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Ginger Quieting That Queasy Feeling Nausea is a possible symptom of dozens of conditions and diseases, from Addison’s disease to traumatic brain injury. But it’s a prominent symptom of several. There’s motion sickness, when a disconnect between what you see and the way your body is moving confuses the balance center in your inner ear, producing nausea. There’s morning sickness, the nausea of early pregnancy that bedevils so many mothers-to-be. There’s medication-induced nausea, from anesthesia or chemotherapy. And there’s nausea from digestive upset, such as food poisoning. For thousands of years—in China, India, the Middle East, and the Roman Empire—traditional healers have turned to ginger to help quiet that queasy feeling. For the past few decades, scientists around the world have been proving that ginger works. Saying No to Nausea No matter the type of nausea, ginger just says no. Motion sickness. “Nausea associated with motion sickness is unpleasant.” That’s the scientific understatement of a team of gastroenterologists from the University of Michigan and National Ying-Ming University in Taiwan. But standard over-the-counter and prescription medications for motion sickness aren’t particularly pleasant either, they add—not only do they “produce incomplete symptom control,” but they also have “significant side effects, such as dry mouth, lethargy, and drowsiness.” Ginger, however, is a traditional Chinese remedy for motion sickness, said the researchers. And they set out to see not only if it worked, but how it worked. To do so, they asked 13 volunteers with a history of motion sickness (from car, boat, or plane travel) to sit in a spinning chair. Needless to say, they all became nauseated. But when the vol-
unteers took either 1,000 or 2,000 milligrams (mg) of ginger before they sat in the chair, it took them 35 percent longer to develop nausea, the nausea was less intense by 30 percent, and the nausea was far less severe 15, 30, and 45 minutes after the chair stopped spinning. (Both doses of ginger worked equally well.) In their study, the researchers also measured blood levels of vasopressin, a key hormone that helps regulates levels of water, salt, and blood sugar, and that the researchers theorized might
Ginger is a proven remedy to ease motion sickness from being on a boat.
play a role in nausea from motion sickness. They found ginger limited the release of vasopressin during “circular vection.” (Yes, there is a scientific term for sitting in a spinning chair.) The researchers also measured electrical activity in the stomach (tachygastria) during circular vection—and found ginger kept the activity “relatively stable” as compared to “chaotic” activity without the spice. “Ginger is effective in preventing motion sickness, possibly by suppressing vasopressin release from the central nervous system,” said the researchers. “Ginger may act as a novel agent in the prevention and treatment of motion sickness.”
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(And maybe in the prevention and treatment of other problems, too. The researchers noted that Chinese healers have used ginger for thousands of years as a remedy for nausea and stomach upset and diarrhea and arthritis and toothache.) Those researchers weren’t the first to test ginger for motion sickness. In an earlier study, navel cadets who took ginger on their maiden voyage had less motion sickness—less nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and cold sweats. Morning sickness. Morning is the worst time of day for an estimated 50 to 80 percent of pregnant women during the first trimester. They’re suffering with morning sickness—the nausea and vomiting that experts say is triggered by pregnancy’s sudden flood of hormones. Are experts saying anything about solving the problem? Some of them are saying: Take ginger. “Ginger has been shown to improve the symptoms of nausea and vomiting compared with placebo in pregnant women,” wrote a team of researchers in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy, after analyzing nearly 40 years of studies on the spice. “Ginger may be an effective treatment for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy,” wrote Italian scientists in Obstetrics and Gynecology, after evaluating data from six studies on ginger and morning sickness, involving 675 women. They also noted that there was an “absence of significant side effects or adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes” from taking supplements of the spice. “Ginger offers the clinician and pregnant woman a safe alternative to prescription medications for nausea,” said Eva Bryer, CNM, a midwife in California, in a review of ginger and morning sickness in the Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health. Ginger may help even the most severe form of morning sickness, hyperemesis gravidarum. In a Danish study of women with the problem, ginger provided “greater relief of symptoms” than a placebo.
