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All About Mustard

Mustard – this condiment has been known to mankind for thousands of years. For many peoples, the mustard seed is not just a raw material for making a flavorful and burning sauce, it is a vivid symbol that expresses enormous power despite its tiny size. In addition, mustard is a well-known medicine used in both folk and official medicine that has a lot of useful properties. We will talk about them today!

The composition of mustard

Mustard seeds, from which mustard is made, contain protein (more than 25%), fats, and essential oil. The seasoning contains enzymes, mucus, glycosides, and dietary fiber.

Mustard also contains many vitamins: PP, B1, B2, B4, B6, E, D, C, K, P, and A, and the latter is stored in it for more than six months.

The fat component is represented by erucic, linolenic, oleic, linoleic, and peanut acids. The glycosides sinalbin and sungrin, which are found in mustard, help treat coughs and bronchitis.

Micro- and macronutrients in mustard: chlorine, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, sodium, iron, sulfur, zinc, copper, manganese, molybdenum, and cobalt.

Useful properties of mustard

Mustard is useful for appetite, it breaks down fats and improves the digestion of protein foods while activating metabolism and improving salivation. Mustard is also known to be beneficial for weight loss; its ability to break down fats leads to people losing weight not only by eating mustard but also by making body wraps and masks from it.

The main beneficial properties of mustard are antimicrobial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory. Most of the microbes in the stomach are “afraid” of mustard. Mustard also has an antioxidant, laxative, and enveloping effect.

It is very useful to eat mustard during colds, it helps with coughs and laryngitis and is widely used as a warming and irritant agent that increases blood circulation in the body. For severe and prolonged runny nose, the mustard powder is poured into socks at night and mustard foot baths are made.

Mustard is used to make various plasters that are used in the treatment of bronchitis, rheumatism, pneumonia, and neuralgia, and are also used for sciatica, gout, and neuritis.

Mustard powder is also used to wash the oily scalp and strengthen hair.
Mustard is widely used to treat skin diseases such as psoriasis and neurodermatitis. This spice is considered an aphrodisiac that can ignite the “inner fire” (just like ginger) and is used by men for impotence and women for uterine diseases and infertility.

Mustard is also known to be beneficial for the nervous system; its consumption stimulates blood circulation in the brain, enhances intelligence, and improves memory.

Mustard in dietetics and cooking

By accelerating metabolism and breaking down fat in the body, mustard is an effective weight loss aid. For its intended purpose – as a seasoning – it is used in the appropriate diet.

In the absence of contraindications to use, mustard can be safely combined with various products: meat (poultry, veal, pork, sausage, sausages, bacon); fish (river and sea); vegetables (potatoes, lettuce); bread. It is used both in its pure form and added to marinades and sauces.

Mustard in cosmetology

Mustard has long been used in folk medicine in Greece, Rome, and India, and oriental beauties considered it an elixir of eternal youth. This is not surprising, as mustard accelerates cell regeneration, slows down the aging process, and has wound healing, antifungal, and antiviral properties.

Masks with mustard improve blood flow, after which the skin of the face and body looks fresher, begins to breathe intensively, and renew itself. Mustard also has a positive effect on the condition of the hair: systematic masks with mustard will strengthen the hair, and activate its growth so that your hairstyle will become simply irresistible!

When preparing masks with mustard, it is necessary to strictly observe the proportions of all components and the time of application, since mustard is, first of all, a potent medicinal plant. To activate the beneficial properties of mustard and obtain a creamy mass, the mustard powder is diluted with warm water, but not boiling water (toxic oils are released at high temperatures).

All about mustard oil

Mustard oil is a multi-component product. It contains a whole range of fatty acids, the most useful of which are linoleic and linolenic. The former belongs to the omega-6 group, the latter is similar in effect to omega-3 acids. Fat-soluble vitamins A, E, and D are essential for healthy skin, hair, nails, bones, and the proper functioning of the reproductive system. B vitamins (B3 (PP), B6, and B4) and other water-soluble vitamins (C, K, P) are involved in the functioning of the nervous, humoral, digestive, and blood systems.

The benefits of mustard oil. The content of a whole complex of useful substances determines the widespread use of this product not only in food but also in medicine and cosmetology. As an additive to food, the mustard product is used for a wide range of diseases: diabetes mellitus, inflammatory diseases of the prostate gland, pathologies of the nervous system, atherosclerotic vascular disease, hormonal disorders, and inflammatory processes of the female genital area, lowered hemoglobin content, eczema, and psoriasis. Glycosides have a warming effect. For these reasons, mustard oil rubs are used for bruises, arthritis, gout, and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system. The oil is also rubbed into the hair roots or added to shampoos and masks to accelerate hair growth and activate hair follicles.

Contraindications of mustard oil. This product can cause harm when used internally and externally. Before using mustard oil for rubbing the skin and hair, make sure you are not allergic to mustard. To do this, apply a drop of oil to your wrist and monitor the skin’s reaction during the day. Allergies are a contraindication. Due to the possibility of irritation of mucous membranes, it is not recommended to use mustard oil in case of gastritis and peptic ulcer. People suffering from heart disease should take mustard oil with caution and after consulting a doctor. Those who are obese should add this product to food in limited quantities, as it is very high in calories.

Rules for choosing mustard oil. High-quality mustard oil is most often sold in dark glass or plastic bottles. When choosing, you should carefully read the information on the label and inspect the contents of the bottle: the product should be of the first pressing and may contain sediment; the shelf life is 12 months. Both refined and unrefined varieties can be on sale. Most often, this oil is found in pharmacies. Here you can also buy it in capsules for internal use.

Contraindications to the use of mustard

With all its undoubted advantages, mustard can bring not only benefits to the body. In the presence of certain diseases or inflammation, its effect can be very dangerous.

It is better not to season food with it if you have been diagnosed with: diseases or ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract; high blood pressure; heart and vascular diseases; nephritis; or allergies.

Since the product can severely irritate the delicate mucous membranes of the esophagus and stomach, it is not recommended for small children. Nursing mothers should also not add mustard to their food, as it can affect both the taste of milk and the condition of the baby’s digestive tract.

We hope that after a detailed analysis, you will pay tribute to this seasoning, not forgetting the rules for its use, benefits, and contraindications. Mustard will make a spicy addition to your daily diet, help you lose weight, fight colds, and normalize the functioning of many body systems. So, enjoy and be healthy!

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Written by Bella Adams

I'm a professionally-trained, executive chef with over ten years in Restaurant Culinary and hospitality management. Experienced in specialized diets, including Vegetarian, Vegan, Raw foods, whole food, plant-based, allergy-friendly, farm-to-table, and more. Outside of the kitchen, I write about lifestyle factors that impact well-being.

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