Mustard oil is one of the most widely used oils in the preparation of curries, dals and non-vegetarian dishes from the Indian subcontinent. In fact, Bengali food cannot be imagined without mustard oil. Dishes from Assam and Orissa too use mustard oil to a great degree.
Did you know that mustard oil is also referred to as one of the essential oils that helps in promoting good cardiovascular health? It is rich in mono-saturated fats, poly-saturated fats, and saturated fats, all of which are also considered as good fats since they don’t get deposited over the artery walls. Extracted from the seeds of the mustard plant, this pungent oil has been used for its therapeutic benefits for many centuries in the past.
In order to understand its nature, let’s take a look at some of its beneficial properties, which could work wonders for your health.
Table of Contents
Watch: Amazing Benefits Of Mustard Oil
Health Benefits Of Mustard Oil
1. Improves Digestive Health
A spoonful of mustard oil is known to act as a natural stimulant. It helps in the secretion of digestive juices and allows effective digestion of food.
Moreover, its ability to aid in the secretion of insulin and bile helps in the breaking down of sugar as well as lipids, thus maintaining a balance in the nutritional front.
2. Reduces Inflammation
The high quantity of selenium present in a spoonful of mustard oil contributes to the oil’s anti-inflammatory properties (1).
An external application of mustard oil and a thorough massage can help the skin absorb selenium, which further reduces its inflammation. This makes mustard oil an ideal choice to relieve you from joint pains and arthritis, which is itself caused by the inflammation of the joints.
3. Maintains Cholesterol
As discussed in the very first point, an adequate intake of mustard oil can lead to the secretion of various digestive juices that promote one’s digestive health. One of these digestive juices is bile, a yellowish brown fluid that helps in breaking down the lipids present in food, which further helps in the lowering of LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides.
4. Promotes Cardiovascular Health
Everybody knows that healthy cholesterol levels aid in good cardiovascular health, but how? Well, as it happens, the bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides tend to attach themselves to the blood vessels, which restricts the flow of blood and increases the blood pressure.
This irregular flow of blood can prove to be quite disadvantageous for your heart whose sole purpose is to pump it. Now, as we have noted from the previous point, consumption of mustard seed can help in lowering down the level of bad cholesterol and free up the arteries, thus it helps in maintaining a regular flow of blood.
5. Prevents Respiratory Illnesses
The anti-inflammatory property of mustard oil does not only aid in the prevention of joint inflammation and arthritis, its oral consumption, however, can also help in maintaining a proper breathing function and keeps respiratory illnesses at bay.
It is considered to be a safe and effective way of regulating proper airflow to the lungs, which makes it a great addition for those who suffer from asthma, or similar respiratory diseases.
6. Promotes Cognitive Functions
Incorporation of mustard oil into one’s daily diet is linked with the boosting of one’s mental capabilities. The fatty acids, which are present in a high quantity in a spoonful of mustard oil, are essential nutrients that are available in the cell membrane of the brain cells in abundance. Sufficient consumption of these fatty acids helps in keeping the brain nourished and aids in its development by preventing it from other diseases.
7. Lightens Skin
The health benefits of mustard oil are not restricted to its consumption alone, the beauty benefits of mustard oil make it equally popular. One of the most widely known properties of mustard oil is its ability to remove the dead skin cells and replace them with newer cells that result in brighter and radiant skin. This makes mustard oil a great option for massages for babies and the old.
8. Natural Sun-Blocker
By externally applying mustard oil over the skin and then thoroughly massaging it, it forms a thin layer over the surface of the skin that prevents the ray of the sun from coming in direct contact with the skin cells. This is because even a little amount of mustard oil contains enough vitamin E that it’ll effectively help in the blocking out of the harmful UV rays.
9. A Natural Treatment For Rashes
Along with the anti-inflammatory effects, mustard oil is also beneficial for its anti-bacterial effects. It prevents the growth of fungus, which is caused by the accumulation of dead cells and dryness. Moreover, by carefully applying it over the skin, it helps in the skin cells retain their moisture.
10. Healthy Hair Growth
If you are looking for more ways in which the fatty acids in mustard oil can benefit you, then this is the one. Not only fatty acid, but vitamin E is also responsible for keeping your scalp nourished and stimulating growth of healthy hair.
Furthermore, its a natural exfoliator that helps in the removal of the dead cells from the scalp, thus opening up the hair follicles and adequately nourishing them.
11. Tackles Pre-Mature Graying
The anti-aging benefit of the external application of mustard oil is just phenomenal. Thanks to the vitamins and minerals, by coming in contact with the scalp, it helps the cells retain their pigmentation and prevents the hair from graying prematurely.
12. Promotes Oral Hygiene
Mustard oil is a healthy alternative for the whitening strips. Rubbing a mix of mustard oil and turmeric powder over your teeth can cause a significant reduction in the formation of plague, and can also prevent diseases such as gingivitis (2).
Also Read: 7 Amazing Grapeseed Oil From Improving Immunity To Moisturizing Hair
Side-Effects Of Mustard Oil
Before you think about adding mustard oil into your daily health regime, just knowing about its benefits won’t do you any good. In order to make a more informed decision, you’ll also have to know the adverse effects that an unregulated consumption of mustard oil can have on your health. So, let’s start with it.
1. Can Cause Irritation
A harmful chemical called allyl isothiocyanate, which is present in mustard oil, though in a small volume, can cause a severe case of the inflammation of the linings of the lungs, if consumed in heavy quantity. This side-effect of mustard oil can also have the same effect on intestines, and can further cause some serious gastrointestinal diseases.
2. Erucic Acid Toxicity
If there is something that downgrades the efficient and beneficial qualities of mustard oil, then it is erucic acid, for this compound is present in mustard oil in huge quantities. It is considered a fatty acid compound that is highly toxic in nature and poses some serious risks to one’s health upon being heavily ingested.
3. Effects Cardiovascular Activities
As we have mentioned that one of the benefits linked with the consumption of mustard oil is its ability to promote cardiovascular health, however, this is only applicable if that consumption is limited and regulated.
On the other hand, higher consumption of mustard oil, as written in the previous point, can lead to erucic acid poisoning, which can be quite a serious issue for cardiovascular health, as the erucic acid is known to damage the heart muscles.
Though the side-effects of mustard oil seem quite serious from an overlook, you must keep in mind that a regulated consumption and external usage of mustard oil can eventually maximize its beneficial potential and would certainly prevent any of its adverse effects from occurring.
Mustard Oil And Its Nutrients
Now that you have the knowledge of the benefits as well as the side-effects of mustard oil, let’s understand the reason behind them. It is rich in mono-saturated fats, poly-saturated fats, and saturated fats, all of which are also considered as good fats since they don’t get deposited over the artery walls. Moreover, this fatty acid helps in providing the mustard oil with its signature anti-inflammatory properties.
Moreover, thanks to the presence of a certain compound called glucosinolates, mustard oil also acts as an anti-bacterial agent. Its consumption or external application can help in protecting your body from the attack of any external pathogens.
Takeaway
In a nut-shell, regulated incorporation of mustard oil in your diet can benefit your overall health. In limited fashion, it is beneficial for your bodily health, skin, hair, and teeth, and most of all, its pungent smell is known to be quite addictive.
However, it is better to be safe than sorry, and there are some chemicals in mustard oil which reduce its beneficial capacity. But, what matters is the responsible way in which you choose to consume it, for the first step towards a healthy lifestyle is being responsible.