College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

 

AYURVEDIC FOODS

Horseradish Benefits (According to Ayurveda)

How Does This Ayurvedic Food Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Horseradish is a sharp, acrid spice that kindles agni. It is even used in steakhouses to help digest a heavy meal.

It is a strong vasodilator, bronchodilator, and diaphoretic (encourages sweating) that invigorates the whole body.

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Is Horseradish Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether 'Horseradish' is a good fit. Complete the basic quiz in 1 minute, or go deeper with additional quizzes at your own leisure to learn more about your body.

Take the Quiz

AYURVEDA'S GUIDE TO VITALITY & WHOLESOME NOURISHMENT

Your Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body and your specific imbalances. With an Ayurvedic diet you feel joy and satisfaction because what you are eating truly nourishes and balances you. Disease results from diets and lifestyles that are incompatible with your nature. By eating a personalized diet matched to your body, you experience optimal health. See How it Works.
SERVING SIZE: 2 tsp
SPECIES: Armoracia lapathifolia / rusticana
FAMILY: Brassicaceae

EAT IN: SPRING

Metabolic Nature of Horseradish

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.
INCREASES
Guna Help

Increases These Biocharacteristics (Gunas)

Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic.

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MOBILE

ABOUT MOBILE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Mobile refers to anything that stimulates the nervous system, muscles, or activity.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MOBILE

CLEAR

ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEAR

EASY

ABOUT EASY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Easy refers to anything easy to digest, or digests quickly.

LEARN MORE ABOUT EASY

HOT

ABOUT HOT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOT

LIGHT

ABOUT LIGHT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Lightness is identified by reduced weight.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIGHT

LIQUEFIED

ABOUT LIQUEFIED BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Substances that thin fluids (lower viscosity of blood plasma). These may include blood thinners or mucolytic herbs.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIQUEFIED

TASTES
Taste Help

The 6 Tastes

Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?

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PUNGENT

ABOUT PUNGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Pungency is characterized by irritation, or sharp, spicy foods that irritate the mouth such as black pepper.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PUNGENT

BITTER

ABOUT BITTER BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Bitter taste has cholagogue action - it is cold, clear, light, and stimulating. It increases digestive enzymes, laxative, and drying.

LEARN MORE ABOUT BITTER

DOSHAS
Dosha Help

The Three Doshas / Body Types

According to the biocharacteristic theory of medicine, people tend to get sick, over and over again, due to habitual causes and imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history.

The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. They are easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. They tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. If they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Anabolic people tend to be stable and grounded.

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PACIFIES
Kapha pacifying
AGGRAVATES
Pitta aggravating Vata aggravating
HAS THE FOLLOWING
Subtaste:
Acrid

STRONG ACRID

Acrid taste is a combination of bitter and pungent tastes. Example include radish, turnip, and coffee.

SEE ALL 'ACRID' FOODS / HERBS


Moves Energy:
Outward

OUTWARD

Outward-moving substances stimulate circulation, push heat towards the skin, or are stimulating.

SEE ALL 'OUTWARD' FOODS / HERBS

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Upward

UPWARD

Upward-moving substances (Urdvha Gati Marga) include anything stimulating or activating, or that move upward in the body.

SEE ALL 'UPWARD' FOODS / HERBS


Affinity: Respiratory Health
Family: Brassicaceae
HERBAL ACTIONS
(see all)

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Horseradish
Help
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

Warms Abdomen

WARMS-ABDOMEN

Warms the muscles and organs of the abdomen, stimulating digestion and metabolism.

SEE ALL 'WARMS-ABDOMEN' FOODS / HERBS

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Digestive

DIGESTIVE

Herbs that encourage healthy digestion.

SEE ALL 'DIGESTIVE' FOODS / HERBS

General Laxative

GENERAL-LAXATIVE

Promotes a bowel movement. General laxative is an umbrella term that refers to several different types of laxatives.

SEE ALL 'GENERAL-LAXATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Wakes You Up

STRONG WAKES-YOU-UP

Invigorates the body and nervous system, increases energy.

SEE ALL 'WAKES-YOU-UP' FOODS / HERBS

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Analgesic

STRONG ANALGESIC

Pain reliever, reduces pain without eliminating sensation. Also known as anodyne.

