Mustard Oil benefits that make it the healthiest choice

Cooking oils form an integral part of Indian lifestyle. However, one is confronted with an array of well marketed edible oils asserting host of health claims. In Indian cooking conditions, which mostly involve deep frying, our age-old oils like ghee, coconut oil and mustard oil score better than refined and other oils in overall health benefits.

1. Good Source of MUFA

"Mustard oil is highly recommended for the reason that it is full of monounsaturated fatty acids. Our body needs oil in the ratio of 3:1 - three parts of polyunsaturated fatty acids and one part of saturated fatty acids. Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) come under polyunsaturated. Mustard oil is full of MUFA which is very essential for our health. It's good for the heart, lightens skin, helps in hair growth, prevents premature graying of hair, etc," says Dr. Anju Sood.

2. Promotes Heart Health

According to a study done by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, including mustard oil in your regular diet could prove to be beneficial to your heart health. Being a rich source of MUFA, it lowers bad cholesterol in the body, thus keeping a check on blood fat levels and helping in circulation. The results also stated that the use of mustard oil, which is rich in alpha-linolenic acid, was associated with a lower IHD risk (Ischemic Heart Disease) than with the use of sunflower oil.

3. Helps Blood Circulation

According to Ayurveda, using mustard oil for body massage improves blood circulation, skin texture and releases muscular tension. It also activates the sweat glands and hence helps in throwing out toxins from the body. As such, it acts as a natural cleanser.

4. Promotes Hair Growth

If you thought coconut oil was the only oil used for hair massage in India, travel to the North or Eastern India and you will find almost every household swearing by the incredible property of mustard oil for hair growth. It is again an age-old practice followed till today.

5. Relief from Cough and Cold

Mustard oil has been an age-old ingredient for the treatment of cough and cold. This is because of its heating property that helps in clearing congestion from the respiratory tract. Mustard oil steam treatment is often recommended as a home remedy, and you can also rub about a teaspoon of it on your chest before sleeping to let it work its magic. It is the very pungency that helps in clearing sinuses, much like wasabi. Another home remedy is to make a mixture of about one tablespoon warm mustard oil and two to three cloves of garlic and rub it on your feet.

6. Good for Skin

Mustard oil is loaded with vitamin E, an essential nutrient for the skin. Therefore, when applied on the skin, it is said to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and acts as a sunscreen. Traditionally, in India, babies are often massaged with mustard oil. It is also said to help in removing tan and dark spots when used along with other ingredients to make face masks. Further, one can also massage the skin with equal quantities of mustard oil and coconut oil to improve skin tone.