Benefits of cooking with mustard oil for cholesterol patients - 24 Mantra Organic

You must have seen several cooking oil ads claiming to be the best for maintaining a healthy heart. But no one will tell you the mustard oil cholesterol relationship, and how this thick golden oil can help you maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. The marketing gimmick doesn’t tell you about the mustard oil cholesterol balance and instead pushes you to buy expensive oils.

Not to mention the incredible health benefits of organic mustard oil due to the lack of harmful chemical compounds.

In this article, we’ll explore why mustard oil is good for lowering cholesterol and how it balances the cholesterol levels in the body.

Mustard oil is full of essential fatty acids that are required in balancing cholesterol levels. Its rising popularity as one of the most beneficial oils is due to its ideal ratio between these fatty acids and natural antioxidants [1]. Before we dive deeper into mustard oil cholesterol content and its benefits for the heart, let’s look at how the oil is prepared and what is its nutritional value.

Preparation of Mustard Oil

Mustard oil is prepared in five easy steps, which are as follows [2]:

• Once mustard seeds are collected, they are dried in the sun to ensure all the water is removed from the seeds. This step is important since water can potentially hamper the extraction process.
• The dried seeds are then cleaned to remove the dirt and foreign particles to ensure the extracted oil contains no impurity and is of the highest quality.
• The seeds are then heated to increase the quantity of the yield. Heating also results in higher availability of protein content in the by-product seed cake, from which animal feeds are prepared.
• Once the seeds are heated, it is immediately transferred to the oil extraction machine. The oil extraction machine crushes and presses the seeds for up to an hour or more based on the quantity to extract, which is around 26% oil.
• The seed cake is then further crushed and pressed to take out more oil.
• Finally, the oil is removed from the machine and filtered before it is bottled and stored.

Nutritional Value of Mustard Oil

Now that we know how mustard oil is prepared, let’s look at mustard oil cholesterol levels and the nutritional value of this oil.

To understand the mustard oil cholesterol relationship, you need to understand the types of fat present in mustard oil. As seen above, mustard oil comprises three types of fat:

• Saturated fats
• Polyunsaturated fats
• Monosaturated fats

Saturated Fats

Saturated fats are considered unhealthy as they can lead to blockage of arteries. The American Heart Association recommends having oil with less than 4 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon [3]. As you will see, mustard oil provides roughly 1% of your recommended daily intake per tablespoon.

Polyunsaturated Fats

This fat helps understand the mustard oil cholesterol relationship since it is classified as “good fat.” One tablespoon mustard oil contains 3 grams of polyunsaturated fat, which can improve the heart condition when used as a replacement of less healthy saturated fat.

Monounsaturated Fat

Of the three fats, monounsaturated fat is found in the highest quantity in mustard oil. Monounsaturated fats are mostly present in plant sources such as nuts, avocado, or seeds. Monounsaturated fatty acids, also called MUFAs, are known to boost HDL cholesterol or “good” cholesterol.

Monounsaturated fat is the reason why mustard oil cholesterol content is low. Because of this, mustard oil is considered good for your heart. The benefits of mustard oil to reduce cholesterol are further reinforced by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that recommends that 15 to 20% of total caloric intake should come from monounsaturated fatty acids [4].

Mustard Oil Cholesterol – Three Health Benefits

Benefit #1

Consuming mustard oil increases your intake of two types of polyunsaturated fat: omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These two polyunsaturated fats are essential in diet since the body is unable to produce it. Omega-3 fatty acids lower blood clotting and inflammation in the body. It is also known to dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure.

Benefit #2

Omega-6 fatty acids in mustard oil are said to lower the risk of heart diseases and even cancer! Mustard oil cholesterol content is next to none and is also a rich source of polyunsaturated fats that keep the heart in a healthy condition.

Benefit #3

The monounsaturated fat present in mustard oil also has several health benefits. When used as a replacement for saturated fat, it reduces the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks. That is why it is recommended to people with higher cholesterol levels. Studies also show that cooking in mustard oil also lowers the risk of mortality and stroke.

How to Store Mustard Oil?

Like all oils, mustard oil must be stored in an airtight container kept in a cool and dry place. It should be kept out of direct sunlight.

Final Thoughts

Mustard oil cholesterol content is almost negligible. That is why it has become a popular oil in the kitchen shelves of many Indian families. People are gradually realizing the benefits of this oil and ditching the marketing gimmick to purchase expensive cooking oils.

Mustard oil is a rich source of good fats that can help increase the ‘good’ cholesterol in the body. However, it is important to remember that like any other oil, mustard oil also contains fat, and eating in excess can have adverse effects. To maintain a healthy weight and heart, you should always consume this healthy fat in moderation.

Try 24 Mantra Organics’s Mustard Oil and taste the goodness of organic.