Homegrown Ginger
H
ere’s a unique way to keep fresh ginger root at home: Take fresh ginger root you purchased at the store and break off a piece at least two inches long. Place it in a pot filled with sandy soil, such as cactus soil. Water occasionally to keep it slightly moistened. The root will start to grow in four to five weeks. Whenever you need ginger, just dig up the root and break off a small portion. The root will continue to grow. In the most recent study on ginger and morning sickness, researchers divided 67 pregnant women into two groups: one took 250 mg of ginger four times a day, and the other took a placebo. After four days, those taking ginger had 41 percent less vomiting. “Ginger is an effective remedy for decreasing nausea and vomiting during pregnancy,” concluded the researchers in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Nausea after surgery. Researchers analyzed data from five studies on ginger and post-operative nausea, involving 363 people, and found that a daily dose of 1,000 mg of the spice reduced the likelihood of postoperative nausea and vomiting by 31 percent. “Use of ginger is an effective means for reducing postoperative nausea and vomiting,” they wrote in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Chemotherapy-induced nausea. “Nausea that develops during the period that begins 24 hours after the administration of chemotherapy is called delayed nausea, and occurs in many patients with cancer,” wrote a team of researchers in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. When they gave a high-protein drink spiced with ginger to people with chemotherapy, they found they had less nausea and used less anti-nausea medication than people not getting the drink. “Protein with ginger holds the potential of representing a novel, nutritionally-based treatment for the delayed nausea of chemotherapy,” they concluded.
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Ginger may help prevent and/or treat: Arthritis, osteo- and rheumatoid Asthma Cancer Cholesterol problems (high total cholesterol, high “bad” LDL cholesterol, low “good” HDL cholesterol) Heart attack
Heartburn (gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD) Indigestion Migraine Morning sickness Motion sickness Nausea (chemotherapy-induced and postoperative) Stroke Triglycerides, high
Ginger pairs well with these spices: Allspice Cardamom Chile Cinnamon Clove Coconut Coriander
Cumin Curry leaf Fennel seed Garlic Mustard seed Onion Parsley
Sesame seed Star anise Tamarind Turmeric Vanilla
and complements recipes featuring: Ale or beer Chicken Chutney Duck Oranges Pork
Pumpkin Shellfish Sushi Sweet potatoes Winter squash
And while a study by doctors at the University of Michigan found that ginger didn’t help with nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy, those who took the spice had “significantly less fatigue” (a big problem for cancer patients) and also fewer overall “adverse effects” from chemotherapy.
Ginger Aid Ginger is rich in phytonutrients called gingerols, which are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral—and anti-disease. Arthritis. Researchers at the University of Miami studied 247 people with osteoarthritis of the knee, dividing them into two groups. One took a ginger extract, while the other took a placebo. After six weeks, those taking ginger had 31 percent less knee pain on standing, 42 percent less knee pain after walking 50 feet, and they took less pain medication. “Ginger extract had a statistically significant effect on reducing symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee,” wrote the researchers in Arthritis and Rheumatism. Cancer. Dozens of cellular and animal studies show that ginger may be anti-cancer—for lung, breast, prostate, skin, bladder, kidney, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers. In our lab in the Department of Experimental Therapeutics at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, we have conducted several cellular and animal experiments on cancer and zerumbone, a ginger extract. In a study in Cancer Research, we showed that zerumbone activated genes that lead to the death of human colon cancer cells—and could also activate the same cell-killing genes in kidney, breast, and pancreatic cancer cells. Zerumbone also activated a “tumor suppressor” gene. In an animal study in Cancer Research, we found zerumbone could help prevent bone loss in breast cancer—a common problem. (We theorized that zerumbone might also battle osteoporosis.) In another study in Cancer Research, we found zerumbone could “down-regulate” a gene that plays a role in metastasis, the spread of cancer beyond the organ it first targets. And in a study in the journal Oncogene, we showed that zerumbone helped stop the activation of NF-kB, a protein complex that activates cancer-causing, cancer-spreading genes. Migraine. “Treatment of migraine is often delayed due to . . . unwanted consequences from
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prescription medication,” wrote researchers from the Headache Care Center in Springfield, Missouri. To find out if ginger could provide an alternative to those medications, they gave 29 people with migraines either a placebo or a supplement with feverfew and ginger (Gelstat Migraine therapy). “Two hours after treatment, 48 percent were pain-free, with 34 percent reporting a headache of only mild severity,” said the researchers. They noted that nearly 60 percent of those who took the remedy said they were satisfied with it, and 41 percent felt it was equal to their medication. Not bad for an herband-spice combo. Asthma. Researchers in the UK noted that drugs used to treat asthma often produce “suboptimal” results, and that “many patients harbor misgivings about conventional” drugs such as inhaled corticosteroids, which have many shortand long-term side effects. To find out if a nondrug approach might help control asthma, they gave 30 adults with mild to moderate asthma either a placebo or a natural formula that included 130 mg of a ginger extract standardized to contain gingerols. After three months, those taking the formula had “clinical improvements” in asthma symptoms, their overall health was better, and they were coughing less.