SEE ALL 'ANALGESIC' FOODS / HERBS

Refreshing

REFRESHING

Stimulates and wakes up the body, leaving it feeling cool, fresh, and energized.

SEE ALL 'REFRESHING' FOODS / HERBS

Diaphoretic

DIAPHORETIC

An herb that induces sweating, often by dilating blood vessels close to the skin.

SEE ALL 'DIAPHORETIC' FOODS / HERBS

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Rubefacient

RUBEFACIENT

An herb used topically that causes dilation of the capillaries and an increase in blood circulation. The skin will appear red or flushed.

SEE ALL 'RUBEFACIENT' FOODS / HERBS

Warms Chest

STRONG WARMS-CHEST

Warms the chest and lungs, clearing mucus and allowing for clear breathing. Often these herbs are hot, aromatic, and pungent.

SEE ALL 'WARMS-CHEST' FOODS / HERBS

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Clears Sinuses

CLEARS-SINUSES

Cleanses sinuses by draining excess mucus, allowing for clear, easy breathing.

SEE ALL 'CLEARS-SINUSES' FOODS / HERBS

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Flushes Sinuses

FLUSHES-SINUSES

An herb that relieves sinus congestion by flushing out mucus.

SEE ALL 'FLUSHES-SINUSES' FOODS / HERBS

,
Irritates Throat

IRRITATES-THROAT

Creates abrasive feeling in the back of the mouth. May stimulate coughing.

SEE ALL 'IRRITATES-THROAT' FOODS / HERBS

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Expectorant

STRONG EXPECTORANT

Expectorants help you eliminate mucus from the lungs. These herbs often work by increasing the quantity of mucus, or thinning the mucus. Expectorants are indicated when phlegm congests the lower respiratory tract.

SEE ALL 'EXPECTORANT' FOODS / HERBS

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Mucolytic

STRONG MUCOLYTIC

An herb that breaks apart mucus, liquefying the mucus.

SEE ALL 'MUCOLYTIC' FOODS / HERBS

Antibacterial

ANTIBACTERIAL

Herbs that kill bacteria or slow their growth.

SEE ALL 'ANTIBACTERIAL' FOODS / HERBS

,
Antimicrobial

ANTIMICROBIAL

An agent that kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth. Antimicrobial is an umbrella term that can be broken down into specific categories of target microorganism, such as anti-bacterials, fungals, and virals.

SEE ALL 'ANTIMICROBIAL' FOODS / HERBS

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Immune Calming

IMMUNE-CALMING

Herbs that interrupt an allergic reaction or calm the immune system, useful in allergies and autoimmune conditions.

SEE ALL 'IMMUNE-CALMING' FOODS / HERBS

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Repairs Membrane

REPAIRS-MEMBRANE

Reduces inflammation and allergen reactivity by restoring epithelial barrier function. Repairs tight cell junction in leaky gut, interstitial cystitis, eczema, asthma, etc.

SEE ALL 'REPAIRS-MEMBRANE' FOODS / HERBS

Cardiac Stimulant

CARDIAC-STIMULANT

Herbs that increase the heart rate. Useful in cardiovascular health, blood stagnation, and subjective feeling of heaviness in the chest area.

SEE ALL 'CARDIAC-STIMULANT' FOODS / HERBS

,
Vasodilator

VASODILATOR

A vasodilator is an herb that widens the blood vessels by the relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, thereby increasing circulation systemically or to a local area.

SEE ALL 'VASODILATOR' FOODS / HERBS

Diuretic

DIURETIC

Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure.

SEE ALL 'DIURETIC' FOODS / HERBS

,
Lithagogue

LITHAGOGUE

An herb used to expel stones such as kidney stones or gallstones.

SEE ALL 'LITHAGOGUE' FOODS / HERBS

Cholagogue

CHOLAGOGUE

Cholagogues stimulate the production & release of bile from the liver & gallbladder. This refreshes and cleanses these organs, as well as increases bile in the small intestines.

SEE ALL 'CHOLAGOGUE' FOODS / HERBS

Lowers Thyroid

LOWERS-THYROID

Reduces thyroid function. Useful for people with hyperthyroid.

