What effect does mustard have?
Essentially, the seeds of mustard contain ingredients such as fatty oil, mucilage – and above all the so-called mustard oil glycosides.
If the cells of the mustard seeds are destroyed (e.g. by grinding), the mustard oil glycosides come into contact with certain enzymes and are broken down by them to form mustard oil. This is mainly responsible for the healing effect of the plant.
First and foremost, mustard oil has a strong skin-irritating effect and thus promotes local blood circulation. In addition, an antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory mustard oil effect could be proven.
Due to their spectrum of action, mustard seeds are used externally for the treatment of chronic degenerative joint diseases such as osteoarthritis, respiratory catarrh such as bronchitis and soft tissue rheumatism (fibromyalgia). This application is scientifically recognized.
In addition, empirical medicine also uses mustard for other external ailments. A mustard flour footbath has a circulation-promoting effect. It can help with (incipient) infections of the upper respiratory tract (such as colds, sinusitis). Occasionally it is also recommended for headaches, migraines and constipation.
Folk medicine also uses mustard internally against digestive disorders. In addition, mustard seeds are recommended for high blood pressure.
How is mustard used?
Both black and white mustard seeds are used for medicinal purposes. The latter are somewhat milder in their effect.
Mustard as a home remedy
Both black and white mustard seeds are used for medicinal purposes. The latter are somewhat milder in their effect. Preparations with mustard seeds can be used externally and internally. Scientifically proven is the external use of mustard seeds, for example, as a mustard foot bath (mustard flour foot bath) or in the form of envelopes or compresses.
Footbath
This is how you proceed for a mustard flour foot bath:
- Fill a foot bath tub with 38 degrees warm water and so high that it reaches later up to half height of the calves (to maximally under knee).
- Now distribute 10 to 30 grams of black mustard flour (mustard powder) well in the water.
- Sit on a chair in front of the tub and put your feet in it.
- Remove the feet, rinse thoroughly with warm water, dry and rub with a little oil – for example, pure olive oil.
- Rest in bed for 30 to 60 minutes, possibly wearing wool socks.
You can do this once a day in acute cases of illness, such as a cold, preferably in the morning. In case of migraine, the foot bath based on ground mustard seeds is said to be helpful as a cure: To do this, take a mustard foot bath two to three times a week for several weeks.
Compress
Another well-known mustard application is the mustard flour compress: Applied to the chest, it can help, for example, with bronchitis with narrowed airways (obstructive bronchitis), pneumonia or pleurisy. It can also be beneficial for soft tissue rheumatism or wear and tear-related joint diseases.
This is how you proceed for a mustard flour compress:
- Put 10 to 30 grams of mustard flour (mustard powder) two centimeters thick on a piece of cellulose, fold it and wrap it in a cloth.
- Put this compress in 250 milliliters of warm water (maximum 38 degrees) and let it soak. Then gently squeeze, do not wring out.
- As soon as the typical skin burning sensation sets in, leave the compress on for another one to three minutes when applying for the first time. For further applications (on subsequent days), the application time can be increased to about ten minutes. For children, leave the compress on for a maximum of three to five minutes.
- Then quickly remove the compress, rub the skin with olive oil and rest covered for 30 to 60 minutes.
You can apply such a mustard flour compress once a day. The best time to do this is in the morning.
If the “mustard flour poultice” is not applied (compress), but wrapped around the painful part of the body (for example, around a painful knee), it is called a mustard poultice (mustard flour poultice).
Wrap
A mustard poultice should be applied to an area of skin no larger than 1.5 palms of the person’s hand. To make a mustard flour poultice, follow these steps:
- Depending on the area of the treated area, pour a maximum of 45 degrees water with 100 grams of freshly ground mustard flour and mix it all together to form a thick paste.
- Leave the mixture to infuse for five minutes.
- For a weakened effect, you can also replace one-third of the mustard flour with cereal flour.
- Fix the sheet again with a woolen cloth.
- At the beginning, leave the mustard poultice on the area to be treated for only three minutes. You can increase the application time from time to time by one minute at a time up to a maximum of ten minutes.
- When you have removed the poultice, wash the area thoroughly with water and rub it with skin care lotion.
- Rest for 30 minutes after the application.
Internal use
Experiential medicine relies on the internal use of mustard for various digestive problems. For heartburn, for example, taking a teaspoon of the seasoning paste mustard after a meal is said to help. This is also true during pregnancy.
Eating mustard with a meal is generally said to stimulate appetite and aid digestion.
Home remedies based on medicinal plants have their limitations. If your symptoms persist for a long period of time, do not get better or even get worse despite treatment, you should always consult a doctor.
Preparations with mustard
What side effects can mustard cause?
If mustard is used for too long or in too high a dose, there is a risk of skin irritation and skin damage: severe redness and blistering through to local tissue death (necrosis). Nerve damage and contact allergies are also possible.
When mustard oil is used internally (for example, when consuming mustard for heartburn or in spicy foods), the mucous membrane irritant effect may cause heartburn, nausea or other gastrointestinal complaints, among other symptoms.
In rare cases, kidney irritation occurs – even with external use, because mustard oil is absorbed through the skin and can thus reach the kidneys.
What you should bear in mind when using mustard
- When taking a mustard flour footbath, the rising vapors can irritate the eyes. This can be prevented by placing a large towel over your knees to cover the foot bath as well.
- When handling mustard (mustard flour, mustard powder), be careful not to accidentally touch your face (for example, your eyes). Otherwise, unpleasant irritation of the skin and mucous membranes may occur.
- During mustard flour application (mustard poultice, compress, foot bath, etc.) the person being treated should be closely observed. The application should be discontinued immediately if it causes excessive burning of the skin or very severe redness, or if it becomes otherwise uncomfortable for the person.
When it is better to avoid heat applications with mustard
In the following cases, you should not use heat applications with mustard flour, or only after consulting a doctor or – in the case of pregnant women and nursing mothers – a midwife:
- skin diseases or very sensitive skin
- open skin areas or skin irritations in the area of application
- varicose veins and other venous disorders in the legs
- high fever
- cold extremities
- unconsciousness, confusion
- circulatory or sensitivity disorders
- neurological diseases
- kidney disease
- heart disease
- children under six years of age
- pregnancy and breastfeeding
Anyone who has a sensitive or irritated stomach or intestines, or a gastrointestinal disease, should avoid taking mustard – both for medicinal purposes and as a condiment.
Refrain from eating foods such as spicy mustard if you have liver disease.
Mustard seeds, mustard flour as well as ready-made preparations such as mustard plasters are available in pharmacies and sometimes also in drugstores and health food stores.
For proper use and dosage, please read the package insert and ask your doctor or pharmacist.
What is mustard?
Mustard has been a valued spice and medicinal plant for centuries. The annual, yellow-flowered plant from the cruciferous family (Brassicaceae) originates from the Mediterranean region and the Near East. The mustard plant was brought to Central Europe by the Romans.
Especially black mustard (Brassica nigra) is known in the local latitudes. It is also called brown mustard. White mustard (Sinapis alba), also called yellow mustard or yellow mustard, belongs to a different plant genus but to the same family.
A popular seasoning paste (table mustard) can be made from the seeds of both plants: To do this, grind the mustard seeds and mix them with water, vinegar and salt. Other ingredients such as spices can be added. Both black and white mustard are used for medicinal purposes.
