What is Mustard Seed Oil and What are its Benefits?

Mustard seed oil has long been popular in certain regions of India and other parts of the world, and now its popularity is growing elsewhere. There are good reasons people are taking notice of this ingredient. Beyond the kick of spicy flavor it offers and its high smoke point for cooking, mustard seed oil provides numerous health benefits to make you feel even better about using it in your recipes. Let’s take a look at some of those mustard seed oil health benefits.

What is Mustard Seed Oil?

First, we’ll give an overview of this natural seed oil for those who aren’t familiar with it. This ingredient is made by cold pressing mustard seeds to extract the oil within. It tends to include a mixture of brown, black and white mustard seeds, giving it its pretty amber-like hue. This oil is filled with monounsaturated fats and vitamins A and E, as well as some other compounds that are associated with promoting health.

Top Mustard Seed Oil Health Benefits

Mustard seed has long been used as part of the ancient Ayurvedic medicine system and in certain cultures. Now, more people are seeing its benefits and adding it to their diets. Nonetheless, remember that it’s best to consult with a medical professional before making changes to your diet, and it’s good to consider the pros and cons of everything you consume.

Some of the main health benefits of this seed oil are:

• Includes healthy fats: One of the top benefits of mustard seed oil is the healthy fats it contains. It includes monounsaturated fatty acids, which are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, reduced blood pressure, and other markers of heart health. Even better, you could use this oil in place of saturated and trans-fat sources in your diet, reducing your intake of them and the harm they can cause to health.
• Has anti-inflammatory properties: This seed oil contains a compound called allyl isothiocyanate, which has been found to have anti-inflammatory potential in studies, according to Medical News Today. Inflammation is known to contribute to an array of health problems, so reducing it could have far-reaching health benefits.
• Has a high smoke point: The smoke point of mustard seed oil, which is about 450 degrees Fahrenheit or even higher, means that it won’t start to give off smoke until it reaches these high temperatures. This isn’t only good for your cooking, it’s also good for health reasons. That’s because the smoke point also refers to when the oil starts to break down and oxidize, which creates free radicals that are associated with a risk of cancer and other health problems. So the higher the smoke point, the better at preventing this reaction, which is a benefit of this particular oil compared to others.
• Encourages a healthy diet: This flavorful oil can help you make a variety of healthy foods more enjoyable and exciting, helping you and your family get more nutrients into your everyday diet. You can add our Carrington Farms mustard seed oil to salads, vegetable dishes, grilled seafood, and more to add some zesty flavor to these healthful foods. That’s in addition to the health value added by the oil itself!
• May have additional health benefits: It seems like we're only seeing the beginning of understanding the wonderful benefits mustard seed oil has to offer. It’s being studied and shows potential for more health benefits than it’s currently associated with. For example, Healthline points to some research showing that the allyl isothiocyanate in this oil may help with pain and that it may even slow the growth of cancer cells. But we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, because more research is needed to fully understand these promising preliminary results.
• Provides beauty benefits: If you don’t mind the mustard aroma, this oil has long been used as a beauty remedy when applied to the skin, nails, and hair. It’s a natural option that can help with cracked skin on the heels, work as a nail oil, and provide nutrition to the skin with its vitamin E. In certain cultures, it has been used to promote hair growth and ward off skin aging, according to NDTV. But it's best to use it in moderation in topical applications and to do a skin test before applying it.

Shop Carrington Farms Mustard Seed Oil

Interested in the health benefits of this long-used oil? We carry a non-GMO, gluten-free option that’s naturally spicy and perfect for sauces, dressings, mayonnaise, marinades, and more. Head to our Carrington Farms online store to shop our mustard seed oil.