Is Horseradish Nature's Best Antibiotic?
Is Horseradish Nature's Best Antibiotic?
A natural antibiotic and cancer killer, horseradish is an ancient vegetable with roots in both the culinary and medicinal worlds.
STORY AT-A-GLANCE
Used as a medieval medicine as well as a popular condiment on beef, horseradish has a long list of compounds that can help fight and even lower the risk of disease
Respiratory ailments, from colds to pneumonia, can be alleviated using horseradish, and research shows it can also help treat urinary tract infections, skin disorders and intestinal parasites
Horseradish contains powerful isothiocyanates (ITCs) such as glucosinolates broken down from the volatile oil sinigrin, found to help protect against lung, breast, colon and bladder cancers
You can make your own horseradish preparations to help combat sinus infections, colds and skin disorders, help boost your immune system and potentially lower the risk of headaches, gout, colic and gallbladder problems
Editor's Note: This article is a reprint. It was originally published April 3, 2017.
A wonderfully zesty condiment to add to prime rib or other cuts of grass fed beef, horseradish has an unmistakable heat that radiates not so much in your mouth as in your nose.
While its exact origin isn't certain, horseradish probably originated in the Mediterranean region, which alludes to its long, rich history.1 Greek mythology, for instance, considered horseradish to be worth its weight in gold.2
Cooks and healers continued making use of this root veggie in 15th century England, and centuries later the earliest American presidents grew it in their gardens. About 60% to 85% of the world's horseradish production comes from the U.S., specifically Illinois.3
One rule of culinary thumb recommends that horseradish be red when it's used for shrimp (typically mixed with a tomato base) and white when it's made into a sauce to spread on beef. But as is true with many plant-based foods, both in ancient times and now, part of this pungent root's value has been its medicinal capability.
Clinical evidence has indicated that horseradish has worked just as well or better than chemically concocted medicines. Horseradish has been successful in helping manage diseases, as well. Healthy and Natural World notes:
"Empirical research has now proved what our ancestors intuitively already knew. When treating certain conditions, horseradish is just as effective as chemically-synthesized antibiotics and it can sometimes even be superior to over-the-counter drugs.
Horseradish is particularly potent in the treatment of sinusitis and it clears upper respiratory passages, which helps with cold, influenza and lung congestion … When used as a natural drug, it comes without any side effects. At the same time, it provides us with some distinct culinary enjoyment."4
However, it's important to remember that heating horseradish can significantly alter the strength of the many healing compounds it contains, so eating it raw is recommended.
Horseradish Contains Compounds With Health-Enhancing Horsepower
It's probably no surprise that one of the best uses for horseradish is that it can open up the stuffiest sinuses. This harkens back to one of its most popular uses as a throat-coat for hoarseness. Other conditions it remedies range from colds to urinary tract infections to kidney stones.
According to the Baseline of Health Foundation,5 horseradish may be helpful for relieving symptoms of several serious diseases and disorders, including high blood pressure, cancer and sinus infections. It may also help boost immune system function and fight other infections. Mother Earth News even asserted:
"Ounce for ounce, horseradish contains more medicinally active compounds than most other spices.
And they are very active — they can clear congestion, thin mucous, reduce inflammation, squelch cell-damaging oxidants, fight bacteria and viruses, relax muscles, stimulate the immune system — and even battle cancer. That makes the humble horseradish one special spice."6
Variations of Healing Compounds in Horseradish
One book on the topic lists several healing compounds, and notes that "Horseradish has been reported to have antimicrobial, spasmolytic, cytotoxic, antiseptic, diuretic, stimulant and antioxidant properties."7
Subfeed adds that horseradish also "acts as an antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and antiparasitic medicine."8 Clinical evidence notes that it's these compounds that infuse it with health-enhancing potential.9
Oddly, horseradish root doesn't have much of an odor until it's nicked, cut or chewed, at which point its intensity becomes immediately evident. The smell indicates the presence of some potent, but completely natural, chemicals that impart such dramatic healing capability.
As a member of the Brassicaceae family along with mustard, wasabi and cabbage, horseradish comes with a storehouse of isothiocyanates (ITCs) such as glucosinolates (found only in Brassica plants) broken down from the volatile oil sinigrin and found to protect against cancer.10
The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences11 says laboratory studies released by the American Institute for Cancer Research found that the presence of glucosinolates in food can:
Decrease inflammation associated with many chronic illnesses, including cancer and cardiovascular disease
Suppress enzymes known to activate carcinogens
Stimulate enzymes that deactivate carcinogens and decrease the ability of cancer cells to spread
In a study conducted at the University of Illinois, horseradish was found to deliver 10 times more glucosinolate enzymes than broccoli.12 Lead researcher and associate professor in crop sciences Mosbah Kushad disclosed that just a little "dab" on your steak can communicate benefits and may provide the same health benefits as broccoli.
Sinigrin has a distinguished set of skills, as well. Another study links it with inhibiting lipid peroxidation by 71%, and it plays several roles in reducing the risk of several cancers.13
Horseradish Can Impact Several Types of Cancer
Further, the ITCs in horseradish (as well as wasabi root) were found in clinical trials to help reduce colon and lung cancer cell activity, and the higher the dosage, the weaker the cancer cells became — 30% to 68% weaker for colon cancer and 30% to 71% weaker for lung cancer cells.14
Horseradish contains more than two dozen other cancer-combating compounds. Researchers in England, Austria and New Zealand investigated one they called horseradish peroxidase (HRP), which was targeted as a treatment to help control the growth of breast and bladder cancer cells.15
After ingesting the volatile oil of horseradish, tests on human urine have shown that it can kill the bacteria that cause urinary tract infections. In fact, German herbal remedies suggest it kills gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and candida and successfully treated many viral, bacterial, parasitic and fungal diseases.
