Horseradish is a traditional spice of the Slavic peoples. This spicy seasoning has great benefits for the body, helps prevent a number of diseases and improves the taste of dishes.
Horseradish: composition, calories, vitamins and minerals
Horseradish is a member of the cabbage family. The closest relatives of the plant are not only cabbage, but also mustard, lettuce. The culture can be stretched to a height of about 1 meter. The leaves and root of the plant are used as food.
The root contains 5 times more vitamin C than citrus fruits. It also contains carotene, riboflavin, pyriloxin and other substances.
The roots are also rich in minerals, these are iron, manganese, sodium, potassium, zinc and manganese. There are many phytoncides, lysozyme, mustard oil, resins and glycosides in the plant. Amino acids, nitrogenous compounds, starch and fiber are present.
The calorie content of the plant is 48 kcal.
What is useful horseradish
The plant helps to quickly cope with colds, helps with stomatitis and periodontal disease. It is useful for sinusitis and bronchitis, as it helps to remove sputum.
Horseradish will help to cope with gastric disorders and is useful for gastritis with low acidity.
Horseradish is also used in solving the following problems:
inflammatory processes in the biliary tract;
pulmonary tuberculosis;
hepatitis;
radiculitis;
neuralgia of various origins;
migraine;
eczema;
joint problems;
gynecological problems.
The plant has a positive effect on the work of the heart muscle and is included in complex therapy in the treatment of pathologies of the urogenital area in both sexes.
horseradish root
It contains almost all B vitamins, a lot of phosphorus, steroids, iron and phytoncides.
The root is used as a diuretic. The root helps to remove stones from the gallbladder and kidneys. It is used in the fight against impotence and with hepatic colic.
From the gruel of the root, lotions are made for wounds that do not heal for a long time. Grated pulp is used instead of mustard plasters. A tincture from the root allows you to get rid of age spots.
horseradish leaves
The leaves of the plant contain no less useful substances, a lot of dietary fiber and essential oils. Allyl oil improves gastric motility, which increases appetite.
The use of leaves in food can strengthen the immune system and cleanse the body of toxins.
There are many essential oils and phytoncides in the leaves, which allow them to be used as an antibacterial agent.
Leaves prevent scurvy and effectively eliminate beriberi.
The benefits of horseradish for women
Due to the improvement of peristalsis, regular use of the plant allows you to get rid of extra pounds. Horseradish is widely used as an external remedy for cellulite.
Tinctures from the plant help reduce appetite and cope with gynecological diseases.
The benefits of horseradish for men
Tinctures from the plant for men will be useful in the presence of dysfunction in the urogenital area. The root is an aphrodisiac, helps to cope with early baldness. With alopecia, it is recommended to rub the root juice into the hair roots on the head.
The diuretic properties of the plant help to cope with urological problems. From the roots, a remedy for lotions is prepared, which will eliminate pain when the sciatic nerve is infringed. The juice will be useful for joint diseases and arthritis.
Eating horseradish during pregnancy and lactation
During the period of bearing a baby, this culture is not recommended for use. She has a rather aggressive taste. So it’s not worth the risk.
In addition, the plant stimulates the feeling of thirst, and increased fluid intake into the body can cause edema.
During lactation, the use of horseradish is completely contraindicated. It can cause hyperexcitability of the baby and cause an allergic reaction.
Is it possible to use horseradish for children
For children, inhalations with horseradish are very useful. Horseradish gruel with honey is used in the treatment of cough, which does not go away for a long time. From horseradish make lotions on the chest to speed up recovery during colds.
However, it is not worth rushing to introduce horseradish as a seasoning into the baby’s diet.
Is horseradish good for weight loss
The main benefit that can be obtained when using horseradish in dietary nutrition is the acceleration of metabolic processes. It promotes the removal of excess fluid and stimulates the process of burning fat.
It is included in mixtures to combat the manifestation of cellulite.
Eating horseradish for diabetes
In the presence of sugar disease, horseradish is even recommended for use. In a small amount, the plant will increase immunity and have a general tonic effect.
Horseradish contains substances that contribute to the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. And this is extremely important in the presence of diabetes.
How to take horseradish for medicinal purposes
To relieve pain in rheumatism, 70 g of gruel obtained after grinding the root of the plant is poured into 100 ml of olive oil. Infuse the mixture for at least 2 hours. A small amount of the mixture is placed in a gauze bag and sent to a hot bath, after 20 minutes you can immerse yourself in water. Literally after a few procedures, you can notice the positive effect of taking such baths.
To eliminate joint pain, one green apple (gruel) is mixed with chopped horseradish root. The mixture is applied to sore joints. The procedure is recommended to be done 3 times a day.
To get rid of sore throats, the root juice is mixed with honey and sugar. Gargle with this solution. In just a couple of procedures, you can notice a positive effect.
Horseradish is an effective remedy for high blood pressure. To prepare a medicine, 3 liters of water are mixed with 250 g of plant roots, crushed to a mushy state. The mixture is boiled for about 20 minutes over low heat. After the medicine has cooled, it is filtered and drunk two tablespoons 3 times a day.
The leaves of the plant help cleanse the body. A medium-sized bunch of greens is poured with hot water and insisted for 7 days. After that, they begin a course of cleansing, drink tincture 2 teaspoons 2 times a day.
The use of horseradish in cosmetology
There are a lot of essential oils in the roots, which allow you to get rid of age spots and freckles. And flavonoids, which the plant is rich in, effectively slow down the aging process. The resins contained in the root and leaves also contribute to rejuvenation. And saponins increase the body’s resistance to the harmful effects of the environment at the cellular level.
For skin care, you can use the juice and gruel of the plant. The main thing, after grinding or squeezing the juice, let the resulting composition brew for at least 7 minutes. During this time, all the bitterness goes away and there will be no unpleasant sensations during the treatment of the skin.
Horseradish is used to stimulate hair growth and as a means of preventing hair loss. To prepare the mask you will need:
sour cream (1 part);
vegetable oil (1 part);
chopped root (1 pc ).
All components are mixed and applied to the scalp. It is recommended to insulate the head. Keep the mask for 40 minutes, then wash your hair with a simple shampoo.
Horseradish harm and contraindications
During pregnancy, it is better to stop eating horseradish, as it is still very spicy. During breastfeeding, seasoning should be completely abandoned.
Excessive consumption of horseradish can cause heartburn and even mucosal burns. An overdose of the plant is also dangerous due to the presence of mustard oil, which can cause hyperemia and ulcers.
It is unacceptable to use the plant with increased acidity of the stomach.
Do not get carried away with horseradish inhalations. Pairs of plants are useful, but in limited quantities. An overdose can cause coughing, copious mucus from the nose, and copious flow of tears.
How to choose and store horseradish
It is best to store horseradish in a cellar or cool basement. Ideally, the roots dry out with sand and peat. In this form, they can be stored for 6-8 months.
If there is no cellar, then the roots can be dried. After cleaning and cutting, they are placed in the oven and dried at a temperature of 50 degrees.
Roots can be stored in the refrigerator for about one month. Let’s freeze horseradish. The plant is often preserved to feast on during the winter.
When choosing to buy horseradish, give preference to juicy and strong roots. They should be at least 2 cm thick. There should be no rot or defects on the surface and inside.