Ginger is a knobby rhizome— the underground stem (not the root) of a plant.
Heartburn and stomachaches. Researchers in Taiwan gave 24 healthy people 1,200 mg of ginger and measured gastric emptying—the speed at which the stomach digests food. (Tooslow stomach emptying can produce heartburn, as well as bloating, belching, and flatulence right after eating.) Ginger cut gastric emptying time in half, compared to placebo. This effect “could possibly be beneficial” in people with heartburn and other types of digestive upset, concluded the researchers in the European Journal of Gastroenterological Hepatology. Cholesterol problems. Researchers studied 95 people with blood fat problems (high “bad” LDL cholesterol, high total cholesterol, high triglycerides, and low “good” HDL cholesterol). They divided them into two groups: one group took 1,000 mg of ginger, three times a day; the other group took a placebo. After 45 days, those taking ginger had a greater drop in LDL and a greater increase in HDL. Heart attacks and stroke. Researchers in Taiwan found that ginger decreased platelet aggregation—clumping of blood components that can trigger the artery-clogging blood clots that cause most heart attacks and strokes. Combining ginger with standard blood-thinning medication “could be valuable for cardiovascular [heart attack] and cerebrovascular [stroke] complication,” they concluded in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine. Getting to Know Ginger Ginger was a favored spice for cooking and healing in ancient China and Rome. By the ninth century, ginger arrived in Europe—and after a couple of centuries it was so popular (especially in England) that it was used on the table like salt and pepper, and sprinkled on beer. (The origin of “ginger ale.”) Henry VIII may not have always loved his wives, but he always loved ginger. And so did his daughter, Elizabeth I—who sometimes presented each guest at a state dinner with a “Gingerbread Man” shaped in his or her own image.
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England is still famous for its gingerbread— nearly every town has its own recipe and unique mold for fashioning figures. And gingerbread figures are part of the November ritual called Guy Fawkes Day (also called Guy Fawkes Night and Bonfire Night) that celebrates the foiling of a plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament. And speaking of houses: the gingerbread house is a German invention, and now a Christmas tradition that has spread throughout the world. Ginger is a staple in the cuisines of India, China, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam, where it’s used more in savory foods than in desserts. (Ginger is to these cuisines what garlic and onions are to American cooking.) And since Asian and Indian cuisines are spreading in popularity, the savory use of the spice is enjoying an international revival. But ginger is popular, well, everywhere. In Germany, it’s a Christmas eve tradition to eat carp cooked with gingerbread and gingersnaps. The Japanese are fond of shoga, a locally grown ginger, which they eat pickled. Ginger is a main ingredient in kimchi, the well-known Korean fermented salad. It’s a key ingredient in many curries, especially those made in Thailand and Malaysia. And it’s a popular addition to spice mixes, including Jamaica’s hot jerk spice mix. The people of Myanmar (Burma) discovered an unusual quality about ginger: when used in large quantities, it masks the odor of fish. Burmese freshwater fish dishes always include ginger. Ginger is a big hit in beverages too. There is, of course, ginger ale and ginger tea. Jamaica produces a carbonated soft drink called ginger beer. Bermuda also produces a brand of ginger beer called Barritts (connoisseurs consider it superior), and drink it straight or mixed with rum in a drink called a Dark and Stormy. A Manhattan bar invented the Moscow Mule, which is ginger beer and vodka. The French make a ginger liqueur called Canton. In Thailand, you’ll find Khing sot, a fresh ginger drink made with ginger oil. In Yemen, ginger flavors coffee.
