Mustard - Sinapis

Common Names: Mustard, White Mustard, Black Mustard, Brassica, Sinapis, Brassica nigra, Sinapis alba, Yellow Mustard, Brown Mustard, Marathi, Kali Mohari, Black moutarde, Moutarde noire, Mustard oil, Mustard seed, Graine de moutarde noire, Mostaza negra, Sénevé, Sarshap, Bai Jie Zi, Farine de moutarde blanche, Mostaza blanca, Weiße Senfsamen, Table mustard

Latin Name: Brassica nigra, Sinapis alba

Origin: Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, South America, North America

Short Introduction

Both species of mustard thrive in sunny or slightly shaded locations with moist, rich, and well-drained or sandy soil. The plant grows best in soil rich in humus and nitrogen. Classic habitats for mustard include the banks of watercourses or reservoirs, wastelands, railway or building embankments, wetlands, and along the edges of roads, paths, and highways. Cultivation is not particularly demanding—both species can manage with relatively low nutrient concentrations but require warm, dry climates without excess moisture and light soil, preferably enriched with nitrogen (such as Chilean nitrate, ammonium sulfate) or phosphates. Propagation is carried out simply by sowing seeds in March. White mustard is harvested when the pods turn brown and seeds become yellow; the seeds are threshed, further dried, and stored. Black mustard is more challenging to harvest as the pods open more easily, increasing the risk of loss if handled or timed poorly.

Detailed Description

An Italian proverb says, "A kiss without a mustache is like a steak without mustard," while our saying goes, "Life without mustard is like love without kisses."

Botanical Information

Black mustard and white mustard are annual herbs growing up to 2.5 meters tall. The stem of Brassica is hairy at the base, strongly branched, and arises from a thin root. The individual branches are long, widely spread, and flexible. The basal leaves are stalked, lanceolate or ovate, paired, about 5 cm wide and up to 15 cm long. Upper leaves are entire, narrower, smaller, and sessile. The hermaphroditic pale yellow flowers, with calyxes about 5 mm long, form terminal or axillary racemes appearing from June to August. The fruit is a two-part, flattened, four-angled pod about 2 mm wide, growing upright and closely attached to the raceme. Inside the pod are 4–8 spherical seeds about 1 mm in size with a reticulated seed coat, maturing from July to September. Brown mustard (Sinapis alba) is mainly distinguished from white by its serrated leaf blade and dark brown seeds.

Origin and Distribution

The entire Brassica genus originated in the Mediterranean (southern Europe) and spread naturally across almost all of Europe (except the far north) and Africa. Later, the plant was introduced to Western and then the rest of Asia, the Americas, and Australia. Since ancient times, mustard has been cultivated in present-day Germany, France, Russia, and other countries where it still grows wild. Historically, black mustard was widely cultivated in the Czech Republic, but it is no longer processed today. Currently, black mustard is classified as a domesticated plant; in warmer areas, it spreads rapidly and is often considered a weed.

Usage / Dosage

Mustard seeds are widely used in the food industry to make edible mustard—a household staple prepared by mixing seeds with water, vinegar, salt, and other ingredients. Table mustard can be made from both white and black mustard seeds, but white mustard retains its strong, sharp flavor longer. Initially mildly pungent and oily, the taste becomes pleasing and perfectly complements many dishes. Mustard also stimulates appetite and the production of bile acids, making it an excellent dietary supplement.

Historically, poultices of mustard seeds were applied externally to the chest for coughs, colds, and for relieving inflammatory conditions such as rheumatism, gout, sciatica, swollen joints, arthritic pain, osteoarthritis, lumbago, neck and joint pain. For lower back pain, a stiff neck, and sluggish muscles, traditional "mustard plasters" contain crushed mustard seeds to relieve muscle tension and act as a pain reliever. Mustard powder baths are recommended for colds, respiratory tract inflammation, sinusitis, asthma, and migraines. Mustard seed compounds locally irritate and stimulate tissue circulation.

A study attempted to link the high consumption of mustard seeds in the Japanese population to their long life expectancy (the highest worldwide!). It was found that mustard seeds are rich in powerful antioxidants. Compounds in mustard were shown to quench the "explosion" of oxidized LDL molecules in macrophages of the respiratory and digestive tracts, thereby inhibiting (in vitro) the development of colon cancer cell lines. It also promoted prevention of growth and apoptotic death of the same cell line. Compounds in mustard were able to (in vivo) reduce plasma levels of lipid peroxidation products and, particularly with diet, activate several antioxidant enzyme systems (superoxide dismutase, catalase, GSH-peroxidase, etc.). The flavonoids, carotenoids, and vitamins C and E present are potent antioxidants that help maintain the integrity of membranes in mucous membranes and skin.

Another study extracted and identified 14 compounds from the essential oil of mustard seeds, testing their broad-spectrum antimicrobial effects. Combined with a cross-linking agent (genipin), an encapsulation matrix with a coacervate microcapsule complex was created, which showed inhibitory potential against some types of bacteria. Mustard compounds are used as natural preservatives, and their antimicrobial effects may stem from accelerating digestive enzyme production in the mouth, which disrupts the structure and function of pathogenic bacteria in the digestive tract.

High pyridoxine content boosts and supports enzyme activity in metabolic regulation and improves central nervous system function (better cognition, improved memory, increased blood flow to the cortex). The contained niacin has a proven hypolipidemic effect, reducing cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. However, in vitro studies focus only on individual mustard constituents, not the whole seed.

Homeopathy

In homeopathy, mustard seed is recommended for cold sores, colic, toothaches, and neurological problems. It is also thought to act preventively against cancer.

Traditional Medicine

In traditional medicine, the herbal drug has been used since ancient times. The most common form is poultices for external application to stimulate blood flow to the respiratory tract and kidneys. It is therefore given for pleurisy, acute catarrh of the respiratory system, or joint inflammation (rheumatism). Mustard is taken internally for digestive issues. In folk use, it is taken internally to prevent infectious diseases, to increase diuresis (e.g., in urinary retention or edema), to boost appetite, and to aid digestion. Larger quantities of ground mustard seeds have laxative effects by stimulating the intestinal wall. In Ayurveda, mustard is applied to the skin to relieve muscle pain, rheumatism, and even to the scalp to stimulate hair growth.

Active Compounds

Black mustard seeds contain about 469 kcal per 100 g. The seeds are about 40% carbohydrates (mainly fiber), up to 10% water, about 30% fats with a significant proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids, about 25% protein, as well as vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, folate, cyanocobalamin, ascorbic acid, tocopherol, vitamin K, and minerals (calcium, iron, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc). Mustard essential oils contain volatile oil formed by the breakdown of the glycosides sinigrin and sinalbin, which provide significant therapeutic and pharmacological properties. Another component, allyl isothiocyanate, also exhibits pharmacological activity. Mass spectrometry has identified the following amino acids: glutamine, cysteine, proline, glutamic acid, and proteins bound with calcium.

Traditional Dosage

Mustard oil should be applied only in small amounts and for a tolerable duration (approximately 10–15 minutes) to affected areas. Mustard poultices use crushed mustard seeds spread on cloth for direct application. Mustard paper/plaster is prepared by soaking ordinary plaster in a mustard seed infusion. Tinctures are made by soaking several grams of seeds in about 50 ml of 60% alcohol and left to macerate. After a few days, the mixture is strained and used externally.