From skin to heart health: You should just not miss on these benefits of mustard oil

Mustard oil is extracted from mustard seeds and is commonly used in India. It is an ancient oil that is said to be loaded with many health benefits.

There are some ingredients that can never be replaced in the Indian kitchen. Not only are they essential in creating various regional delicacies, but their uses are also manifold and extend beyond the confines of the kitchen. One such example is mustard oil.

While it does take some "getting used to" to familiarise yourself with the pungency, get past it and you will soon learn to appreciate its unique flavour. It is addictive. It is believed to have miraculous properties, and therefore is used as a remedy to treat cold, boost immunity, encourage hair growth, provide nourishment to skin (especially in case of babies who are massaged with mustard oil during winters and made to sunbathe for a dose of Vitamin D and also to strengthen the bones), oral health, so on and so forth.

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. Here are benefits of mustard oil.

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. 

Promotes heart health: 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.

Treats cracked heels and brittle nails: Cracked heels is a bothersome problem during monsoon and winter. You can use waste candles to say goodbye to cracked heels. Just create a mixture by heating the candle wax with equal amount of mustard oil so that it becomes a thick mixture. Fill your cracked heels with this mixture and sleep with cotton socks to make your heels smoother. Mustard oil can be applied on the nails. It's better than coconut or almond oil in terms of benefits. It has the power to lubricate the nail bed and be easily absorbed to bring about nourishment.

Protects against infection: Mustard oil has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. Its external as well as internal usage is said to help in multiple ways to fight against infections, including digestive tract infections.

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.

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. Mustard oil has many topical uses and is good in various ways. However, one with oily skin should avoid massaging it on the face and it should also be avoided for body massages for those who have sensitive skin. 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.

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