Gender: Male
Element: Fire
Planet: Mars
Zodiac Sign: N/A
Celtic Zodiac/ Date: N/A
Lunar Month: N/A
Tarot: N/A
Rune: N/A
Ogham: N/A
Crystal: N/A
Deities: N/A
Associated Festival: N/A
Chakras: N/A
Birth Month: N/A
Meaning: None
Type: Perennial root vegetable
Grows in Zone: 3-9
Plant for Bees?: No
Natural pesticide?: No
Poisonous/ Toxic: Poisonous to horses.
Horseradish is a root vegetable and a member of the Brassicaceae family, better known as the mustard family. Other common vegetables from this family include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, mustard greens, wasabi, and kale. They’re also known as cruciferous vegetables. The horseradish plant is most often grown for its tapered root, which is large and white. Common names for horseradish include mountain radish, red cole, and Horse Plant.
It is a cylindrical white root with a yellowish brown skin, on average about 1 foot long and ¾ inch diameter. It is slightly gnarled or ringed, often with small fibrous roots growing from the main root, especially in semi-wild horseradish. In cultivated varieties the root is unbranched and fairly straight. The best fresh roots are thick and well grown; thin and insubstantial roots, apart from being hard to use, are inferior in pungency. It is a member of the same family as mustard and cress and is rich in sulfur. When intact, the root has little aroma. On being scraped or broken, it exudes a penetrating smell, similar to watercress, and is known to irritate the nostrils, making the eyes water even more than onions do.
Horseradish has been known and valued by various groups of the peoples through the ages. The plant has been known in cultivation for about two thousand years. Native to the muddy swamplands of southern Europe and western Asia, horseradish was introduced to the rest of Europe in the 13th century. The ancient name of Britain was Armorica, from which the generic name of this species is derived; the specific name underlines that the plant was grown mainly in the country. Another thought is that the name is an apparent corruption of the German “meerrettich” (sea radish). “Meer” is derived from mahre (an old mare), referring to the tough roots.
The ancient Greeks used it as an aphrodisiac and to ease lower back pain. The Greek Oracle at Delphi told Apollo that the radish was worth its weight in lead, the beet its weight in silver and the horseradish its weight in gold. There is a mural in Pompeii depicting the plant. It is mentioned by the ancient herbalist Pliny as being good for medicine but not used as food.
During the Middle Ages it was known as ‘scurvy grass’. The English and Germans brewed horseradish ale with tansy and wormwood, and today a horseradish vodka — Referent — is distilled in Wisconsin. It is one of the five bitter herbs (along with coriander, horehound, lettuce, and nettle) used by the Jewish people at the time of the Passover, and later was used to treat TB, coughs, colic and scurvy. in present times, horseradish is still commonly used in the Passover Seder.
It was a favorite condiment with vinegar among the country folk in rustic Germany. Its reputation spread to England and France, where it became known as moutarde des Allemands. The French still eat horseradish, slicing the whole root at the table and salting it.
In the colonial era it was embraced, started bottling it in 1860, and now about six million gallons per year of prepared horseradish are produced. Henry J. Heinz is believed to have been the first to develop a commercial horseradish product in 1944.
You can buy raw horseradish, which looks similar to the ginger root. You can also buy horseradish as supplements in capsule form and as tinctures and tonics. Dosages of these preparations are likely higher in concentration than you would receive from just increasing horseradish in your diet naturally.
Horseradish storage is similar to ginger. it begins to dry up as soon as it is cut. The best time to consume it is within one or two weeks from purchase date. Once you grate it, it’s best to use it within a few days. Similar to other storage, the longer it sits, the less pungent the flavor will be. Prepared horseradish sauce is usually OK refrigerated for up to three months.
Every part of the plant from root to leaves has medicinal value, but it’s worth seeking out for its nutrition benefits alone. Free-radical fighting vitamin C is abundant in horseradish, so consuming it can fight off signs of aging on the skin, build collagen for healing muscle and bone cells, strengthen immunity and stave off inflammation, heart issues and cancer. It is richer in vitamin C than oranges or lemons.
