Mustard oil and refined oil are the two most popular oils used in Indian kitchens. The oil you consume affects your health and overall well-being. People have been increasingly conscious of the oil they consume. While some prefer the taste, others prefer oil with desirable health benefits. Two of the most popular oils are mustard oil and refined oil. Both these oils have their peculiar benefits and harms. Which should be an ideal choice for you? Well, this has always been a topic of debate. Let’s probe deeper to understand which should be the preferred choice for consumption.
Manufacturing process
Mustard oil is extracted by grinding mustard seeds, mixing the grounds with water and extracting the oil by distillation. The oil is called cold-pressed mustard oil due to the process through which it is extracted. It can also be produced by crushing the mustard seeds and separating the oil.
In contrast, “refined” oil, which means “purified oil”, is obtained by adding chemicals with plant or vegetable oils. This purification process may involve treating the oil with acid, or purified with an alkali, or bleached. These are done in stages that include degumming, neutralization, bleaching, dewaxing/winterization and deodorization.
Nutrition content
Refined oil goes through various stages of processing, hence carrying many processed constituents. It has a higher saturated fat content than mustard oil. The MUFA content of refined oil is almost half of what is present in mustard oil, making up 23% of the total content, while the PUFA content covers about 60% of the content. Likewise, the remaining 12% makes up the saturated fat.
On the other hand, Kachi Ghani mustard oil is rich in MUFA(monounsaturated fatty acids) constituting about 60% of the total content. It can be broken as - 42% of erucic acid and 12% of oleic acid. Further, it has 21% PUFA (polyunsaturated fats) -(6% of omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid and 15% of omega-6 linolenic acid). The remaining 12% content is saturated fats.
Health benefits
Mustard oil wins over refined oil in health benefits by huge margins. They are rich in healthy fats, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These are necessary constituents of cell membranes that are useful in regulating blood pressure and inflammatory responses. The presence of alpha-linolenic acid cures pain by desensitizing the pain receptors in the body. The oil is known to fight infections inside the colon, intestine and urinary tract, therefore, assisting in the smooth functioning of the digestive system. Buy mustard oil online for weight loss, as it is rich in fibre. Fibre is known to keep you full for a longer time by preventing the urge to snack unnecessarily and gain weight.
Refined oil like Sunflower oil or soybean oil contains natural omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. The refining process makes it free of contaminants such as gums, colour pigments, waxes and toxins that are the residue from the oil extraction process. They improve heart health by lowering cholesterol and reducing inflammation, mainly due to oleic acid. As the contaminants and impurities are filtered, refined oil boasts a longer shelf life when compared to mustard oil.
Harms
Refined oil becomes highly carcinogenic by the time it reaches us. While preparing the oil, a controlled high temperature is maintained that removes most of the beneficial nutrients from the oil. It leads to a rise in trans fats. Trans fats trigger various diseases like cancer, diabetes and immune problems. Refined oil increases the quantity of low-density lipoprotein, also called bad cholesterol, in the body. This can cause severe harm to the digestive and respiratory systems in the body.
Mustard oil is rich in erucic acid. The excess of erucic acid in the body can pose cardiovascular issues like respiratory issues, diarrhoea, anaemia, cancer and even respiratory blockage. It may cause a disease called myocardial lipidosis, in which a layer of muscle develops in the heart due to the build-up of triglycerides in them. Allyl isothiocyanate present in the oil can cause inflammation in the linings of the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, intestines..., etc.
Mustard oil has gained immense popularity over time. Buy bail Kolhu mustard oil online, one of the best mustard oils in the market with authentic flavour and health benefits.