How to Buy Ginger Ginger is a knobby rhizome—the underground stem (not the root) of a plant. A ginger rhizome is called a hand. You can buy fresh ginger whole, sliced, diced, or preserved in brine. You can buy dried ginger sliced, ground, or crystallized. Because of ginger’s popularity, you can usually find all these forms in most supermarkets. When buying fresh ginger, look for hands that are firm and swollen-appearing, with smooth skin. (Wrinkled ginger is old.) Fresh ginger is light brown, with a slightly pink tinge, and knobs tinged yellow-green. Ginger derives its intense flavor from its gingerols. But gingerol content varies, depending on where and how the plant was grown, and when it was harvested. So fresh ginger can be
Other recipes containing ginger: Berbere (p. 267) Caribbean Curry Paste (p. 287) Chaat Masala (p. 256) Chesapeake Bay Seafood Seasoning (p. 273) Coconut Meatballs with Peanut Sauce (p. 101) Garbanzo Beans with Mushrooms and Toasted Almonds (p. 29) Jamaican Jerk Marinade (p. 269) La Kama (p. 266) Los Banos Low-Fat Brownies (p. 97) Madras Curry Paste (p. 286)
Madras Curry Powder (p. 284) Malaysian Curry Paste (p. 287) Mulling Spice (p. 273) Mussels with Thai Red Curry Sauce (p. 156) Potato Cauliflower Curry (p. 252) Ras-el-hanout (p. 266) Sesame Seared Tuna with Pickled Ginger and Vanilla Slaw (p. 220) Spiced Milk Tea (p. 66) Spiced Mixed Nuts (p. 90) Vindaloo Curry Paste (p. 286)
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Ginger Carrot and Squash Soup This light and tasty soup makes a nice first course for Thanksgiving or with spring lamb. 1½ teaspoons coriander seeds ½ teaspoon yellow mustard seeds 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil 2 cups diced onions 1 heaping tablespoon diced fresh ginger ½ teaspoon turmeric ½ teaspoon Madras Curry Powder (p. 284) or commercial curry powder 1 pound carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped 1 acorn squash, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped (1 pound) 1 teaspoon lime zest 6 cups chicken stock ½ cup light cream 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice Salt and pepper to taste ½ cup fresh parsley
1. Dry roast the coriander and mustard seeds separately and cool. Place both spices in a spice mill and grind to a fine powder. 2. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed large Dutch oven and brown fry the onions for 10 minutes until they are golden brown. Add the ginger, turmeric, and toasted seeds, and the curry powder and stir for one minute. Add the carrots, acorn squash, and lime zest, cover, and cook for five minutes, stirring frequently. 2. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until the carrots and squash are soft. Cool slightly. 3. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return the soup to the pot. Stir in the cream and lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley. Makes 6 servings.
any degree of tangy, sweet, or spicy, with temperature ranging from mild to hot. Half the world’s ginger is produced on India’s Malabar Coast, in the cities of Calicut and Cochin, with Cochin ginger considered the superior variety. According to ginger-savvy chefs, the best ginger in the world—with a mild flavor that’s ideal for cooking—grows in Jamaica. Ginger from Nigeria and Sierra Leone is the most pungent. Most of the ginger shipped to the US is from Hawaii. Peeled, sealed, and refrigerated, fresh young ginger keeps for about two weeks. You can also freeze it peeled and sliced; thaw before using. You can keep older ginger unpeeled, in a cool dry place, just as you keep garlic and onions. You also can keep unpeeled ginger indefinitely by freezing it in a freezer bag. When using unpeeled frozen ginger, cut off as much as you think you’ll use, and slice or grate it while still frozen.
Ground ginger lacks the aroma of fresh ginger, but the spicy fragrance and characteristic flavor are intact. Preserved ginger and crystallized ginger are processed with sugar; needless to say, they’re sweet. They also range in temperature. They keep in a cool, dry place for up to a year. In the Kitchen with Ginger Ginger is quite versatile—you can use it in almost anything. But keep in mind that fresh and dried ginger differ noticeably in their flavoring effects. Though you can often substitute one for the other, you won’t get the same intense flavor from dried. Both fresh and dried ginger are used in savory dishes, with dried ginger almost always called for in sweet dishes. In contemporary cuisine, the accent is on fresh ginger, especially if you’re making Asian or Indian dishes.
