Ingredient Information

Function

Mustard is a condiment made from the seeds of a mustard plant (white or yellow mustard, Sinapis hirta; brown or Indian mustard, Brassica juncea; or black mustard, Brassica nigra). The whole, ground, cracked, or bruised mustard seeds are mixed with water, salt, lemon juice or other liquids, and sometimes other flavorings and spices, to create a paste or sauce ranging in color from bright yellow to dark brown. Mustard often has a sharp, pungent flavor, as mixing the ground seed with cold liquid allows the enzyme myrosinase which it contains to act on glucosinolates also present to make isothiocyanates, responsible for mustard's characteristic heat.

The leaves may be used in salads. In the Philippines, it is eaten as a green leafy vegetable, either fresh or pickled in brine. The powder made from the seed is used as a salad dressing, for flavoring meat and preparing pickles. The seeds can either be used whole or ground into a powder. Ground mustard seeds combined with other ingredients such as vinegar and spices create the yellow and brown sauces and condiments used to flavor many foods. More than 700 million lbs of mustard are consumed worldwide each year. Yellow mustard is usually used for prepared or table mustard, a condiment, and as dry mustard. Dry mustard is frequently used as a seasoning in mayonnaise, salad dressings, and sauces. Flour made from yellow mustard is an excellent emulsifying agent and stabilizer, and consequently, it is used in sausage preparation. Brown and oriental mustards are also used as oilseed crops. However, the strong flavor of this high-protein oilseed has made it unpopular in the livestock feed and vegetable oil markets of North America. As a result, mustard produced in North America is used primarily as a spice or condiment.

Mustard, Brassica nigra

Mustard seeds are grown majorly in Asia and Europe. Mustard is used in the preparation of many other variations of the condiment, like Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, deli- style mustard, sweet mustard, herb mustard, fruit mustard, granary mustard, honey mustard, horseradish mustard and hot mustard. It is also used in making cold millet salad, many sauces, soups, dips etc. It can be used as fillets for Marinate salmon. It is also used as an ingredient in the preparation of marinades, mayonnaise, and barbecue sauce. It can be used as a base for dressing vinaigrette.

The scientific name of mustard is Brassica nigra. It belongs to Brassicaceae family. 100g of mustard contains 5g of carbohydrates, 4g of fats and 5g of proteins.

Other Use and Industries

Applied as an oil, mustard helps repel insects and also works to repel insects when used in a vaporizer or fumigation device. Used on the hair as a conditioner, mustard oil strengthens the hair shaft and slows normal hair loss. For facial skin care, mustard oil applied to the skin opens the pores and stimulates sweating to empty dirt and oils from the pores.

It is used in cosmetic industry to make mask creams and conditioners. It is also used in Ayurveda as a medicine for sore throat.

Health Effects

Mustard not only stimulates the appetite by increasing salivation by up to eight times, it also has digestive, laxative, antiseptic, and circulative stimulant properties. As a digestive aid in moderation, mustard neutralizes toxins and helps ward off an upset stomach. However, too much can be an irritant. Mustard also contains sulphur, which has been used as a treatment for skin diseases. Mustard plasters or poultices have been applied to the chest to aid in clearing the sinuses and decongest the lungs. Mustard greens are not recommended for those with thyroid problems as they can cause the thyroid to increase in size.

A strong mustard can cause the eyes to water, sting the palate and inflame the nasal passages and throat. Mustard can also cause allergic reactions: since 2005, products in the European Union must be labelled as potential allergens if they contain mustard.

A member of the cruciferous vegetable family, mustard contains large amounts of beta carotene and vitamin C that are important antioxidants. Mustard greens are also a source of calcium that can be important to lactose intolerant individuals. Mustard greens also contain a significant amount of iron.

Medicinally, mustard has been used in many ways. It has been used as a relief for aches, fevers, coughs, asthma and also for liver, stomach and throat pain. Mustard liniment consists of camphor oil and a volatile mustard-seed. Ground mustard seeds and oils help improve digestion, promote healthy appetites, provide hiccup relief and acid indigestion relief and increase perspiration for use in lowering fevers. Mustard seeds may also improve circulation, boost metabolism, remove toxins from the body and work as a laxative. Mustard also provides benefits when applied to the skin. An oil or paste made from ground seeds works as an antibacterial and antifungal agent to treat infections on the skin.

Mustard can be used to treat intoxication as it induces vomiting which helps throwing out of the toxic substances from the body. It is said to be very effective against asthma, bronchitis, rheumatoid arthritis and pneumonia as mustard has healing properties. It is also considered to be effective against gastrointestinal cancer as it contains selenium, phytonutrients and isothiocyanates that help prevent and treat cancer. It can also be used to lower high blood pressure as it has low sodium content and be substituted for ingredients with higher sodium contents.

People allergic to mustard should not consume it in any form. People who suffer from any urinary tract infections should avoid mustard as it causes further irritation and will increase the adverse effects of the infection.

Mustard should not be used in medicinal doses by pregnant women.

Origins

Romans were probably the first to experiment with the preparation of mustard as a condiment. They mixed unfermented grape juice, known as "must", with ground mustard seeds (called sinapis) to make "burning must", mustum ardens — hence "must ard". The Romans likely exported mustard seed to Gaul, and by the 10th century, monks of St. Germain des Pres in Paris absorbed the mustard-making knowledge of Romans and began their own production. The first appearance of mustard makers on the royal registers in Paris dates back to 1292. An early use of mustard as a condiment in England was in the form of mustard balls—coarse ground mustard seed combined with flour and cinnamon, moistened, rolled into balls, and dried—which were easily stored and combined with vinegar or wine to make mustard paste as needed. The town of Tewkesbury was well known for its high-quality mustard balls, which were exported to London and other parts of the country. The use of mustard as a hot dog condiment was first seen at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.

More than 4,000 years ago, mustard seeds were being utilized in Greece and Egypt as a flavor and a medicine. In about 1300, the name "mustard" was given to the condiment made by mixing mustum, which is the Latin word for unfermented grape juice, with ground mustard seeds.

Mustard is an erect, branched, smooth annual, 0.4 to 1 meter high. Its leaves are oblong-obovate to oblong-lanceolate. The flowers are yellow with ascending pods that are somewhat contracted between the seeds. Mustard is part of the cabbage family. Brassica (or Sinapsis) alba is white or yellow mustard; other species are known as brown mustard, and the main variety was formerly called black or true mustard. The brown cultivar is more pungent, and is used in the popular Dijon mustard; the milder American or English mustards are often made more colorful by the addition of the yellow dye, turmeric. The most pungent mustard taste is obtained from freshly ground seeds, but numerous other gustatory components are added to commercial condiments, including various spices, herbs and alcohol. Mustard’s economic value resulted in its wide dispersal and it has been grown as a herb in Asia, North Africa, and Europe for thousands of years. Mustard can be raised on variable soil types with good drainage, but is best adapted to fertile, well-drained, loamy soils. This crop will not tolerate waterlogged soils since growth will be stunted.

Mustard is prepared by mixing the whole mustard or pulverized mustard with lemon juice, salt and water. It is used majorly in cuisines of India, North America, Africa, Europe and the Caribbean.