Nutrition scientists push for going back to traditional mustard oil
By Rakshit Sharma
Nutrition scientists at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) here have pushed for use of traditional mustard oil over refined oils, citing the skewed ration of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids in the latter as responsible for chronic inflammation, linked to coronary heart disease.
Department of Food and Nutrition College of Community Science PAU nutrition scientist Dr Monika Chaudhary said, “Over time we have observed a fad that refined oils are better for health compared to traditional mustard and canola oils. However, this is based on a wrong reading of a study conducted on rats.”
“Mustard oil had 35-48% erucic acid. Refined oil companies propagated a study that showed erucic acid had ill effects on health. But the study was conducted on rats. And humans don’t have those effects of erucic acids.”
“The permissible amount of erucic acid is 7.5mg per kg of body weight. But we don’t consume that amount,” she added.
Canola oil, a close cousin in the brassica family (mustard), provides similar health benefits while containing less than 2% erucic acid.
A healthy oil, she said, should be cholesterol- and trans-fat-free, low in saturated fatty acids (SFA), and high in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fats (PUFA). It should ideally offer a balanced ratio of essential fatty acids, omega-6 (n-6) and omega-3 (n-3), and a and a high smoke point (more than 200°C).
“Mustard oil checks nearly all these boxes, making it a stellar choice for the kitchen.”
Balanced omega 3 and omega 6
Refined oils, extracted using heat or solvents, are high in PUFAs, particularly omega-6 fatty acids, and are unsuitable for Indian cooking or long-term storage. Consuming these oils disrupts the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in our bodies, as most non-native oils are omega-6 heavy. This imbalance can have adverse health effects, making traditional oils a better choice for maintaining dietary harmony.
Omega-3 and Omega-6 are polyunsaturated fatty acids, and their ratio is a crucial health indicator. This balance influences chronic inflammation, linked to coronary heart disease (CHD), diabetes, and certain cancers. Omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote inflammation, while omega-3 fatty acids help reduce it. A high ratio, with more omega-6, is thought to increase inflammation, whereas a balanced ratio reduces it.
“Some of the refined oils have 50 times omega 6 than omega 3.”
However, mustard oil, has both the fatty acids in equal amounts, “which makes it the perfect pick for health.” said Choudhary.
Smoke point and free radicals
Another problem with vegetable oils is their low smoke point, she noted,
“Whenever oils are heated for consumption, by the time they start producing smoke and vapours, the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in them break into free fatty acids which when consumed, aid the production of free radicals in the body. These free radicals are carcinogenic and over time can lead to various cancers.
However, the mustard oil, which was traditionally used for frying and cooking locally, has a high smoke point which prevents the breakdown of fatty acids into free fatty acids.
This article has been republished from The MSN.