close
Right from my childhood, I grew to allude this deep sense of spirituality and well-being to the tiny mustard seed. I even heard somewhere that it can keep demons and ghosts away from your home. Well, all this talk aroused my curiosity as to scientifically proven health benefits of the mustard.. check it out.
Mustard seeds are high in essential oils as well as plant sterols. Some of important sterols include such asbrassicasterol, campesterol, sitosterol, avenasterol and stigmasterol. Some of glucosinolate and fatty acids in the seeds include sinigrin, myrosin, erucic, eicosenoic, oleic, and palmitic acids.
Black mustard seed is used for causing vomiting, relieving water retention (edema) by increasing urine production, and increasing appetite.
Vitamin Content:

Hundred grams of mustards provide 4.733 mg of niacin(vitamin B-3). Niacin is a part of nicotinamide co-enzymes that help lower blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Mustard seeds also contain flavonoid and carotenoid antioxidants such as carotenes, zea-xanthin, and lutein. In addition, the seeds compose a small amount of vitamin anti-oxidants such as vitamin A, C, and vitamin K.
The seeds are an excellent source of vitamin E,gamma tocopherol;contain about 19.82 mg per 100 g (about 132% of RDA). Vitamin E is a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant, required for maintaining the integrity of cell membrane of mucus membranes and skin by protecting it from harmful oxygen-free radicals.
Mineral Content:
Mustards are rich source of minerals. Calcium, manganese, copper, iron,seleniumand zinc are some of the minerals especially concentrated in these seeds. Calcium helps build bone and teeth. Manganese is employed by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzymesuperoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells. Iron is required for red blood cell formation and cellular metabolism.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects from Selenium and Magnesium:
Mustard seeds emerged from our food ranking system as an excellent source of selenium, a nutrient which that has been shown to help reduce the severity of asthma, decrease some of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, and help prevent cancer. They also qualified as a good source of magnesium. Like selenium,magnesiumhas been shown to help reduce the severity of asthma, to lower high blood pressure, to restore normal sleep patterns in women having difficulty with the symptoms of menopause, to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks, and to prevent heart attack in patients suffering from atherosclerosis or diabetic heart disease.
Can help control symptoms of asthma:
Mustard seeds are high in selenium and magnesium. Both of these components give it a unique anti inflammatory property. Consumed regularly, it is known to control and keep the symptoms of asthma, cold and chest congestion at bay.
Lowers cholesterol:
Mustard contains high levels of niacin or vitamin B3. Niacin has properties that help lower one’scholesterol levels and protects the arteries from atherosclerosis (plaque build-up). It also helps to regulate blood flow and prevents hypertension.
Stimulates hair growth:
For centuries mustard oil has been known to stimulate hair growth. It is known to be packed with vitamins and minerals, but what makes the difference is the high amount of beta carotene it contains. During oil production, beta carotene gets converted to vitamin A,which is excellent for hair growth. Apart from this, it also contains iron, fatty acids, calcium and magnesium, all of which promote hair growth.
Tip:Using mustard oil once a week for a warm oil massage is a great way to relieve stress, symptoms of dandruff and promote hair growth. After you apply the oil,wrap your hair in a thin plastic bag or a warm towel to increase absorption ofthe oil into the scalp. Leave it for about half an hour to forty five minutes and then wash off. The oil has a strong odour and is thick in consistency, so make sure you use a good shampoo while washing hair.

Fights skin infections:

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Packed with sulphur,mustard seeds are a great way to curb skin infections. Sulphur gives the seed antifungal and anti bacterial properties that help fight common skin ailments.
Being great sources of power and bioenergy, mustard seeds boost the immune system and fight against anemia. They also help treat medical conditions, such as anxiety, psychological disorders, effects of stress and depression, bronchitis, sexual dysfunctions and symptoms of menopause.
Effect on Cancerous Cells and Tumors:

The myrosinase enzymes present in mustard seeds help in breaking the glucosinates into other phytonutrients called isothiocyanates, which can stop the growth of existing cancerous cells in the body and hence, prevent the risk of gastrointestinal tract and colorectal cancers.
A study published in the International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research in 2002 found that isothiocyanates can inhibit mitosis and stimulate apoptosis (cell death) in human tumor cells. Another study published in Carcinogenesis in 2010 discovered that mustard seed powder, which is rich in a particularly beneficial group of isothiocyanates called allyl isothiocyanates (AITC), can significantly inhibit the growth of bladder cancer. These impressive results suggest that adding more mustard seeds to our diets can prevent, and possibly even treat, the development of cancer.
Poisoning:
In case of accidental poisoning, mustard seeds are used for producing vomiting to get rid of the harmful food ingested. For this, a teaspoon of mustard seeds are steeped in a cup of boiling water and drunk at once on cooling.

Side Effects of Over-Consumption:
Some side effects are known. Taking large amounts of black mustard seed by mouth can damage the throat and can also cause other serious side effects including heart failure, diarrhea, drowsiness, breathing difficulties, coma, and death. When applied to the skin, especially for a long time, black mustard can cause skin blisters and skin damage.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It’s LIKELY UNSAFE to use black mustard in medicinal amounts if you are pregnant. Black mustard contains chemicals that might start your menstrual period and cause a miscarriage.
It’s also best to avoid using black mustard as a medicine if you are breast-feeding. Not enough is known about the effects it might have on you or your nursing baby.
Diabetes: Black mustard might lower blood sugar levels when taken as a medicine. If you have diabetes and take medications to lower your blood sugar, adding black mustard might make your blood sugar drop too low. Monitor your blood sugar carefully.
Sources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
http://www.whfoods.com
http://nutritiondata.self.com
Tags : Health Benefits of Mustard Seed.
Prince

The author Prince

Hi, I’m Prince.. a registered Dietitian, an avid reader and a passionate writer. I hope you enjoy my articles as much as I enjoy writing them

Leave a Response

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.