Mustard is for your sandwich. Or for your salad. Mustard lovers are just about everywhere: In Europe, it can top your sausage. In Senegal, you’d eat it in chicken Yassa, and in South Asia, it’s used as a spice. Apart from making your food yummy, it also treats all kinds of skin ailments you might be inflicted with. In India, mustard oil is used as a massage oil for newborns – just to say.
Mustard
There are many varieties of the mustard plant. The 3 main varieties are white mustard (Brassica alba), black mustard (Brassica nigra), and brown mustard (Brassica juncea). As you may have seen from their names, they all have “Brassica” in their names. That’s because the mustard plant is part of the family Brassicaceae.
You probably have also heard of this family being called mustards, the crucifers, or the cabbage family. Yep, that’s right: The mustard plant is related to economically important plants such as cabbage, kale, cauliflower, and broccoli.
The different types of mustard plants produce seeds with different colours:
- White mustard (Brassica alba) is also sometimes called yellow mustard. It has a milder taste, feeling hot to the tongue. White mustard is generally used in the Western Hemisphere for making the condiment to top hot dogs.
- Black mustard (Brassica nigra) is a staple in the spice rack of Indian cuisine. It’s zestier and more flavourful as well as spicier than white mustard seeds. You’ll feel the heat rise up to your nose, eyes, and forehead.
- Brown mustard (Brassica juncea) has a strong pungent aroma and taste. The brown mustard seeds are the main ingredient to make Dijon mustard which will also carry the heat up to your forehead.
When ground up and mixed with vinegar, salt, lemon, and other spices, all of the main mustard seed types make the yellow condiment, the (prepared) mustard. Most of the time, mustard is described as hot. Hot and flavour mean the same thing and are often used interchangeably.
Mustard seeds have close to no heat or sharpness unless the seed cells are broken and a liquid is added. When the cell of the seed is broken, crushed, or ground, it releases a compound called sinigrin and an enzyme called myrosinase.
Under normal conditions, these 2 substances remain isolated but when crushed, ground or subjected to heat, they mix and react and then things get hot and spicy. When you combine mustard seeds with a liquid, the mix can get really hot and it reaches its peak in fire about 15 minutes after mixing. When you add an acidic element, vinegar or lemon juice, you can delay the heat from “dissipating”.
A word of caution: When you combine a liquid with mustard seeds, the resulting mustard mix can actually cause burning or blistering when it comes in contact with the skin, so be careful when you make your own mustard.
Some types of mustard plants may have been cultivated for as long as 6’000 years ago. Even though they have a very long history, it’s one of the many food sources that got into the limelight over the years. There are debates about whether they are helpful or harmful to human health – other contested foods are eggs, dairy, coffee, tea…
But the different types of mustard plants have been purposely grown as a vegetable and for the seeds. The leaves can be eaten like you’d eat kale or pickled. The seeds are used as a spice, to make the condiment, or pressed to make mustard oil.
Mustard oil
Mustard oil is obtained by pressing the mustard seeds. It’s a staple in India and Bangladesh but since the latter part of the 20th century, its popularity declined as other vegetable oils became easier to produce.
Mustard oil is versatile and not only used for cooking. Besides being one of the main ingredients in Indian cuisine, it has been used as a cure for many ailments. Its meaning is similar to olive oil for Italy or palm oil for Malaysia.
Content
Mustard leaves are an excellent source of vitamin K, providing a whopping 564% of the recommended daily intake (DV). It also is a great source of vitamin A in the form of beta carotene. Other nutrients include
- Vitmin C
- Vitamin E
- Calcium
There are 2 kinds of mustard oil available: The regular mustard extract by pressing the mustard seeds and the essential oil version. The essential oil is extracted by steam distilling the mustard seeds that were previously soaked in water.
Regular cold-pressed mustard oil is restricted from import as vegetable oil into the States because it may contain a substance called erucic acid. This substance occurs naturally along with other fatty acids in many green plants but studies in 1979s suggest it may not be safe for consumption, although newer recent has cast doubts. The essential oil version has been cleared by the FDA.
Mustard seeds, from which mustard oil is obtained contain a variety of minerals including magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc. They are a great source of vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B9 (folate), vitamin E, and of course skin-friendly omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Is mustard good for you?
Apart from antioxidant properties thanks to the vitamins and minerals (and fatty acids), both the mustard leaves and seed also have many beneficial “anti”. They’re anti-material, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory. They also display wound-healing properties.
For your skin
While the seeds have fatty acids making them moisturising, the leaves have vitamin C. This means, the seeds will replenish the lipids in your skin while strengthening your skin barrier, whereas the leaves are great for evening out dark spots.
Combat zone
Mustard seeds and leaves contain several antioxidants so that they’re both antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. Good news to keep bacteria at bay that trigger spots. Also good news: as anti-inflammatory agents, they can bring down the swelling and redness that are often the companions of zits.
Slow down ageing
While the leaves are great sources of beta-carotene, the seeds contain vitamin E. Both work as an antioxidant. This means they prevent oxidative stress caused by the sun or pollution which can lead to skin damage.
Mustard is really good for you
Did you work out too hard and now feel the aftermath? Mustard to the rescue! It can help to relieve sore muscles. Prepare a bath and add powdered mustard seeds along with thyme and rosemary.
Feeling too restless to soak in the bath? How about using regular mustard oil and adding 1-2 drops of thyme or rosemary essential oil to make a massage oil?
In closing
Generally, mustard is considered safe, when consumed in amounts commonly found in food. Before you start using mustard in any form, see if it makes your skin react. Spread a little bit on your inner arm. If you react, then mustard isn’t for you.
Both the seeds and leaves can help you get glowing skin. Mustard seeds or oil are moisturising while the leaves can lift dark spots. And they make your food lips-smacking.
