Introduction
Mustard Oil, popularly known as Sarso Ka Tel, is an evergreen kitchen essential in traditional Indian households. From marinating to deep frying, its versatile use makes it everyone's favourite oil, but do you know it’s a lesser-known aid in weight loss? While natural oils and weight loss may seem contradictory, mustard oil has potential health benefits. It's packed with 11% saturated fat, 59-60% monounsaturated fat, and 21% polyunsaturated fat. The presence of these healthy fats helps increase metabolism, making Mustard Oil a healthy choice. Studies say Mustard Oil has antibiotic properties and helps in diabetes management and cardiovascular diseases. This blog discusses the science, benefits, and precautions of using mustard oil for weight loss in the body.
Nutrient Profile of Mustard Oil
Mustard Oil provides about 884 calories per 100 g (approx) and is rich in healthy fats. But before learning the fat breakdown, let's understand how Mustard Oil is made. Mustard oil is extracted through a process called cold pressing, which retains more of its nutrients. It is done by extracting oil from mustard seeds, which is known as sarso oil.
Let's look at the fat composition of Mustard Oil:
MUFA
MUFA, known as Monounsaturated Fatty Acid, is present at 60% in mustard oil.
It includes erucic acid and oleic acid, which are known for their nutritional value.
Benefits of MUFA
Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFA) help reduce fat weight gain, boosting weight loss. It also decreases inflammation in the body by improving insulin sensitivity.
PUFA
PUFA, also known as Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, is present at 21% in Mustard oil. PUFA comprises Omega-3 and Omega-6.
Benefits of PUFA
PUFA fats strengthen nerve functioning, brain regulation, and muscle power. Around 12% of the Mustard oil component is saturated fats.
Apart from this, Mustard Oil comprises Vitamin E, an Antioxidant that protects our cells from any damage and makes skin better. All these healthy components make Mustard Oil the ideal oil choice for cooking.
How Mustard Oil Helps in Weight Loss
Sarso Oil aids in weight loss and has numerous benefits. Here is how Sarso Oil supports weight loss in the body:
Increased Metabolism
Mustard Oil components stimulate a process called Thermogenesis, where the body burns more calories by producing heat and increasing metabolism. Sarso Oil also has Omega-3 Acid, which fosters fat metabolism by sustaining energy levels, thereby reducing calories rapidly.
Helps in Digestion
Sarso Oil helps in producing digestive juice, as the oil stimulates the liver and spleen by producing their digestive enzymes, which increase metabolism and speed up digestion.
Reduces Cholesterol
Sarso Oil reduces cholesterol levels too because it is rich in Monounsaturated Fat and Polyunsaturated Fat, especially Omega-3, which decreases bad cholesterol and increases good HDL Cholesterol. Sarso Oil helps weight management when used as part of a healthy diet because it improves cholesterol levels.
Contains Allyl Isothiocyanate
Sarso Oil has Allyl Isothiocyanate (AITC), a compound that has various mechanisms to boost metabolism in the body.
Removes Toxins
Sarso Oil removes toxins in our body by increasing blood circulation in the body and works on stress and overworked muscles. It acts as a natural stimulant for the human body.
Ways to Utilise Mustard Oil for Weight Loss
Sarso Oil has versatile uses to increase weight loss. Here are a few ways to use Sarso Oil for weight loss benefits:
Cooking
Replace unhealthy oils like Refined Oil with Sunflower Oil to saute, deep fry, marinate, and cook food. Its nutritious components would help in weight loss compared to other unhealthy oil options.
Massage Oil
Using Sarso Oil as a massage oil has several health benefits. Both consumption and massaging help, as massaging increases blood circulation, which supports detoxification.
Use in a Weight Loss Recipe
Sarso Oil, when used raw, adds extra nutritional value to weight loss recipes. When paired with salt, herbs, and lemon juice on salad dressings or any weight recipe, it adds extra flavour as well as nutrients to it. You just give this a try.
Tips
- Don't use more than 2 tablespoons of Sarso Oil in any meal, because overconsumption is not healthy for the body.
- Pair it with fibre-rich foods and protein for a balanced diet.
Scientific Evidence on Mustard Oil Supporting Weight Loss
In Ayurveda, Sarso Oil is known for balancing kapha dosha known for weight gain and sluggish metabolism. Therefore, when used in an appropriate quantity, Sarso Oil supports weight loss by decreasing kapha dosha. There was a study done in India that found that mustard oil consumption doesn't increase BMI, which means there are fewer chances of being overweight due to using Sarso Oil. All the studies prove that mustard oil is a healthy choice of oil, which contains healthy fats that help in weight loss.
Precautions on Using Mustard Oil
Avoid excessive use of Sarso Oil because it contains high erucic acid content, which can lead to digestive problems, diarrhea, and possibly heart issues, so use it in a moderate quantity.
Who Should Avoid Mustard Oil
- People who are allergic to mustard seeds or similar plants may experience allergic side effects.
- People with a risk of cardiac issues due to a high composition of erucic acid, which is associated with heart diseases.
- People who face irritation or rashes and have breathing issues after consuming mustard oil.
- During pregnancy, women should consult a professional doctor for safety concerns.
Conclusion
Sarso Oil may not aid in overnight fat burning, but it offers numerous health benefits, as discussed in the blog, making it a strong choice for individuals seeking a healthy lifestyle and weight loss.
One must use it in moderate quantities to obtain the fullest value of Sarso Oil and combine it with a balanced diet and an active, light lifestyle to benefit from the weight loss journey by improving fat breakdown, reducing inflammation, addressing heart issues, and offering other significant benefits.
So, if you are looking for a healthy oil switch, then Sarso Oil should be.