The reduction in symptoms from chronically recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) after consumption of an herbal medicinal product containing horseradish has been reported as "statistically significant," another study said.16
Healing and Immune-Boosting Horseradish Recipes
Used in combination with other healing herbs and plants with medicinal capabilities such as ginger, garlic, turmeric and apple cider vinegar, horseradish preparations have numerous applications. As always, use organic ingredients whenever possible.
One recipe calls for a 6-inch horseradish root peeled and grated into the juice of one lemon and a tablespoon of raw, organic honey and sealed in an airtight jar for 24 hours. One tablespoon, undiluted and taken three to four times a day is a heady concoction to soothe your throat and loosen your sinus congestion.
The Master Tonic recipe, which Subfeed17 says is a basic, all-around tonic dating back to medieval Europe, is used as an antibiotic to purify your blood, kill bacteria and increase blood and lymph circulation throughout your body, can be added to olive oil for use as a salad dressing or applied to wounds and infections.
Master Tonic
Ingredients:
24 ounces organic apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup coarsely chopped garlic
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 fresh hot peppers, such as habaneros
1/4 cup grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons horseradish
2 tablespoons turmeric powder (or the equivalent in turmeric root)
Procedure:
Process the ingredients in a food processor but note that the apple cider vinegar is added later.
Process the ingredients, then transfer the mixture to a Mason jar, filling it about two-thirds full.
Pour in enough apple cider vinegar to fill the jar to the top.
Close tightly and shake the jar until it's well-combined. Do this several times a day while storing it in a cool, dry place for up to two weeks.
After 14 days, strain the liquid through gauze or cheese cloth, squeezing the solid bits and setting them aside for use in recipes. The liquid part is then ready for medicinal use.
This mixture can be gargled and swallowed as a sore throat remedy. Take 1 tablespoon per day to strengthen your immune system and fight colds and flu. Master Tonic is safe for use by children and pregnant women in small doses, but take it with food until you're used to it.
One thing to keep in mind when you're handling horseradish, whether in food preparation or to make a tonic to treat health problems, is to wear plastic gloves for the same reason you do when handling some of the hottest peppers, such as jalapenos or habanero peppers. Also, keep it as far from your nose as possible!
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Horseradish is a spicy, flavorful herb that has been used for centuries to enhance the flavor of foods, aid digestion, and improve human health. Horseradish is a neglected and underutilized plant species (NUS), especially with regards to its potential benefits in improving human health. The roots of this plant have been known for centuries to provide effective treatments for various human health disorders and it has a long history of use in traditional medicine. Horseradish is a source of many biologically active compounds and its richness in phytochemicals has encouraged its recent use as a functional food. The medicinal benefits of horseradish are numerous and this plant should be promoted more as it is beneficial for human health. Glucosinolates or their degradation products, isothiocyanates, are responsible for most of the claimed medicinal effects. Recent studies have suggested that glucosinolates provide preventive and inhibitory influence on different types of cancer, and horseradish contains high amounts of these compounds. Other medicinal benefits of horseradish include its well-known antibacterial properties that are also attributed to isothiocyanates and its high content of other antioxidants that benefit human health. Additionally, horseradish contains enzymes that stimulate digestion, regulate bowel movement, and reduce constipation.
Different isolation techniques of horseradish roots and leaves isolates resulted in different yields of AITC, PEITC, and corresponding nitriles in the roots; While in the leaves, AITC was predominant regardless of the isolation method. Horseradish extract and distillates effectively inhibited a range of opportunistic pathogens, including the emerging food spoilage microorganisms as well as hospital multidrug-resistant ESKAPE strains. MHG proved to be the most active, inhibiting growth of MRSA, L. monocytogenes, clinical A. baumannii and fungi.
The volatile susceptibility testing clearly showed that the antimicrobial activity of horseradish roots extract and distillates arises from the combined activity of its three main volatiles, among which the PEITC was the most active. PEITC was also shown to be the most contributing to the cytotoxic activity against two cell lines.
Over the past decade, intensive research has been devoted to ITCs as they are recognized to be responsible for various biological activities (anticancer, antimicrobial, etc.). Their activity is usually investigated using pure compounds or as a part of volatile mixtures isolated from plants that commonly contain 2-3 major GSLs as their precursors. On the other hand, the synergistic effects of their combinations are scarcely studied. Thus, in order to better understand the mechanisms involved in ITCs interactions, more detailed studies that comprise a higher number of ITCs and their different proportions in the mixtures are necessary.
The antimicrobial efficacy of this substance has been confirmed both in vitro and in various clinical trials, with its primary efficacy being attributed to TIC. PEITC, AITC and BITC exhibit a wide range of health benefits, including potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, along with notable anti-cancer potentials. In addition, its ability to modulate critical biochemical pathways, such as nuclear factor erythroid-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/Kelch-type ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells ( NF-κB) and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathways, shedding light on their involvement in cellular apoptosis and their intricate role in guiding immune responses.
https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/10/2/343 (2020).--
https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/7/7/167 (2021).--
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661824000513 (2024).--
I've always disdained horseradish for it's use in altering the pure aroma of steak. However, I'll eat it for my health. Thanks for sharing yet another great article on healing foods. I'm very grateful for all the work you freely share!