10 Health Benefits of Mustard Oil
As the name suggests, mustard oil comes from the seeds of the mustard plant. This makes it a kind of vegetable oil and it is often used in cooking. It is popular in Indian and Pakistani dishes. As with the popular condiment made from the same plant, mustard oil has a pungent aroma and distinctive flavor.
In addition to being used in cooking, mustard oil is also used for its medicinal properties. To make use of its medicinal properties, mustard oil can be ingested while it can also be used as a topical remedy. In some instances, the vapor from the oil can remedy certain symptoms.
Mustard oil has many health benefits and this article looks at some of these.
Mustard Oil Benefit #1: Oral Health
Did you know that there is a link between oral health and heart disease? This makes it especially important to keep your mouth in good health. Plus, of course, it is a good idea to take care of your teeth for eating and for aesthetics. Regular brushing and flossing can help with this, while mustard oil can also be beneficial.
To use mustard oil in maintaining oral health, you can take some and apply it directly onto your teeth. You can also try adding a few drops of fresh lemon for a fresher taste and aroma. Doing so will help to protect the teeth against microbes, while also protecting the gums and keeping your breath fresh.
Mustard Oil Benefit #2: Fights the Common Cold
Once somebody starts sneezing and coughing, you know there’s a good chance that you might be next. Many diseases such as the common cold and flu are very contagious, but fortunately, they are not usually serious. There are various medications that can help, including some home remedies.
If you have some mustard oil at home then rubbing some onto your chest could help ease the symptoms of coughs and colds. The vapor from the oil will then be inhaled, helping to clear the congestion in the nose and windpipe. It can also help to reduce the productions of phlegm.
Mustard Oil Benefit #3: Aids Digestion
If digesting our food does not go as well as it should do then things can get quite uncomfortable for us. The system can become blocked up and constipation can develop, while constipation can also be uncomfortable. This will usually pass itself in time, but it will sometimes need a helping hand.
Mustard oil helps to aid digestion by stimulating the release of digestive juices. This makes it easier for us to digest our meals, and also helps to push everything along the system. If you are having difficulty in digesting your meals then consuming some mustard oil could be just what you need.
Mustard Oil Benefit #4: Healthy Skin
Go to any pharmacy store or beauty store and you will find a wide range of products that help to keep the skin healthy. Many of these are very expensive and even then, not all will be as effective as they claim to be. If you are looking for something both affordable and effective, mustard oil could be just what you need.
Mustard oil is a very good source of vitamin E, and this will help protect your skin from the sun. It will also help to prevent the onset in wrinkling from aging. It can be used as a topical lotion directly on the skin. Massage it well into the skin before rinsing.
Mustard Oil Benefit #5: Appetite Boost
While it is important that we don’t eat too much, it is just as important that we don’t eat too little. Our bodies need nutrition and the only source of this nutrition is from the food that we eat. Thankfully, we have a natural appetite for food that encourages us to eat, but this might sometimes need a bit of a boost.
When consumed, mustard oil irritates the lining of the stomach. This causes it to release digestive juices, and this makes us feel hungry. This makes it ideal for people that are recovering from an illness and for sports people that need to gain body mass.
Mustard Oil Benefit #6: Reduces Arthritis Symptoms
Arthritis is the term given for a group of condition that affects our joints. It is generally caused by wear and tear and/or inflammation. There are various root causes behind this, but they also cause immobility, pain in the joints, and disfiguration in severe cases. There is no known cure, but we can at least try and reduce the symptoms.
Mustard is a good source of selenium, and selenium is able to help treat inflammation. This can help people with arthritis and other people that are suffering from inflammatory conditions. To use it, massage some mustard oil into the joints on a daily basis.
Mustard Oil Benefit #7: Healthy Scalp and Hair
Some people really struggle to maintain a healthy head of hair. Some people can find that their hair becomes brittle or wiry, other people might even find that their hair falls out altogether. This can be a real problem for some people, but there are some natural remedies that may be able to help.
Mustard oil helps to prevent bacterial infections and also fungal infections from developing on the scalp. It can also help to stimulate the circulation of blood in the scalp, and this can stimulate the growth of the hair. This can also help to nourish hair that is often frizzy, while also helping to prevent graying.
Mustard Oil Benefit #8: Detox
Our liver and kidneys do a good job of removing unwanted compounds from the blood. These are then expelled from our bodies in our urine and feces. It is quite an effective method at keeping our bodies clean but it is not the only method. Some impurities are also expelled from our bodies when we perspire.
Mustard oil is able to help stimulate the sweat glands, causing them to produce more sweat. This, in turn, will also help the body to expel more toxins, helping to keep it as pure as possible. This also makes mustard oil very useful in helping to keep the body cool on a hot day.
Mustard Oil Benefit #9: Treats Asthma
Asthma is the medical term for conditions that result in the narrowing of the respiratory tract. The narrowing can be caused by factors such as allergies and it does have the potential to be dangerous. Medications are available that can help in case of an allergy attack, while some natural remedies may also be able to help.
Mustard oil has been used to treat respiratory conditions for thousands of years, and it still is today. In cases of asthma, massaging some mustard oil on the chest can help to clear the airways, allowing the patient to breathe. Bear in mind, though, that asthma can kill so professional medical advice should be followed at all times.
Mustard Oil Benefit #10: Slows Cancer
No single person is completely safe from cancer. Even the fittest and healthiest of people are not completely safe from it, and it can even strike people that are in the prime of their lives. Sometimes, we are able to operate to remove it. At other times, we will have to try to treat the symptoms the best we can and try and slow down its progress.
Studies have shown that glucosinolate, a compound found in mustard oil, can help to slow down the spread of cancer. The oil also contains phytonutrients that can help prevent colorectal cancer and gastrointestinal cancer, as well as compounds that can help us defeat breast cancer.
