While mustard seeds are popularly used for seasoning or making curry pastes, they are also used to make mustard ketchup or spreads in American and other cuisines. Mustard seeds are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that help improve many health conditions. These tiny seeds are also replete with essential nutrients for the growth and development of your bones. Continue reading to explore the many benefits of mustard seeds.

Health Benefits Of Mustard Seeds:

Apart from the taste benefits of mustard seeds and the easy availability that made them popular, one can find a number of mustard seed benefits for our health too. Some of the mustard seeds health benefits are mentioned below.

1. Cancer Treatment:

The presence of compounds like glucosinolates and mirosinase in mustard seeds are known to use phytochemicals to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. This is definitely a major mustard seeds health benefit (1).

2. Rheumatic Arthritis:

Mustard seeds are a source of relief for people having rheumatic arthritis. The selenium and magnesium content in it helps in providing relief from this problem (2).

3. Migraine:

Migraine occurrence also reduces owing to the magnesium content present in the mustard seed. A little touch of mustard to your fish can boost the constituting omega-3 content (3).

4. Respiration Congestion:

Mustard seeds or mustard in general is known to relieve any congestion problems in respiration (4).

5. Nightshades:

Mustard seeds should find an inclusion in your list of daily spices if you want to avoid nightshades.

6. Disease Prevention:

There are certain nutrients in mustard seeds that prevent diseases from occurring. They are all a part of the basic structure of the Brassica family to which mustard belongs (5).

7. Dietary Fibre:

Mustard seeds are a good source of dietary fibres that improve digestion in the body. They make the bowel movements better, thus improving the overall metabolism of the body. The fibre content here is mostly very readily soluble making it effective for use (6).

8. Cancer Risk Prevention:

Selenium content in mustard seeds provides good resistance to the body against cancer cell formation. It is known to slow down the rate of development of cancer cells and also acts as an anti-oxidant (7).

9. Blood Pressure and Menopausal Relief:

A number of nutrients present in mustard seeds like copper, iron, magnesium and selenium also assist in the treatment of blood pressure and menopause relief (8).

10. Asthma:

Mustard seeds are also known to be beneficial for Asthma patients. The presence of minerals like copper, magnesium, iron and selenium in it are responsible for the prevention of Asthma Attacks (9).

Skin Benefits Of Mustard Seeds

  1. Natural scrub: Mustard seeds are a natural scrub. You can add it to either lavender or rose essential oil. Use this mix to scrub your face and exfoliate dead skin.
  2. Hydrates skin: Mustard seeds, used with aloe vera gel, can act as a great combination to hydrate your skin. It removes all impurities from your face and nourishes it from within (10).
  3. Slows ageing: Mustard seeds make for a great source of carotene and lutein. It is also a great power house of vitamin A, C and K. Together these nutrients make for an excellent antioxidant (11).
  4. Fights infections: These seeds contain a good amount of sulphur which is known for its anti-fungal properties. They help ward off skin infections (12).

Hair Benefits Of Mustard Seeds

  1. Hair growth: Mustard oil, extracted from mustard seeds, is a good source of Vitamin A. Vitamin A is a great nutrient for hair growth. It is also a great stimulant which leads to faster hair growth (13).
  2. Strengthens hair: Mustard seeds contain protein, calcium, vitamin A and E, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. All of these together strengthen your hair from within. Strengthened hair means lesser hair fall too.
  3. Conditions: Mustard seeds contain fatty acids. These are known to condition your hair from deep within. It also gives hair a good shine and bounce.

Other uses

How to select mustards seeds

How to store

How to use

Interesting facts about mustard seeds

Recipes using mustard seeds

1. Mustard seeds rice:

Boil some rice. Right before serving, temper a little ghee in a pan, add yellow, white and brown mustard seeds. Add some cumin seeds. Once they start to splutter, add rice and serve immediately. Mustard seeds will add a new flavour to the rice. Serve it hot with other vegetables, curry or dal.]

2. Mustard seeds dip sauce:

Add mustard seeds, honey and few other seasonings of your choice together. This would make for a pungent yet sweet tasting dip.

3. Cabbage with mustard seeds:

Chop some cabbage and onions. Heat some oil. Sprinkle mustard seeds all over and cover the lid immediately. Wait till the seeds settle down and stop spluttering or popping. Now add cabbage and onions. Heat it on a medium flame. Now cook it till the cabbage turns a little tender and add salt to taste. Serve it as a crunchy side dish. It can also be used as a filling in quesadillas. Many people add this to pasta by tossing it along and make it a main dish. The next time you use mustard seeds, remember you’re having a plateful of benefits. Hope you can put the information shared through this article to use. Please leave us your comments below. Thank you!

Mustard Seeds USDA Nutrition Chart

Mustard seeds of weight 11 grams in one serving contain the following nutrients.

It has 52 calories, 3 grams fat, 1mg sodium, 0mg cholesterol, 2 grams of carbohydras and 3 grams of proteins.

Apart from this, the dietary value of Calcium, iron, vitamin C, Vitamin A are 65, 6%, 1% and 0% respectively in this quantity.

How to eat mustard seeds for weight loss? See the infographic below for more information on this remarkable elixir that can help you resolve your problems. Prepare mustard seed paste and add it to your favorite curries or sprinkle some ground mustard seeds on your salads. These seeds can enhance the flavor and nutrient quotient of the food. This helps your body work efficiently, thereby aiding weight loss. What do mustard seeds taste like? Mustard seeds have a pungent taste after chewing, and their flavor varies with their type. How to cook mustard seeds? Heat some oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. Once the seeds have popped, reduce the flame and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Is it OK to eat mustard seeds every day? Yes. Daily intake of mustard seeds in moderation is considered safe. So, limit the consumption to reap their maximum benefits. Do mustard seeds contain cyanide? Yes. Garlic and ground mustard seeds contain traces of toxic compounds like allyl cyanide and isothiocyanate. They may cause airway irritation and edema. Does mustard contain curcumin? Only American mustard contains curcumin. It is a powerful antioxidant, which is also responsible for its yellow color. Which is better: yellow or black mustard seeds? Yellow mustard is milder and better suits condiments, while black mustard is spicier and helps maintain the original flavor of food. Does mustard help you sleep? Possibly. Mustard seeds are rich in magnesium. This nutrient is linked to better sleep quality and duration (15). Does mustard lower blood sugar? Yes. A few animal studies suggest that mustard oil helps lower blood glucose levels and increase insulin concentration (14). However, more research on humans is warranted.

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