5 Health Benefits of Mustard Oil

Mustard oil is a staple in every Eastern and North Eastern Indian kitchen. It is hard to imagine life without a bottle of mustard oil at home. Aside from providing a distinct flavour to the cuisines, it is believed to have miraculous properties. Therefore it is used as a remedy to treat cold, boost immunity, encourage hair growth, provide nourishment to skin, oral health, so on and so forth. It is in fact a common ritual in taking care of babies who are massaged with mustard oil during winters and made to sunbathe for a dose of Vitamin D and also for strengthening the bones.

Mustard oil is packed with health benefits. Here are 5 health benefits of this oil which will drive you to try at least once:

* Relief from cold and cough

Mustard oil has been an age-old ingredient for the treatment of cough and cold. The heating properties of the oil helps in clearing congestions from the respiratory tract. It is also beneficial in clearing the sinuses. For best results you can either take mustard oil steam treatment or rub about a teaspoon of it on your chest before sleeping. 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.

* Helps blood circulation

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

* Promotes heart health

Mustard oil is a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). 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. It helps in keeping a check on the blood fat level and lowers the level of bad cholesterol in the body. 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.

* Protects against infections

Mustard oil has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. Its external usage is said to help in multiple ways to fight against infections. Including mustard oil in your diet can help fight digestive tract infections.

*Promotes skin, nails and hair health

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. When applied to the nail beds it works better than coconut or almond oil. Since it is easily absorbed, it lubricates and nourished the nail beds promoting nail health. When massaged on the scalp, mustard oil can prevent scalp infections and improve blood circulation to follicles. It is also rich in beta-carotene which promotes hair growth.