Horseradish is rich in calcium, fiber, folate, manganese, magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, and zinc. The best-researched aspect of horseradish is a component of the plant called sinigrin. Sinigrin can slow the spread of cancer, especially in the liver, through multiple mechanisms at the cellular level. Sinigrin can lessen inflammation and improve atherosclerosis (chronic inflammatory disease) by blocking or altering pro-inflammatory components of the immune system.
Research provides preliminary evidence that it may help invoke cell death in human breast and colon cancer cells, as well as prevent oxidative damage linked to free radicals. Free radicals can do major damage to the body, and consuming higher diets of antioxidant-rich foods can help eliminate or prevent this damage. Horseradish root contains a number of phytocompounds, which are antioxidants that are beneficial to human health.
If you’ve ever cooked with horseradish or chopped it up to use as a condiment, you know that cutting or crushing it releases the pungent odor it’s known for. When the root is damaged, it releases mustard oils, which are made of natural chemical compounds called glucosinolates. Glucosinolates are known to have a variety of biological functions, and that’s where the medicinal value of horseradish comes in.
These chemicals in horseradish’s mustard oil break down inside us into indoles and isothiocyanates, which are said to provide anti-cancer benefits by helping the liver rid itself of cancer-causing substances and even slowing down tumor growth. The processing, or grating, of horseradish breaks it down and helps release enzymes that make it more effective.
It can also act as an antibiotic agent, especially against E. coli bacteria. Sinigrin acts as an anti-fungal agent. It is also an antioxidant, preventing the formation of potentially disease-inducing free radicals. It has even been found to speed wound healing, when used topically.
The vegetables of the Brassicaceae family are classified as goitrogens, which means they can impair thyroid function, especially if they’re eaten raw and in large amounts. They’re perfectly fine for people with normal thyroid function to consume, but those with thyroid disease need to be careful with these vegetables, especially at medicinal levels.
As a health tonic, horseradish helps with digestion on the cellular level, from tongue to stomach to gut. It’s good for sinus trouble, not only for its antibiotic properties but also because of its heat. It helps keep toxins at bay in the bladder and stimulates urine flow to help flush anything out. A vinegar made from it is claimed to treat dandruff, and poultices made from it can help arthritis, muscle aches, and chest congestion.
Because of the antibiotic properties of horseradish, it has been used for many years in traditional medicine to treat bronchitis, sinusitis, cough and the common cold. In a German study, an herbal drug containing the root was tested against conventional antibiotics. The incredible findings showed a comparable result in treating acute sinusitis and bronchitis with the natural extract when compared to conventional treatments. One study in over 1,500 people found that a supplement containing 80 mg of dried horseradish root and 200 mg of nasturtium was as effective as a traditional antibiotic at treating acute sinus infections and bronchitis
The pungent smell of this cruciferous vegetable also helps expel mucus from the upper respiratory system to prevent infection. When taking this root vegetable for sinus problems, it may feel like you are producing excess mucus, but this can actually be beneficial. After a day or two, your body will start to rid itself of waste, which is a major step in preventing infection.
Witch Tip: Arthritis Liniment~ Put 1 cup each of melted paraffin and grated horseradish in the blender. Blend until liquefied. Rub the affected joint with the mixture and wrap loosely with a flannel cloth. Leave on overnight. Rinse off the next morning. Repeat until swelling is gone. The horseradish liniment should be stored in a tightly closed container at room temperature.
Witch Tip: If your nursing baby has a stuffy nose and can’t nurse well, grate a little horseradish and hold it up to the baby as it tries to suckle. The fumes will quickly clear the nasal passages (and the baby will probably cry for a minute because they are so strong).
