Best Mustard Oil for Skin and Hair

Mustard seed oil is quickly becoming one of the most popular hair and skin treatments.  It has a lot of benefits which are scientifically-backed.  But, like with all beauty supplements, not all mustard seed oils are created equally. Here is what you need to look at to make sure you are getting a good mustard oil.

 

Benefits of Mustard Oil for Hair and Skin

• Prevents protein loss: When applied to hair, mustard oil prevents protein loss in hair so it is stronger and has less breakage.
• May improve hair growth: Because mustard seed oil promotes circulation, it can improve hair growth.
• Treats dandruff: As an anti-inflammatory and moisturizer, mustard seed oil is great for getting rid of dandruff naturally.
• Sooths irritated skin: The anti-inflammatory properties of mustard seed oil help calm skin.
• Treats skin infections: Mustard seed oil has antifungal and antibacterial properties which can prevent or treat skin infections.
• Promotes collagen growth: When consumed, mustard seed oil promotes collagen growth, which can prevent wrinkles and signs of aging in skin.

Also read: The Health Benefits of Mustard Seed Oil

 

How to Choose Mustard Oil

1. Only Cold Pressed (Kachi Ghani)

Kachi ghani refers to the traditional method of extracting mustard oil: the mustard seeds are mechanically pressed so the temperature never gets above 50 degrees C (122F). This is important because heat can destroy many of the antioxidants and essential fatty acids in mustard oil.

 

2. Avoid Large Bottles

Mustard oil only lasts about 6-12 months before the fatty acids start to go rancid.  For this reason, you should only buy as much mustard oil as you can reasonably use in 6 months.  If you want to save money by buying large bottles of mustard oil, then split it with some friends.

 

3. Choose Glass Bottles

Plastic bottles are actually slightly porous; they will let oxygen through to the oil.  Oxygen causes the fatty acids in mustard oil to go rancid. Oxidation also destroys other nutrients like antioxidants.  For this reason, you should only buy mustard oil sold in glass bottles.  This same advice applies to all types of oils for health and beauty.

Unfortunately, most brands of mustard oil package their products in plastic.  It’s just easier and cheaper to ship them that way. If you get mustard oil in plastic packaging, you should repackage it in glass.

 

4. Organic Matters

While I would love to only buy organic products, my budget doesn’t always allow it.  However, with mustard oil, it is important that you pay extra to get a certified organic mustard oil.

The mustard plant is very good at absorbing pollutants from the soil. It is so good at this that mustard is often used for “phytoremediation” of polluted fields.  Because of this, it is common for mustard seeds to have contaminants like heavy metals. One study even found significant amounts of mercury and trace amounts of lead in mustard seeds.

You don’t want to put oil with heavy metals and pollutants on your skin, so choose organic mustard oil. Organic certification requires soil inspections.

If you can’t afford organic mustard oil, then avoid products grown in India, Nepal or Bangladesh (which are some of the worst countries when it comes to soil pollution). Soil pollution levels are better in the USA, Canada and Australia.

 

Which Mustard Seed Is Best for Oil?

There are numerous different species of mustard but the ones used for making mustard oil are black mustard (brassica nigra) or brown mustard (brassica juncea).  Yellow mustard (sinapis alba, also sometimes called white mustard) is rarely used for making oil.

Black mustard seed oil has a stronger aroma and taste than brown mustard seed. When it comes to nutrition though, there isn’t much of a difference.  Both black and brown mustard seed have similar amounts of Omega 3.  However, brown mustard seed does have lower levels of erucic acid than black mustard, so it might be a better choice if you want to consume mustard oil.

Also read: Is it safe to cook with mustard oil?

 

Sources:
https://consumeraffairs.nic.in/sites/default/files/file-uploads/ctocpas/MustardOil.pdf
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263966084_Mustard_Seed_Contamination_with_Trace_Elements_in_a_View_of_Permissible_Levels
https://eqa.unibo.it/article/view/8528
http://fpmu.gov.bd/agridrupal/sites/default/files/ToR%2016%20Final%20Report.pdf
https://juniperpublishers.com/nfsij/NFSIJ.MS.ID.555779.php
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S240584402102048X
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/most-polluted-countries
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268216576_Oil_Content_and_Fatty_Acids_Composition_in_Brassica_Species/download
http://www.oilmillmachinery.net/mustard-oil-manufacturing-process.htm