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Fresh ginger is easy to work with. Peel it with a paring knife or with a vegetable peeler. Then slice it. The ideal slice is the size of a quarter. In Indian cuisine it is ground with a mortar and pestle. Fresh ginger is rather strong, but mellows in cooking. Here are ideas for putting more ginger in your diet: • Make a Chinese dipping sauce by combining ¾ cup of Japanese dark soy sauce with ¼ cup black Chinese vinegar, 2 tablespoons each of grated fresh ginger and garlic, and ½ tablespoon of sesame oil. If you can’t find black Chinese vinegar (available in Asian markets), you can substitute balsamic. • Fresh ginger goes great with shellfish. Grate fresh ginger and dried mint into
melted butter and serve as a dipping sauce with steamed lobster or shrimp. • Sprinkle ginger and brown sugar on acorn squash or sweet potatoes before baking. • Rub into meat before grilling, to help tenderize and add flavor. • Ginger works well in white sauces and dessert sauces. • Finely grate fresh ginger over cooked tofu or noodles. • Sprinkle ground ginger in applesauce or use it in fruit pie fillings. • Grate fresh ginger into cheesecake batter. • Grind crystallized ginger and sprinkle it on top of whipped cream or ice cream. • Make ginger syrup by combining ¼ pound peeled and diced ginger with 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water, bring to a boil, and cook for 30 minutes. Strain and cool.
Horseradish Potent Infection Fighter Horseradish is to spices what apples are to pies— very American. An estimated 85 percent of the world’s horseradish is grown here and a lot of it stays here: Americans consume six million gallons of horseradish a year! But horseradish isn’t an American original. Native to the Mediterranean, by the 15th century it was growing in Britain, where it was described as hoarse, meaning “of coarse and strong quality.” Raw horseradish has no odor, but cut into its flesh and you’ll sniff a waft of heat that can open the sinuses even on the worst day of allergy season. No wonder it was used as a medicine long before it was used as a food. Ye Olde physicians employed its mucous-moving abilities to help treat colds, coughs, kidney stones, urinary tract infections—and hoarseness, of course. What gives horseradish its healing kick? The volatile oil sinigrin, which breaks down into allyl isothiocyanate, a powerful natural antibiotic.
Allyl isothiocyanate most likely accounts for the proven effectiveness of horseradish in treating upper respiratory problems. But it’s not the only healing component in the spice. Ounce for ounce, horseradish contains more medicinally active compounds than most other spices. And they are very active—they can clear congestion, thin mucous, reduce inflammation, squelch celldamaging oxidants, fight bacteria and viruses, relax muscles, stimulate the immune system— and even battle cancer. That makes the humble horseradish one special spice. As noted botanist and spice expert Dr. James A. Duke put it, “Horseradish is about as useful in the medicine chest as it is in the spice rack.” A Natural Antibiotic Even though horseradish is loaded with healing phytonutrients, only a few scientific studies have been conducted to test its curative powers. However, the spice has been declared medically
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safe and effective for upper respiratory tract infections by the German Commission E Monographs, which helps guide physicians and other health professionals in Germany in the medical use of herbs. One of that country’s most popular infectionfighting natural medicines is a preparation called Angocin Anti-Infekt N, which contains horseradish root and the herb nasturtium. Since the preparation hit the German market, several laboratory and human studies have found that it is as effective as antibiotics in treating: • Bronchitis • Ear infection • Gastrointestinal illness caused by food contaminated with the E. coli bacteria • Gastrointestinal illness caused by food contaminated by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus • Haemophilus influenza, which typically strikes children under age five • Pneumonia • Sinusitis • Strep throat and other serious illness cause by the bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes, such as cellulitis, impetigo, and scarlet fever • Urinary tract infection
One of those studies, involving 858 children and teenagers in 65 German treatment centers, compared the effectiveness of Angocin AntiInfekt N to an antibiotic in the treatment of bronchitis and urinary tract infection (UTI). Effectiveness was measured by the degree of symptom relief and the speed at which infections cleared up—and the horseradish-containing medication was very effective! “The results prove that there is a rational basis for treatment of both UTIs and respiratory infections with this medicinal product,” commented the researchers. Another German study compared the effectiveness of the horseradish preparation to antibiotics in 536 people with sinusitis, 634 people
Horseradish is a coarse, colorless, odorless root.