SEE ALL 'LOWERS-THYROID' FOODS / HERBS

Other:
Constituents:
Aromatase Inhibitor

AROMATASE-INHIBITOR

Blocks estrogen synthesis by inhibiting conversion of progesterone and testosterone into estrogen.

SEE ALL 'AROMATASE-INHIBITOR' FOODS / HERBS

, Polysaccharides, Sulfated Polysaccharides, Sulphur

Foods with a Similar Nature to Horseradish

Wasabi

Wasabi has these Actions in Common

Warms-abdomen, Antimicrobial, Clears-sinuses, Diuretic, General-laxative, Lithagogue, Refreshing, Vasodilator, Warms-chest, Analgesic, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Expectorant, Immune-calming, Lowers-thyroid, Repairs-membrane, Wakes-you-up, Antibacterial, Cholagogue, Digestive, Flushes-sinuses, Irritates-throat, Mucolytic, Rubefacient

LEARN MORE

Mustard

Mustard has these Actions in Common

Antimicrobial, Diaphoretic, Expectorant, Rubefacient, Warms-abdomen, Cardiac-stimulant, Digestive, Flushes-sinuses, Vasodilator, Warms-chest, Analgesic, Clears-sinuses, Diuretic, Irritates-throat, Wakes-you-up

LEARN MORE

Mustard Powder

Mustard Powder has these Actions in Common

Cardiac-stimulant, Digestive, Flushes-sinuses, Vasodilator, Warms-chest, Analgesic, Clears-sinuses, Diuretic, Irritates-throat, Wakes-you-up, Antimicrobial, Diaphoretic, Expectorant, Rubefacient, Warms-abdomen

LEARN MORE

Garlic (raw)

Garlic (raw) has these Actions in Common

Antimicrobial, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses, Repairs-membrane, Warms-abdomen, Cardiac-stimulant, Diuretic, General-laxative, Rubefacient, Warms-chest, Antibacterial, Cholagogue, Expectorant, Mucolytic, Vasodilator

LEARN MORE

Mustard Seed

Mustard Seed has these Actions in Common

Antimicrobial, Diaphoretic, Expectorant, Rubefacient, Warms-abdomen, Cardiac-stimulant, Digestive, Flushes-sinuses, Vasodilator, Warms-chest, Analgesic, Clears-sinuses, Diuretic, Irritates-throat, Wakes-you-up

LEARN MORE

Daikon Radish

Daikon Radish has these Actions in Common

Flushes-sinuses, Refreshing, Clears-sinuses, Diuretic, General-laxative, Warms-abdomen, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Expectorant, Mucolytic, Warms-chest, Cholagogue, Digestive

LEARN MORE

Spanish Black Radish

Spanish Black Radish has these Actions in Common

Cholagogue, Expectorant, Lithagogue, Repairs-membrane, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses, Lowers-thyroid, Cardiac-stimulant, Diuretic, Immune-calming, Mucolytic

LEARN MORE

Cloves

Cloves has these Actions in Common

Antimicrobial, Digestive, Vasodilator, Analgesic, Cardiac-stimulant, Expectorant, Warms-abdomen, Antibacterial, Diaphoretic, Rubefacient, Warms-chest

LEARN MORE

Cinnamon

Cinnamon has these Actions in Common

Antibacterial, Diaphoretic, Expectorant, Warms-chest, Antimicrobial, Digestive, Mucolytic, Analgesic, Cardiac-stimulant, Diuretic, Rubefacient

LEARN MORE

Radish (raw)

Radish (raw) has these Actions in Common

Expectorant, Lithagogue, Repairs-membrane, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses, Lowers-thyroid, Diuretic, General-laxative, Mucolytic, Cholagogue

LEARN MORE

Herb Supplements with a Similar Nature to Horseradish

Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi)

Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi) has these Actions in Common

Cardiac-stimulant, Warms-chest, Clears-sinuses, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Expectorant, Immune-calming, Antibacterial, Refreshing, Antimicrobial, Vasodilator

LEARN MORE

Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Eucalyptus Essential Oil has these Actions in Common

Antimicrobial, Diaphoretic, Expectorant, Refreshing, Vasodilator, Wakes-you-up, Analgesic, Warms-chest, Antibacterial