Horseradish preparations can also clear lung problems, coughs, and asthma. Try it for such conditions and you will see that it is an immediate and very effective expectorant, cutting mucus and allowing you to eliminate it. Similarly it works well in respiratory ailments related to allergies, such as hayfever. You can make an infusion, sweetened with a little honey, for persistent coughs. When taken with rich food it assists digestion and when a little horseradish is taken regularly it will build up resistance to coughs and colds.
Witch Tip: Asthma Tea~ add several tablespoons of freshly grated horseradish to 1 cup milk. Simmer for 10 minutes and strain. Drink as necessary to obtain relief
Witch Tip: Horseradish honey garlic tea~
1 1-inch piece fresh horseradish, peeled and grated (1/4 cup)
¼ cup honey
2 garlic cloves, smashed, peeled and coarsely chopped
juice of 1 lemon
Put 4 cups water on to boil. In a blender, combine the horseradish, honey, garlic and 2 Tbsp water. Process until smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the blender. Scrape the puree into a bowl, and pour in the boiling water. Let it steep for 5 minutes. Strain into a teapot, and stir in the lemon juice. Drink hot, inhaling the steam deeply.
Horseradish has long been known as a stimulant for many parts of the circulatory system. It is an important immune stimulate which is used in herbal formulas to increase the number of white blood cells in the bloodstream. It is also a known antioxidant, helping to counteract the bad effects of stress and pollution in the environment. Horseradish is known to be a specific tonic for the spleen and most especially the liver, which it helps to detoxify and stimulate.
Horseradish’s pungency adds a delightful zest to many foods, most commonly red meat and seafood, in the form of classic sauces to accompany them. It should be consumed right after grating. Unless you add vinegar, it will lose its spiciness and vigor quickly.
It has a pungent flavor similar to wasabi root (rhizome), which is also known as Japanese horseradish. Both belong to the same family of plants, and wasabi paste is often even used as a horseradish substitute. Commercial wasabi used in Japanese sushi restaurants is preserved horseradish that is prepared with green food colorings. Real wasabi is a different plant altogether; it is very difficult to grow and too expensive to serve in most restaurants.
Horseradish has a few metaphysical properties as well. Horseradish should be sprinkled around the house, in corners, on the steps outside, and on doorsills. This will make all evil powers clear out, and will diffuse any spells that may have been set against you.
Grate or grind dried horseradish root and sprinkle over thresholds, corners, and any vulnerable areas to expel evil.
For hex reversals, Grate or grind dried horseradish root and Sprinkle it over your thresholds, corners, windows, and any areas perceived as vulnerable, to reverse any malevolent magic cast against a building’s inhabitants.
It can be used for purification rituals, exorcisms, and to gain courage.
Warning! Please be aware!
Use medicinally with care, as the roots may cause internal inflammation, affect the thyroid gland or, used externally, produce blisters. Also contraindication with inflammation of the gastric mucosa and with kidney disorders; not to be used by children under 4 years old. Horseradish is LIKELY UNSAFE in young children when taken by mouth because it can cause digestive tract problems.
It’s LIKELY UNSAFE to take horseradish by mouth in large amounts if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Horseradish contains mustard oil, which can be toxic and irritating. Horseradish tincture is also LIKELY UNSAFE when used regularly or in large amounts because it might cause a miscarriage.
Horseradish can irritate the digestive tract. Don’t use horseradish if you have stomach or intestinal ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, or other digestive tract conditions. There is concern that using horseradish might make underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) worse. Talk to your doctor if you have hypothyroidism before taking horseradish.
There is concern that horseradish might increase urine flow. This could be a problem for people with kidney disorders. Avoid using horseradish if you have kidney problems. These concerns are based upon therapeutic use and may not be relevant to its consumption as a spice.
Use level: Moderate
Nothing on this website should be taken as medical or legal advice. Please use herbs responsibly. Always consult your doctor before using any kind of supplements.
From our altar to yours, with love from the sea,
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