with bronchitis, and 479 people with UTI. Again, the natural medicine worked just as well as the antibiotic. The horseradish medication also has been shown to help prevent infection. In one study, researchers recruited 219 women and men ages 18 to 75 to test the effectiveness of the natural medicine in preventing recurrent UTI. All the patients were symptom-free at the beginning of the study. Half the participants took a daily dose of the horseradish-containing supplement and half took a placebo. After three months, the researchers found that the rate of recurrence was 50 percent lower in the people taking the horseradish remedy than in those taking the placebo. Another study involving children with recurrent urinary tract infections had similar results. Better than Broccoli? On the outside, horseradish isn’t much to look at. It is a coarse, colorless, odorless, gangly root with no taste-appeal whatsoever—the ugly duckling of an attractive family of colorful vegetables called the crucifers. These crucifers (broccoli, watercress, mustard greens, kale, cabbage, and brussels sprouts, to name a few) are well known for producing the plant kingdom’s largest supply of isothiocyanates (ITCs), compounds that have been found to protect against cancer. But ITCs wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for another important compound: glucosinolates. When the flesh of a crucifer is broken—when it
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is torn, cut, or chewed—glucosinolates get into gear and produce ITCs. That’s why horseradish stands out as more than just a homely spice in a family of lovely greens. When researchers at the University of Illinois put horseradish under the microscope, they found it contained more glucosinolates than broccoli, the king of all crucifers. “Horseradish contains more than 10-fold higher glucosinolates than broccoli, so you don’t need much horseradish to benefit,” commented Dr. Mosbah Kushad, the study’s lead researcher. “In fact, a little dab on your steak will go a long way to providing the same health benefits as broccoli.” (Good news for you broccoli-haters out there!) In one study on the ITCs in horseradish, researchers at Michigan State University tested their ability to inhibit the activity of colon and lung cancer cells. As the dosage of ITCs increased, the disease-promoting activity of the cancer cells became weaker—30 to 68 percent weaker for colon cancer, and 30 to 71 percent weaker for lung cells. ITCs aren’t the only cancer-fighting compound in horseradish—the spice contains more than two dozen anti-cancer compounds, and researchers in England are investigating one of them—horseradish peroxidase (HRP)—as a component in an anti-cancer medication. In one laboratory study, the experimental drug helped control the growth of breast and bladder cancer cells.
levels. The researchers theorize that horseradish blocks the production of cholesterol.
High Hopes for Low Cholesterol The ITCs in cruciferous vegetables (broccoli in particular) promote heart health by helping control two major risk factors for heart disease: the blood fats cholesterol and triglycerides. A study reported in the journal Nutrition Research found that the ITCs in horseradish can do the same. In the study, researchers fed mice a cholesterolrich diet with and without horseradish. After three weeks, the mice eating the diet with cholesterol and horseradish had much lower cholesterol
passage, which is why a strong dose makes the nose run and the eyes water. The heat dissipates quickly, however, and you are left with the spice’s distinctive taste—a white radish with the heat of a jalapeño. Pure horseradish, however, is not a familiar taste—it’s usually one ingredient in a sauce. That’s why we don’t recognize that the so-called “wasabi” served in sushi restaurants is pure horseradish, colored with spinach and spirulina. (To find out more about wasabi, please see page 256.)
The Unique Crucifer Not only does horseradish contain higher concentrations of ITCs than other crucifers—it also contains thiocyanate, a rare substance that sends a pungent rush into the nasal cavity when the flesh is cut or chewed. Thiocyanate is only found in two other spices, mustard seed and wasabi, both members of the crucifer clan. Thiocyanate delivers its zing by a different route than capsaicin, the chemical that torches your tongue when you eat chiles. When horseradish meets moisture in the mouth, thiocyanates are released into the air and up the nasal
First produced in Pittsburgh in 1869, Heinz Horseradish was America’s original mass-marketed convenience food.
