The mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds in the world. The seeds are obtained from the mustard plant, a member of the Brassica family.
The seeds date back to as far as the fifth century BC, and it was mentioned in the Bible when Jesus taught on the Parable of the Mustard Seed.
The seeds come from three different variations of the mustard plants : the white mustard (Sinapis alba) with yellowish-white seeds, brown mustard (Brassica juncea) with brown seeds and black mustard (Brassica nigra) with black seeds.
The seeds though small, contains a lot often nutritional benefits and it is eaten all over the world.
It has different uses; the seeds are sometimes chewed for medicinal purposes or grounded as spice for cooking purposes, also the oil can be used for skincare or cooking purposes.
The mustard seed is rich in oil, protein and fibers.
Because of the numerous goodness packed in the mustard seed, there are health benefits derived from it.
1. Enhances Antioxidant Defence : Research has shown that mustard seeds have the ability to enhance the antioxidant defence system and in turn provide protection against the toxic effects of carcinogens in the body.
2. Anti-cancer properties : Mustard seeds contain large amounts of phytonutrients known as glucosinolates, they also contain myrosinase enzymes that breaks the glucosinolates into other phytonutrients called isothiocyanates which has shown anti-cancer properties like inhibiting growth of existing cancer cells and protecting against the formation of such cells.
3. Anti-inflammatory Benefits : Mustard seed is a good source of Selenium which is a nutrient that helps in reducing the severity of asthma, and certain symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
4. Excellent source of essential vitamins : Mustard seed is an excellent source of essential vitamins in the body. There’s over 30% niacin ( a part of nicotinamide co-enzymes that help lower blood cholesterol level) available in 100g of mustard seeds. There are also other essential vitamins like thiamine, riboflavin, folate, vitamin E and vitamin B6.
5. Rich source of nutritional minerals : Mustard seeds are rich in minerals as they are rich in vitamins. They are rich in calcium, manganese, magnesium, copper, iron, selenium and zinc. Calcium helps build bone and teeth. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells. Iron is required for the red blood cell formation and cellular metabolism.
