Is Mustard Oil Good for Diabetes? Nutritional Value, Benefits, and Risks
Changing your cooking oil can lower your blood sugar? True!
Most refined or processed oils are high in LDL (low density lipoprotein), often called “bad” cholesterol and low in HDL (high density lipoprotein), the “good” cholesterol. Regular use of refined oils can increase the risk of certain health conditions such as heart diseases, diabetes and obesity. Therefore, choosing virgin cooking oils that are less processed and rich in healthy fats and nutrients would be a better option in the long run.
Using the right cooking oil can benefit your overall health and help bring down your blood sugar levels and mustard oil is one such recommended oil. Let’s find out how mustard oil can benefit diabetics.
What is Mustard Oil?
Mustard oil is derived from the seeds of organically grown mustard plants. Essential mustard oil is extracted by steam or dry distillation of mustard seeds. It is called ‘Sarson ka tel’ or ‘Kadwa tel’ in Hindi. It is reddish-brown in colour, has a pungent aroma, a strong flavour, and a high smoking point. Essential mustard oil is widely used for culinary purposes and pure mustard oil is mostly used for topical application.
Mustard Oil: Nutritional Profile
One tablespoon of mustard oil contains 14 grams of fat that makes up for 124 calories. It has high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids, which are known to benefit your heart health. It also contains oleic acid, which helps lower cholesterol levels in the body and reduces inflammation. Mustard oil is high in omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid, and omega-6 fatty acids that help maintain a normal heart rhythm and improve circulation.
Mustard Oil Benefits For Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition that affects your body’s ability to produce or use a hormone called insulin efficiently, which causes high blood glucose (sugar) levels. Your body digests the food you consume and turns it into glucose (sugar). Insulin, a hormone produced by the beta cells in your pancreas, helps the sugar in your bloodstream to enter your cells where it is converted into energy.
When you have Type 1 Diabetes, your pancreas produces little to no insulin. If you have Type 2 Diabetes, your cells become insulin resistant, i.e., they are unable to utilize the insulin present in your body.
Mustard oil contains a fatty acid called erucic acid. It suppresses the activity of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) and that in turn decreases insulin resistance in the body. This makes your cells more sensitive to insulin and thus helps manage your blood sugar levels.
Mustard oil also contains high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), Omega-3, Omega-6 fatty acids, Vitamin E, and minerals. It has anti-inflammatory properties and contains antioxidants that make it suitable for diabetic patients. The MUFAs present in mustard oil is also beneficial for your heart health.
Ways to Consume Mustard Oil For Diabetes
Mustard oil is considered one of the best oils for consumption. Hence, it can be used in your everyday recipes. It can be used as a salad dressing, as a preservative in pickles, and also for frying, baking, roasting, and grilling. However, make sure that you do not consume more than 5 to 6 teaspoons of mustard oil in a day.
Best Time to Consume Mustard Oil for Diabetes
There is no best time to consume mustard oil. It can be consumed throughout the day. However, make sure that it is consumed in moderate amounts or else it can have adverse effects on your body.
Curious about which oils are best for diabetes? Discover how coconut, mustard, and ghee impact blood sugar levels, heart health, and more in a diabetes-friendly diet.
Which Oils Are Best for Diabetes? Let’s Find Out! |
| Coconut Oil For Diabetes |
| Is Rice Bran Oil Good For Diabetes? |
| Is Groundnut Oil Good For Diabetes? |
| Is Sesame Oil Good For Diabetics? |
| Is Ghee Good For Diabetes |
Risks of Overconsumption of Mustard Oil
Diabetic patients should not use excess mustard oil in their diet as the erucic acid content in it can cause complications such as digestion problems and respiratory issues when consumed in higher quantities. An ideal consumption of mustard oil should be 600 to 700 ml in a month, which is around 1 teaspoon of mustard oil per meal.
Other Health Benefits of Mustard Oil
- Mustard oil helps in boosting your metabolism and promoting digestion.
- It plays a role in improving circulation and helps in relieving sinus congestion.
- Mustard oil promotes heart health and therefore is considered beneficial for people with cardiovascular diseases.
- It possesses antimicrobial properties and prevents the growth of certain harmful bacteria.
- Pure mustard oil when applied topically is good for your hair and skin.
- Mustard oil contains a chemical compound called allyl isothiocyanate, which is known to affect the pain receptors in the body. It also prevents the growth of cancerous cells.
- The omega-3 fatty acids in mustard oil help in reducing inflammation and relieving pain in certain conditions.
- Mustard oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been found to be beneficial for your heart.
Don’t Have Time To Read?
- Mustard oil is extracted from the seeds of organically grown mustard plants and it is obtained through steam or dry distillation.
- One tablespoon of mustard oil contains 14 grams of fat, which makes up for 124 calories. Mustard oil is rich in omega-6 fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin E, and minerals.
- Mustard oil contains erucic acid, which is known to decrease insulin resistance in the body and thus helps maintain healthy blood glucose levels.
- Mustard oil has anti-inflammatory properties and also contains antioxidants and monounsaturated fatty acids. This makes it suitable for diabetic patients.
- Mustard oil can be used in your everyday recipes. However, excessive use of mustard oil in the diet can be harmful. The erucic acid content in it can be toxic for the body when consumed in higher quantities than what is recommended.
- An ideal consumption of mustard oil should be 600 to 700 ml in a month, which is around 1 teaspoon of mustard oil per meal.
- Mustard oil boosts your metabolism, promotes digestion and also improves blood circulation. It also helps fight sinus congestion, improves cardiovascular health, and inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria.
- Regular consumption of mustard oil helps reduce inflammation, relieves pain and prevents the growth of cancerous cells.
Friendly Asked Questions
Which oil is best for diabetes?
Mustard oil is considered good for diabetes as it improves the action of insulin in lowering your blood sugar levels. It is also rich in antioxidants and monounsaturated fatty acids, which help in reducing the risk of developing diabetes.
Is mustard oil good for insulin resistance?
Mustard oil contains erucic acid that suppresses the activity of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor. This helps improve insulin sensitivity and decreases insulin resistance in the body of a diabetic patient.
Does mustard oil increase cholesterol?
Regular use of mustard oil helps decrease your cholesterol levels. Mustard oil is rich in Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). They help in decreasing the level of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the body and increase the levels of good cholesterol (HDL).
Is mustard oil harmful for health?
Mustard oil, when consumed in the right quantities, is not harmful and more beneficial to your health. It contains erucic acid which when consumed in higher quantities than what is recommended can cause problems with digestion, respiration and even cardiovascular issues.
How much mustard oil is safe?
You can consume up to 600 to 700 ml of mustard oil in a month, which comes down to one teaspoon per meal.