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Getting to Know Horseradish Horseradish first came to the United States in the 1600s with the original settlers, but it really took off as a coveted condiment in the mid1800s when German and Polish immigrants brought their love for the spice and their recipes to America. It was so popular as a topping for cold meats and fish that in 1869 a young entrepreneur by the name of Henry J. Heinz mixed it with the preservative vinegar, packed it in small glass jars to “display its purity,” and peddled it in a hand basket in his hometown neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Heinz Horseradish went on to became America’s first massmarketed convenience food, and local legend has it that Heinz grated so much horseradish in his parent’s home basement you could smell the potent vapors coming through the floorboards long after he moved the operation elsewhere. Today, horseradish plays a leading culinary role in both the United States and Europe. We use it to turn ordinary ketchup into sinus-opening cocktail sauce, the ubiquitous dip traditionally served with boiled shrimp and raw shellfish. It’s a popular addition to the tomato-juice-and-vodka cocktail Bloody Mary, and it is often found sitting on the bar in taverns and seafood houses next to a bowl of oyster crackers. It’s the classic condiment found on tables in steakhouses and in the serving line at fast food places from coast to coast. Every June, Collinsville, Illinois, the self-proclaimed horseradish capital of the world, hosts the annual International Horseradish Festival, with every horseradish contest imaginable, including a Little Miss Horseradish beauty pageant. But first prize for horseradish adoration goes to the Germans, who still follow the arduous custom of grating the tough, large root and serving it fresh. Germans are so fond of horseradish because its potent tang cuts the fatty flavor of sausages and the unusual cuts of meat that are the standard fare in their diet. German cuisine contains countless recipes for horseradish sauce. There’s vinegar horseradish sauce, lemon horseradish sauce, horseradish bread sauce, horse-
Horseradish may help prevent and/or treat: Bronchitis Cancer Cholesterol problems (high total cholesterol) Ear infection Flu
Food poisoning Pneumonia, bacterial Sinusitis Strep throat Urinary tract infection
Horseradish pairs well with these spices: Basil Black pepper Celery seed Fennel seed Mustard seed
Parsley Rosemary Sesame seed Sun-dried tomato
and complements recipes featuring: Apples Baked beans Beef roasts Cheese Cold cuts Cured ham
Eggs Fresh and smoked fish Pork Potatoes Shellfish
Substitute: Since most wasabi sold in the US is really horseradish, you can use the two interchangeably. True wasabi is stronger, however, so if using it as a substitute for horseradish in a recipe, start with half as much and add more until you get to the desired taste and consistency.
radish whipped cream sauce, beer horseradish sauce, and the most well known, apfelmeerrettich, which is made with sour green apples. It’s not unusual to find meerrettichkartoffeln—potatoes baked in horseradish cream—sitting on the table, too. Eastern Europeans and Scandinavians also have their horseradish traditions.
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In Norway, the grated root is whipped with sweet-and-sour cream, sugar, and vinegar to create a sauce called pepperrotsaus that is served with cold salmon and other fish. The Danes freeze creamed horseradish and serve it like sherbet in a chilled sauceboat. The Poles grate beets into horseradish to make a purplered condiment called chrzan that is served with spring ham. Horseradish soup is a Polish Christmas-day lunch tradition. The French are not fond of fiery food, but horseradish is the exception. They feel the heavy red horseradish sauce preferred by Americans is too heavy for the delicate taste of raw oysters and instead serve a dipping sauce called mignonette, which combines the spice with vinegar and oil. In England, standing rib roast with horseradish cream sauce is a national tradition. Horseradish is on the table at the Seder, the meal that celebrates the Jewish holiday of Passover—it’s one of the maror (bitter herbs) that symbolize the suffering the Israelites endured as slaves in Egypt. In the Kitchen with Horseradish You’ll get the most pungent horseradish by serving it the way the Germans prefer: freshly grated and undiluted. But grating horseradish is painstaking—even painful! The root is tough, coarse, and long (a foot or more), and grating it
calls for strength and a sharp steel grating blade. The vapors hit your nostrils like a punch in the nose, so work outdoors if possible, or at least in a well-ventilated room by an open window. Also warn others to stay upwind from the fumes. And once grated, the flavor deteriorates quickly. All of which is why I highly recommend you take the easy route and purchase prepared horseradish preserved in vinegar, which is inexpensive and readily available. It won’t give you the zing of fresh horseradish, but it’s close, and its healing powers are the same. You can find prepared horseradish in the dairy section of any supermarket, and it will last for months in the refrigerator at home. Just check the label to make sure you’re getting the minimum ingredients—horseradish, distilled white vinegar, and salt. When using it in recipes, make sure to squeeze the vinegar out with the back of the fork, so you get the pure taste of horseradish. You can also purchase the spice as granules and flakes, which must be rehydrated. Generally horseradish relishes and sauces aren’t cooked—heat destroys the spice’s pungency, and cooked horseradish is quite mild. So, when you see a horseradish-potato crusted fish on the menu (quite popular these days), there’s no need to pass it up because you think the dish might be too hot. Horseradish is versatile and easy to work with.
