Mustard is an essential part of meat dishes; it is hard to imagine New Year's aspic without it, and it is simply irreplaceable on sandwiches with fried sausage. But do we think about how beneficial this sauce is for our health? What advantages does it bring?
Mustard is one of the oldest sauces used by people for many centuries. Like well-known herbal liqueurs and strong alcoholic beverages, mustard originally served as a medicinal remedy. Therefore, the plant itself and its seeds have significant benefits.
What are the health benefits of mustard?
“The ground mass and mustard oil surpass even olive oil in composition and properties,” says Svetlana Peres de Montes Ratheringk, a clinical geneticist and nutritionist. “They contain volatile ethers, unsaturated fats, fat-soluble vitamins A and K, water-soluble B vitamins and vitamin C, as well as various minerals.”
Mustard has pronounced healing properties:
stimulates the production of gastric juice, which is especially important in cases of low acidity;
vitamin C and essential oils in mustard help to liquefy phlegm and improve its elimination;
suppresses the growth of pathogenic flora in the gastrointestinal tract;
accelerates healing and tissue regeneration;
has a pronounced blood-stimulating effect due to the presence of glycosides;
speeds up the absorption and processing of fats, which reduces the risks of cardiovascular diseases;
gently stimulates intestinal peristalsis, acts as a mild choleretic agent, and has antioxidant properties.
It should be noted that mustard is useful not only in cooking. Mustard powder warms, and it is used for mustard plasters and warming compresses (for example, sprinkled in socks during colds).
In addition, mustard powder can be used for washing dishes and cleaning kitchen surfaces, as it effectively absorbs and removes grease due to the presence of allyl oil. Mustard also helps to remove old stains from furniture and neutralizes unpleasant odors.
“Mustard powder can preserve meat without refrigeration for several days, as it prevents decay processes,” adds Peres de Montes Ratheringk.
Russian or Dijon mustard?
Among fans of this spice, there is a constant debate about which mustard is better: classic or Dijon? In fact, it all depends on personal preferences — “to each their own.”
“Both seasonings make dishes more expressive and have the same health benefits and vitamin components, but they also have contraindications,” warns the expert.
Russian mustard differs from French mustard in its sharper and spicier taste, as well as its simple composition. It consists of mustard powder, water, vegetable oil, and salt, sometimes adding sour components: lemon juice, vinegar, or citric acid. This mustard is usually served with meat, aspic, dumplings, and used in salad dressings.
Dijon mustard, on the contrary, is milder, spicier, and slightly sweet in taste, containing whole seeds, which makes its texture more delicate. It is more often used in sandwiches, hamburgers, sweet marinades, sauces for fish, and hot meat dishes.
This seasoning has a slightly sweet, somewhat creamy, spicy, and sharp taste. It is made, like regular mustard, from mustard seeds with the addition of various ingredients: brown seeds, verjuice (juice of unripe grapes, also known as agbora), white wine, or wine vinegar. Ingredients may include anchovies, seaweed, garlic, hot pepper, tarragon, honey, and various nuts.
Besides these two popular types of mustard, there are others:
Black mustard (Brassica nigra Koch). A sharper and brighter product, originating from the Middle East.
White mustard (Brassica alba Boiss). Lacks aroma and is coarser in taste, thus requiring the addition of other spices. The homeland of this spice is the Mediterranean countries.
Serrat leaf mustard (Brassica juncea Czern). Originates from China and India, its leaves have a pronounced mustard flavor. The leaves, stems, and seeds of the plant are edible.
Dutch mustard. In Duisburg (a city in the Netherlands), mustard has been produced since 1457, and the product made according to the old recipe can still be found in local stores.
Harm of mustard
Even the healthiest product has its contraindications. Consuming mustard in large quantities can be harmful to health.
Mustard is contraindicated in cases of:
increased stomach acidity;
kidney diseases (especially nephritis and pyelonephritis);
acute inflammatory bowel diseases: gastritis, enterocolitis, ulcer;
varicose veins (even with external use);
food allergies;
in childhood (under 3 years).
“One should not indulge in the seasoning during dinner and before bedtime,” advises Peres de Montes Ratheringk, “as its sharp taste can irritate receptors and activate metabolism, which, in turn, can affect the process of falling asleep.”
Excessive consumption of the spice can lead to bradycardia, inflammation of the gastric mucosa, and exacerbation of inflammatory bowel diseases.
What amount of mustard is safe to consume at one time?
In the absence of contraindications, an adult can eat 1-2 teaspoons. “A child under 12 years should better avoid mustard altogether,” warns the expert, “due to its ability to increase acidity.”
“I would also recommend not consuming mustard too often,” she adds. “The more we eat spicy food, the less diverse our taste perception becomes due to hyperstimulation and irritation of the receptors. Restoring receptor sensitivity is quite difficult. Therefore, it is better to limit the consumption of mustard to two or three times a week.”
