Astonishing Health Benefits Of Horseradish
There are so many benefits of horseradish for your health that I wasn’t even aware of. When I think of horseradish, I think of the root ground up to make a prepared condiment for roast beef. But it’s so much more than that, besides being used as a spice, horseradish root is also used for treating inflammatory diseases, protecting against cancer, urinary tract infections and more. Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) is a perennial plant belonging to the Brassicaceae family that also includes broccoli, cabbage and mustard. Horseradish has been cultivated for thousands of years for use as spice and medicine.
Horseradish gets its pungent smell and zesty taste from compounds called isothiocyanates, which have strong antioxidant properties that can help prevent different types of disease by combating inflammation.
The root is an excellent source of vitamin C, a potent natural water-soluble antioxidant that helps your body develop resistance against bacteria and viruses. It also eliminates cancer-causing free radicals in your body.
The root is rich in several nutrients:
- Calcium
- Dietary fiber
- Folate
- Manganese
- Magnesium
- Potassium
- Vitamin C
- Zinc
Cancer Fighting Properties
There’s been numerous studies done, including this one from the University of Illinois, that have shown this root helps make the human body more resistant to cancer. The glucosinolates are the cancer fighting compounds that increase the liver’s ability to detoxify carcinogens and may suppress the growth of tumors.
Other cruciferous vegetables also contain these compounds but horseradish has up to 10 times more glucosinolates than broccoli.
Antimicrobial Properties
The compound in horseradish, Allyl isothiocyanate, has potent antimicrobial properties which helps defend your body from multiple bacterial infections including Staphylococcus aureus, E.Coli, Helicobacter pylori, and Salmonella. Studies have also shown that horseradish can help treat other types of…