LEARN MORE

Wild Ginger

Wild Ginger has these Actions in Common

Expectorant, Immune-calming, Rubefacient, Vasodilator, Analgesic, Warms-chest, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Digestive

LEARN MORE

Deodar (Himalayan Cedar, Devadaru)

Deodar (Himalayan Cedar, Devadaru) has these Actions in Common

Diuretic, Immune-calming, Refreshing, Vasodilator, Wakes-you-up, Analgesic, Warms-chest, Cardiac-stimulant, Digestive

LEARN MORE

Pennyroyal

Pennyroyal has these Actions in Common

Digestive, Diuretic, Expectorant, Rubefacient, Analgesic, Vasodilator, Cardiac-stimulant, Cholagogue, Diaphoretic

LEARN MORE

Thyme White Essential Oil - 1/3 oz

Thyme White Essential Oil - 1/3 oz has these Actions in Common

Expectorant, Immune-calming, Mucolytic, Rubefacient, Antibacterial, Vasodilator, Antimicrobial, Diaphoretic, Digestive

LEARN MORE

Hot Shower

Hot Shower has these Actions in Common

Warms-chest, Cardiac-stimulant, Clears-sinuses, Diaphoretic, Expectorant, Flushes-sinuses, Mucolytic, Vasodilator

LEARN MORE

Hot Bath

Hot Bath has these Actions in Common

Warms-chest, Cardiac-stimulant, Clears-sinuses, Diaphoretic, Expectorant, Flushes-sinuses, Mucolytic, Vasodilator

LEARN MORE

Epsom Salt Bath

Epsom Salt Bath has these Actions in Common

Mucolytic, Vasodilator, Warms-chest, Cardiac-stimulant, Clears-sinuses, Diaphoretic, Expectorant, Flushes-sinuses

LEARN MORE

Hyssop Powder

Hyssop Powder has these Actions in Common

Refreshing, Vasodilator, Antimicrobial, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Expectorant, Mucolytic

LEARN MORE

Sniff raw onions, chopped

Sniff raw onions, chopped has these Actions in Common

Refreshing, Vasodilator, Wakes-you-up, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses, Immune-calming, Mucolytic

LEARN MORE


Joyful Belly is a recognized school of biocharacteristics medicine.

TRADITIONALLY INDICATED FOR THESE SYMPTOMS

Horseradish may be beneficial for these symptoms. The suitability of any food for a condition is highly dependent on the individual. Please see your doctor before using this food to treat a medical condition.

CONTRAINDICATED FOR THESE SYMPTOMS

Horseradish may be harmful or contraindicated for these symptoms. Please see your doctor before using this food to treat a medical condition.

HOW DOES EATING AYURVEDICALLY MAKE YOU FEEL?

Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. Food digests with ease when right for your body type (dosha). Healthy digestion is seen as the cornerstone of well-being in Ayurveda. Healthy digestion generally prevents illness. If you do get sick, a strong digestive fire reduces the severity of illness and increases your resilience. It also improves your mood. Once you begin eating Ayurvedically, you will feel refreshed, vital and strong.

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About John Joseph Immel

About the Author

John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda biocharacteristics. His approach to Ayurveda is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful. John also directs Joyful Belly's School of Ayurveda, offering professional clinical training in Ayurveda for over 15 years.

John's interest in Ayurveda and specialization in digestive tract pathology was inspired by a complex digestive disorder acquired from years of international travel, as well as public service work in South Asia. John's commitment to the detailed study of digestive disorders reflects his zeal to get down to the roots of the problem. His hope and belief in the capacity of each & every client to improve their quality of life is nothing short of a personal passion. John's creativity in the kitchen and delight in cooking for others comes from his family oriented upbringing. In addition to his certification in Ayurveda, John holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University.

John enjoys sharing Ayurveda within the context of his Catholic roots, and finds Ayurveda gives him an opportunity to participate in the healing mission of the Church. Jesus expressed God's love by feeding and healing the sick. That kindness is the fundamental ministry of Ayurveda as well. Outside of work, John enjoys spending time with his wife and 7 kids, and pursuing his love of theology, philosophy, and language.

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Comments & Impressions of 'Horseradish'

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