Spicy mustard greens, also known as leaf mustard, is one of the most nutritious green leafy vegetables. It contains more vitamins A and K, carotenes and flavonoid antioxidants than conventional fruits and vegetables. The plant belongs to the family Brassica, which includes cabbage, Brussels sprouts and broccoli. Its scientific name is Brassica juncea. It occurs from the plains to the foothills of the Himalayas the Indian subcontinent and cultivated by man, being valued for their leaves and oil-containing seeds. In the period from November to March the leaves of the mustard are the most fragrant.
On the resource Nutrition And You written a lot of interesting things about the beneficial properties of leaf mustard. There are several cultivated varieties of this plant. Harvesting of leaves is done when a mustard plant reaches about 60 cm in height. If it does not touch, it may reach 1.5 meters in height. On the top of the plant will bloom Golden-yellow flowers, and which contains the seeds.
For fresh leaf mustard is distinctive for its deep green color. The leaves are usually flat. They can have serrated, ruffled or Lacy edges depending on grade. Mustard seed is a common spice.
Use mustard for health
Like the spinach, leaf mustard is a real storehouse of health promoting and disease preventing phytonutrients.
Leaf mustard is incredibly low in calories (27 calories per 100 grams of raw leaves of mustard). It is also small and fat. Dark green mustard leaves in sufficient quantities contain phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals. In addition, they contain a significant amount of dietary fibre that helps control cholesterol preventing its absorption in the intestine. Consuming sufficient dietary fiber normalizes the excretion of wastes from the body and thus offers protection from hemorrhoids, constipation and cancer of the colon.
Greens mustard is a very good source of vitamin K. 100 g of fresh leaves of mustard contains approximately 257,5 micrograms of vitamin K-1 (fillohinon), which is about 215% of the recommended daily value of consumption. Presumably, vitamin K plays a role in the formation of bone mass, improving-seeking activity in the bones. It was also found that in Alzheimer’s disease it limits damage to neurons in the brain damage.
Greens mustard is also a rich source of antioxidants, including flavonoids, indole, sulforaphane, carotenes, lutein and zeaxanthin. Indoles, mainly diindolylmethane (DIM) and sulforaphane have the established effect of combating cancer of the breast, colon and ovarian cancer, inhibiting the growth of cancer cells and providing cancer cells the cytotoxic effect.
Fresh leaves of mustard are also a moderate source of B-complex vitamins, which include folic acid, pyridoxine, thiamine, Riboflavin and other vitamins. 100 grams of fresh mustard leaves contain about 12 micrograms (approximately 3% of the recommended daily allowance) of folic acid. This water soluble vitamin plays an important role in DNA synthesis and cell division. The consumption of this vitamin during pregnancy can help prevent children developing neural tube defects.
Fresh mustard leaves are an excellent source of vitamin C. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a potent natural antioxidant, providing protection against free radicals damage and flu and similar viral infections.
The leaves of mustard is also an excellent source of vitamin A (3024 international units per 100 grams, which is 101% of the recommended daily allowance of this vitamin). Vitamin a is a nutrient required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. It is also necessary for good vision. Consumption of natural fruits rich in flavonoids helps protect from lung cancer and oral cavity.
Fresh greens mustard is also a great source of several minerals, including calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, selenium and manganese.
It is known that regular consumption of mustard greens helps prevent arthritis, osteoporosis, iron deficiency anemia. It is believed that this greenery also provides protection against cardiovascular disease, asthma, and cancers of the colon and prostate.
Caution
As with spinach, reheating of mustard green can also lead to transformation of nitrates in nitrites and nitrosamines. This occurs under the influence of certain bacteria, which are rich in nitrate foods is a favorable environment. The resulting compound can be harmful to health.
The high salt content of phytic acid and dietary fiber in mustard greens may interfere with bioavailability of iron, calcium and magnesium.
Because this green is characterized by a high content of vitamin K, patients taking anticoagulants should refrain from its use in food because it increases blood levels of vitamin K that these drugs often tend to reduce.
Mustard contains oxalic acid, a naturally occurring compound which is present in some vegetables. In some people it can crystallize in the urinary tract in oxalate stones. So those people who know about oxalate stones at them in the urinary tract, it is recommended to avoid eating vegetables of the Brassica family.
Mustard greens may also contain goitrogenic substances that inhibit the development of hormone by the thyroid gland. This can lead to deficiency of thyroxin hormone in people with thyroid dysfunction.
Nutritional value of mustard greens
Numbers in parentheses are the percentage of daily intake. Nutritional values are per 100 grams of fresh raw mustard greens according to information from the Ministry of agriculture of the USA, please see pages resource Nutrition And You.
General information:
energy value 27 kcal (1%);
carbohydrates — the 4.67 grams (3.6 percent);
protein — 2,86 gram (5%);
fats at 0.42 grams (2%);
fiber, part of the food — 3,20 grams (9%).
Vitamins:
folic acid (vitamin B9) — 12 micrograms (3%);
nicotinic acid (vitamin B3) — 0.800 to milligrams (5%);
Pantothenic acid — 0,210 milligrams (5%);
pyridoxine (vitamin B6) — 0,180 milligrams (14%);
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) — 0,110 milligrams (8%);
thiamin (vitamin B1) is 0.080 milligrams (7%);
vitamin A, which lot is contained in dandelion — 3024 international units (IU, IU) — 101%;
vitamin C — 70 mg (117%);
vitamin E is a 0 milligrams (0%);
vitamin K, an incredibly rich source of which is sage — 257,5 micrograms (215%).
Electrolytes:
sodium — 20 milligrams (1.3 percent);
potassium — 384 milligrams (8%).
Minerals:
calcium, 115 milligrams (11.5 percent);
copper — 0,165 milligrams (18%);
iron — 1.64 milligrams (20%);
magnesium 32 mg (8%);
manganese — 0,480 milligrams (21%);
selenium — 0.9 micrograms (1,5%);
zinc — 0,25 milligrams (2%).
Phytonutrients:
beta-carotene (ß-carotene), which is rich in carrots — 1790 micrograms;
beta-cryptoxanthin (ß-cryptoxanthin) — 40 micrograms;
lutein-zeaxanthin — 3730 micrograms.
Did you know about so many beneficial properties of mustard?