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Why people use mustard oil?

Updated: 10/6/2023
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13y ago

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Because it has a strong smell and contains erucic acid which is considered a toxin in the Americas and Europe. In large parts of north India however, it is the main oil used for cooking. From Wikipaedia: This oil has a strong smell, a little like strong cabbage, a hot nutty taste, and is much used for cooking in Bengal, Bihar and other areas of India and Bangladesh. The oil makes up about 30% of the mustard seeds. It can be produced from black mustard (Brassica nigra), brown Indian mustard (Brassica juncea), and white mustard (Brassica hirta).

Mustard oil is composed mostly of the fatty acids oleic acid, linoleic acid and erucic acid. At 5%, Mustard Seed oil has the lowest saturated fat content of the edible oils.

Due to its high content of erucic acid, which is considered noxious, mustard oil is not considered suitable for human consumption in the United States, Canada and the European Union, although mustard oil with a low content of erucic acid is available. In India, mustard oil is generally heated almost to smoking before it is used for cooking; this may be an attempt to reduce the content of noxious substances, and does reduce the strong smell and taste.

In North India, mustard oil is also used for rub-downs and massages (see ayurveda). Massage with the oil is thought to improve blood circulation, muscular development and good texture to human skin; the oil is also antibacterial. To get around the restriction in Western countries, the oil is often sold "for external use only" in stores catering to Indian immigrants.

In India the restrictions on mustard oil are viewed as an attempt by foreign multi-national corporations to replace mustard oil with canola oil, a variety of rapeseed with a low erucic acid content. But for North Indians, mustard oil is not just a cooking medium but it is very much intricately interwoven with their culture. They have been using it for ages and dispute that there is enough evidence for the toxicity of erucic acid, instead maintaining that mustard oil is beneficial to human health because of its low content of saturated fats, ideal ratio of omega-3 and omega 6 fatty acids (15g of omega 3 fats per 100g serve), content of antioxidants and vitamin E, as well as the fact that it is cold pressed (extracted at 45-50 degrees Celsius).

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16y ago
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14y ago

does it help ur skin does it get rid of scares is it ok to put on your face

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13y ago

People use mustard oil because it gives flavours

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Q: Why people use mustard oil?
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