7 Important Health Benefits From Eating Horseradish

Most of us know horseradish as a condiment that packs a big punch with spicy goodness, and we love it on raw oysters, to spice up salad dressings and in cream sauces for roast beef. But what we might not realize is all of the important health benefits from eating horseradish!

Prepared horseradish is chopped up or grated horseradish that has been stabilized in white vinegar, usually, and the cruciferous vegetable packs plenty of power in combatting health issues. It’s pungent, spicy flavor might get all the headlines, but its health benefits are numerous.

7 Horseradish Health Benefits

Don’t overlook the mighty horseradish when it comes to helping your body defeat free radicals and disease!

Antioxidants to Fight Against Cancer: Two of the chemical components that come out of prepared horseradish are forms of isothiocyanate and sinigrin, which have antioxidant characteristics that helps stimulate production of white blood cells. This inhibits mutation of healthy cells into cancerous cells.

Immune System: Those same components, and the Vitamin C found in horseradish, are integral in fighting free radicals that come from cellular metabolism. For those that might already have cancer, ingesting forms of the horseradish root will help delay the metastatis of cancerous cells.

Digestive System: Not only does horseradish help with nutritional absorption, but the phytochemicals in the cruciferous vegetable also stimulate the glands that help create gastric and intestinal juices, along with saliva. Plenty of fiber found in horseradish is also a key component in healthy digestion. Since it also serves as a quality diuretic, stimulating their urination, which releases toxins and cleans the kidney.

Lower Blood Pressure: Horseradish is loaded with potassium, which helps regulate the tension of blood vessels, and it helps the flow of cellular fluids – which, in turn, helps lower your blood pressure. By lowering blood pressure, people have a lower risk of heart attacks and many other cardiovascular diseases.

Respiratory Health: Think about how your sinuses wake up after a quick sniff or small bite of some prepared horseradish! That odor helps clear the mucus secretions in our sinuses and in our respiratory system. The cruciferous root will help clear up congestion that comes from colds or allergies.

Stronger Bones: Horseradish even has some calcium in it, which not only helps bones stay healthy, but it also promotes growth and bone repair. That means it helps combat osteoporosis and other debilitating diseases, while helping us feel younger and stronger.

Weight Loss: Considering a serving of horseradish is just six or seven calories, with a much bigger flavor punch, prepared horseradish is a great weapon to use to lose weight. There is essentially no fat in horseradish, but it does have plenty of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which boosts the human metabolism. That combination (low calories/high metabolism) means eating horseradish helps burn off weight more than adding weight.

Knowing some of the important health benefits to eating horseradish should compel us to try to work the condiment into our recipes and into our diets a little more!