Mustard oil can mean either the pressed oil used for cooking, or a pungent essential oil also known as volatile oil of mustard. The essential oil results from grinding mustard seed, mixing the grounds with water, and isolating the resulting volatile oil by distillation.
It can also be produced by dry distillation of the seed. Pressed mustard oil is used as cooking oil in some cultures, but sale is restricted in some countries due to high levels of erucic acid. Varieties of mustard seed low in erucic acid have been cultivated.
Its balanced ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids contributes to maintaining a healthy cholesterol profile. The omega-3 fatty acids in mustard oil have been associated with reducing levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and increasing levels of good cholesterol (HDL).
