Horseradish
Horseradish has long been considered the king of releasing mucous stagnation. If you’ve ever felt that head-to-toe rush after eating freshly grated horseradish, you know exactly what I am talking about! — It literally blasts through the stagnation in your sinuses, opens the lungs, and leaves you feeling instantly awake and clear. It’s fiercely pungent, unmistakably alive, and has a natural affinity for the upper respiratory tract. In herbalism, it’s seen as a fiery stimulant for digestion and circulation, and its old reputation as an “internal cleanser” made it a household remedy long before modern medicine took shape.
Folk History & Old World Traditions
Horseradish has deep roots (literally and culturally) throughout Eastern Europe, Russia, and England. It was once considered a protective plant — not magical in a whimsical sense, but powerful in its “heat,” which people associated with vitality and the ability to drive out illness or unwanted influences.
In Slavic folklore, horseradish was sometimes hung in homes or placed near doorways to keep negative spirits or bad luck from entering.
In medieval Europe, farmers believed horseradish brought strength and courage, and some even fed a little of it to horses before long journeys or battles, believing it invigorated them (hence one explanation for the “horse” in the name).
In old English herbals, horseradish was valued as a warming root that could “rid the cold and sluggish behaviour”.
Traditional Uses Beyond Respiratory Support
Horseradish has been a multi-purpose household root for generations and actually grows like a weed! Luckily, I planted over 30 tops this Fall, and hope that they root deep and do well over our very cold Winters in Union, Ontario.
1. Digestive Fire
Horseradish has been relied on in the cold winter months (when fresh greens are scarce). It can be grated into vinegar and used as a tonic to “rekindle the fire” of digestion after heavy, fatty, or preserved foods. Some families kept a jar of horseradish vinegar or Fire Cider on the table as a daily condiment and all-in-one-remedy.
2. A Preserver and Purifier:
Because horseradish has pungent volatile oils and antimicrobial properties, it was added to barrels of pickles, krauts, and root-cellared vegetables, not only for flavour but also because people believed it kept foods from spoiling.
3. A Warming Poultice:
In folk practice, grated horseradish was sometimes wrapped in a cloth and applied externally to stiff joints or sore muscles to draw warmth and circulation to the area. (If you try this, be careful because it will add heat fast!)
4. A Symbol of Strength:
Many cultures saw horseradish as a “survival food” — a root so hardy and spicy that it could wake a person back to life. Folklore says it grows best where the soil is strong and the family is well, and that once planted, it “refuses to leave,” returning year after year like an old guardian of the garden.
A Root With Personality
Part of horseradish’s charm is that it demands to be noticed. Even in stories, it’s the bold, almost mischievous root — the one that brings tears of laughter to the table, clears the sinuses of an entire room just by being grated, and has never been accused of being shy. This is true after grating an entire 15lbs of our last horseradish haul. It is one proud root.