish tree, Moringa pterygosperma C. F. Gaertin, is a fragrant flowering native of India with edible roots and fruits that belongs to the Moringaceae family.
The root can be used as an expectorant. Horseradish contains so much sulfur that it is used externally as a rub for chronic rheumatism. Scraped horseradish, if applied to chilblains and secured with a light bandage, will help to cure them. For facial neuralgia, some of the fresh scrapings, when held in the hand of the affected side, will provide relief to the hand within a short time.
Part Used: The root is the only part now used, and it must be fresh. It is nearly cylindrical, except at the crown, where it is somewhat enlarged.
Constituents: When unbroken, horseradish has no odor, but it has a characteristic pungent smell when scraped. It has a hot, biting taste, combined with a sweetness. Horseradish is very similar to black mustard seeds. It contains sinigrin, which is identical to that found in black mustard seed. This volatile oil, released by scraping the root when fresh, does not pre-exist in the root. The reaction does not occur under normal conditions.
Medicinal Action and Uses: Horseradish is a powerful stimulant, whether applied internally or externally as a rub, and has antiseptic properties. When taken with oily fish or rich meat, either by itself or steeped in vinegar, or in a plain sauce, it acts as an excellent stimulant for the digestive organs and a spur to complete digestion.
When infused in wine, horseradish root will stimulate the whole nervous system and promote perspiration.
An infusion of sliced horseradish in milk, thanks to its stimulating pungency and sulfur content, makes an excellent cosmetic for the skin. Horseradish juice mixed with white vinegar can help to remove freckles. Horseradish syrup is also effective for hoarseness.
If eaten at frequent intervals during the day and with meals, horseradish is highly effective in clearing up a persistent cough following influenza.
Horseradish is so versatile in cooking and in many other uses. It’s hard to imagine life without this hardy, pungent root.