Bavarian Apple and Horseradish Sauce This popular German specialty makes a great accompaniment to pork tenderloin or chops and spicy sausages. You can also serve it as a spread on cold beef sandwiches on thick crusty bread. ½ cup prepared horseradish, drained 1 large sour green apple, peeled, cored, and diced ¼ cup lemon juice 1 teaspoon sugar ½ teaspoon salt 1 ⁄3 cup sour cream 1 tablespoon dried parsley
In a medium mixing bowl mix the horseradish, apple, lemon juice, sugar, and salt. Cover and let the mixture stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stir in the sour cream, sprinkle with parsley, and serve. Or refrigerate until ready to use, stir, and bring to room temperature before serving. Makes about 1½ cups.
146 ◆ the healing spices
Here are some of the many ways you can put more of the spice into your diet:
few splashes of Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. • Make a different dipping sauce for seafood by combining 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of sour cream, 1 tablespoon of prepared horseradish, and ¼ teaspoon each of mace and mint. Sprinkle with garlic salt. • To make a traditional horseradish cream for roast beef, beat ½ cup of heavy cream until slightly stiff and fold in 2 tablespoons of prepared horseradish. Add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and salt and pepper. Chill for at least an hour before serving.
• Add a dollop of horseradish to potato salads, slaws, and dips. • Use it to give applesauce a tasty zip. • Add a tablespoon or two to spike barbecue sauce served with grilled meat. • Mix a tablespoon of prepared horseradish with 1/3 cup of sour cream as a topping for smoked fish. Sprinkle it with chives. • Mix horseradish with sour cream and whip it into mashed potatoes. • To make a basic cocktail sauce, mix equal parts of ketchup and horseradish. Add a
Juniper Berry The Natural Diuretic The juniper berry (not a real berry, but a tiny pinecone from the juniper tree and bush) is bestknown as the spice that defines the flavor of gin. If at last night’s party you had a martini, a gin and tonic, a Long Island iced tea, and a Tom Collins, and today (along with your hangover) you seem to be going to the bathroom more than usual— you are. Juniper berry is also a standout diuretic, a compound that increases the output of urine. Kind to Your Kidneys Many modern medicines aimed at healing the urinary tract include one or more compounds extracted from juniper berries. The compounds not only stimulate the kidneys to produce fluid, but also help kill bacteria, making them ideal for battling bladder and urinary tract infections. In fact, juniper berry is so kind to the kidneys that researchers at the University of California found it helped prevent organ rejection in test animals with kidney transplants. Evergreen Healing Other ways that juniper might help heal include:
Stomachache. The Commission E Monographs— scientific summaries used in Germany to guide physicians and other health practitioners in the use of natural remedies—approved the use of juniper berries for treating indigestion. Heart problems. In an animal study reported in Phytotherapy Research, researchers found that preparations made from juniper berries had an action similar to amiloride HCl (Moduretic), a diuretic used to control high blood pressure and congestive heart failure. Inflammation and infection. Juniper berries have been used to treat “various inflammatory and infectious diseases such as bronchitis, colds, cough, fungal infections, hemorrhoids, gynecological diseases, and wounds in Turkish folk medicine,” wrote a team of Turkish researchers in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology. (They also note the juniper berry is used worldwide for many of those conditions, as well as for rheumatoid arthritis, and to regulate menstruation and relieve menstrual pain.) When they tested an extract of juniper berries in an animal experiment, they found it had “remarkable” antiinflammatory and pain-relieving activity equal to