Mustard Oils - Why We Should Eat More Horseradish and Wasabi

Mustard Oils - Effects

Friends of East Asian cuisine appreciate it, the sharp taste of wasabi, a paste (rarely powder) made from Eutrema japonicum, also known as Japanese horseradish or water horseradish. Hardly anyone knows, however, that it is not served by chance. For example, with sushi, which is becoming increasingly popular in our country too. Eutrema japonicum is a plant species from the family of cruciferous plants (Brassicaceae). It forms underground rhizomes, which are used as a spice in Japanese cuisine. The cells of cruciferous plants store sulfur-containing compounds, which release easily volatile aromatic substances, so-called essential mustard oils, through enzymatic degradation. And it is precisely these mustard oils that are important, as they have a pronounced antimicrobial effect. This means that the raw fish contained in sushi (salmon, tuna) can be enjoyed without remorse. Interestingly, raw salmon is eaten with a horseradish paste in Europe, many thousands of kilometers away. However, this is not Eutrema japonicum but the species Armoracia rusticana, also from the family of cruciferous plants, whose root has a similar spectrum of ingredients. Since raw fish is easily perishable due to bacterial contamination, both wasabi and horseradish paste not only have taste advantages but also fulfill a protective function.

These properties are also utilized in medicine. Since the antimicrobial mustard oils are both absorbed and taken into the bloodstream, and also rise again as volatile substances via the esophagus, astonishing areas of application arise. The rising part of the mustard oils can and is used, for example, for respiratory diseases such as sinus infections. The part absorbed into the bloodstream is excreted via the kidneys and reappears in the urine about 1-3 hours after consumption. Here they inhibit the growth of certain types of bacteria that can contribute to bladder infections.

The consumption of grated horseradish or wasabi as a paste or powder is therefore not only a taste experience but also unfolds various health benefits.

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