Horseradish


Red Cole

Three species of tall, tap-rooted perennials make up this genus, found in Eurasia and E USA. Armoracia rusticana (horseradish) appears to have entered cultivation relatively recently, perhaps less than 2,000 years ago. It was primarily a medicinal plant and did not become popular as a flavoring until the late 16th century. Armoracia is the original Latin name for the related wild radish. John Gerard (The Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes, 1597) commented that "the Horse Radish stamped with a little vinegar put thereto, is commonly used among the Germans for sauce to eate fish with and such like meates as we do mustarde". By the mid-17th century both Britian and France had acquired a taste for horseradish sauce, which today is popular worldwide.

Known primarily as a food condiment, horseradish is used as an herb to lessen joint inflammation and treat whooping cough and infected sinuses. It is also used as a diuretic, a circulatory stimulant, and an antibacterial agent.

Upright, stout perennial with a thick, branched tap root, and ovate to oblong, toothed leaves, 30-50cm (12-20in) long. Tiny, white flowers are produced in terminal racemes in early summer.


Common Name:
Red Cole
Other Names:
Horseradish, Great Raifort, Mountain Radish
Botanical Name:
Armoracia rusticana syn. A. lapathifolia, Cochlearia armoracia
Genus:
Armoracia
Family:
Brassicaceae
Native Location:
SE Europe, widely naturalized in Europe, N America, and New Zealand
Cultivation:
Well-drained, rich soil, in sun or partial shade. Old plants are prone to mosaic virus and leafspot. Horseradish is difficult to eradicate when established because bits of root left in the ground grow into new plants. It may protect potatoes from Colorado potato beetles.
Propagation:
By division in autumn or early spring; by seed sown in situ in spring and thinned to 30cm (12in) apart.
Harvest:
Leaves are picked in spring and used fresh. Roots are lifted in autumn and used fresh for culinary purposes and in poultices and syrups, or macerated in vinegar and honey for medicinal use. They store well in damp sand.
Height:
30cm-1.2m (1-4ft)
Width:
60-90cm (24-36in)
Varieties:
Variegated
Has white variegated leaves
Hardiness:
Z3-10
History:
Today horseradish is known most famously (and sometimes infamously) as a hotter-than-hot, eye-watering, condiment served on sandwiches and with red meats and fish. But this member of the mustard family (Cruciferae) has only been used as a food for about 500 years. Before that, horseradish was exclusively a medicinal herb, probably prescribed most often for its blood-stimulating and diuretic properties. The herb's botanical origins and medicinal history are not well documented, however. Some scholars believe horseradish was native to eastern and northern Europe and that its use dates back at least 2,000 years to the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans. These historians believe that the wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) of the ancients—called Raphanos agrio by the Greeks and Amoracia by the Romans—may really have been horseradish. Other scholars believe the herb may have originated in Asia and been used for at least 4,000 yreas, and that horseradish (like horehound and nettle) is one of the sacred bitter herbs the ancient Hebrews ate during Passover. Through the Middle Ages and into the sixteenth century—when it was known in England as "red cole"—horseradish was almost exclusively listed as a medicinal herb, though there are anecdotal reports of its use as a condiment in Germany and Scandinavia. By the seventeenth century, however, its popularity as a condiment had spread throughout Europe. In France it was called Moutarde des Allemands ("the German's Mustard"), and in Great Britain it was dubbed "horse-radish". The "horse" was a corruption of the word "course" and was used to distinguish horseradish from the somewhat "sweeter" and supposedly more edible true radish (Raphanus sativus).
Parts Used:
Leaves, roots
Properties:
A very pungent, stimulant herb that controls bacterial infection and lowers fever by increasing perspiration. It is diuretic and irritates the tissues, causing improved circulation locally.
Medicinal Uses:
Internally for general debility, arthritis, gout, sciatica, respiratory, and urinary infections, and fevers characterized by coldness. Excess causes vomiting and may provoke allergic responses. Not given to patients with stomach ulcers or thyroid problems. Externally as a poultice for infected wounds, pleurisy, arthritis, and pericarditis.
To treat infections of the respiratory and urinary tract, the flu, gout, rheumatism, digestive problems, and minor muscle aches. Germany's Commission E has approved the use of horseradish to treat cough, bronchitis, and urinary tract infections.
Horseradish has antibacterial, antiseptic, appetite-promoting, blood-stimulating, circulation-stimulating, diuretic, expectorant, and sweat-promoting properties. The herb is also rich in vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and sodium. Horseradish is taken internally—usually in juice or syrup form—to aid digestion and to treat asthma, bladder ailments, colic, and other intestinal problems, congestion, coughs, gout, hay fever, laryngitis, rheumatism, sinusitis, and sore throats. Inhaling a tablespoon or two of freshly ground horseradish root relieves sinus congestion and eases breathing. Horseradish is applied externally—usually in tincture form, but sometimes as fresh root wrapped in a compress—to relieve rheumatic aches and stiffness by stimulating blood flow to the surface of the skin.
Preparation:
Commercially prepared horseradish sauce is available fresh in supermarkets. The herb is also found as fresh root (refrigerate to preserve) and in juices, syrups, tablets, and tinctures. Follow the manufacturer's or your practitioner's directions about how to use the herb.
Typical Dose:
A typical dose of horseradish taken internally is up to 20 gm of the fresh root (cut or ground); externally, ointment or gel should contain no more than 2 percent mustard oil (an active ingredient in horseradish).
Caution:
Horseradish can depress thyroid or kidney function. Avoid using the herb if you have a preexisting thyroid or kidney problem. Use horseradish with caution and in moderation; it can irritate the stomach. Overuse of the herb may cause diarrhea or night sweats.
Possible Side Effects:
Horseradish's side effects include diarrhea and irritation of the gastrointestinal and urinary tracts. Avoid taking horseradish if you have stomach ulcers or kidney disease. The root of the horseradish plant should be freshly grated just before use, but do so outside or risk irritating your eyes when the mustard oil within it is released into the air.
Drug Interactions:
Taking horseradish with these drugs may be harmful:
Fondaparinux, (Arixtra)—May increase the risk of bleeding or bruising.
Levothyroxine, (Levothroid, Synthroid)—May interfere with drug's actions.
Disease Effects:
May worsen cases of inflammatory or infectious gastrointestinal ailments by irritating the gastrointestinal tract.
Supplement Interactions:
Increased risk of bleeding when used with herbs and supplements that might affect platelet aggregation.
Culinary Uses:
Young, fresh leaves have a mild, pleasant flavor, and are excellent in salads and sandwiches. Fresh root is grated alone, or with apple, as a condiment for fish, or with vinegar and cream to accompany roast beef, cold chicken, or hard-boiled eggs. In Eastern Europe, horseradish is often mixed with beets as a condiment. Horseradish sauces may be gently warmed, but cooking destroys the volatile oils, responsible for the pungency.
Bibliography:
Encyclopedia of Herbs by Deni Brown Copyright © 1995, 2001 Dorling Kindersley Limited. Pp 129-130
The Essential Herb-Drug-Vitamin Interaction Guide by Geo. T. Grossberg,MD and Barry Fox,PhD Copyright©2007 Barry Fox,PhD. 276-277.
The Modern Herbal Primer by Nancy Burke Copyright©2000 Yankee Publishing, Inc. pp. 71-72