Mustard
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Every diet
Seed, water, salt and vinegar.
English-style mustards often contain wheat flour; check the label.
Dijon mustard is made with white wine; a plain mustard without alcohol is the safer choice.
Seeds, vinegar and salt are all kosher.
Almost no carbohydrate.
Mustard seed and vinegar are both low FODMAP in ordinary amounts.
Fine for most people at normal amounts.
Rules by country
Mustard is a food with no E-number, so it is outside the additive system. It is covered by the general rules for condiments, and because some recipes contain wheat flour or wine, the label is where the dietary answer is found.
What is it?
The heat is a chemical reaction. Crushing the seed breaks the cell walls and mixes an enzyme called myrosinase with sinigrin, and the reaction produces the mustard oil that irritates the mucous membranes and, in the nose, sends the trigeminal nerve into overdrive. That is the sting, and it is why English mustard powder hits harder than a smooth Dijon paste, which has been mixed with more vinegar and left to lose some of the volatiles.
Where it comes from: Ground seeds of the mustard plant, mixed with water, salt and vinegar. The heat comes from a compound called sinigrin, which the plant makes to discourage insects and which is broken down into the pungent oil when the seed is crushed.
Why it’s in food
- Sandwiches
- Sauces and dressings
- Curry
- Preserving and pickling
- Barbecue glaze
Often found in
Also listed as: Mustard, Mustard seed, Mustard powder, Yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, Mustard flour
Health & gut impact
Mustard is high in salt relative to how little of it people think they are using, because a teaspoon of the powder carries a substantial fraction of a day's sodium. It is one of the easiest places to cut salt without changing the character of a meal.
USDA FoodData Central, mustard powder
Mustard seed is rich in glucosinolates, the sulfur compounds that give cruciferous vegetables their character and that are the subject of research on cellular defense pathways. The amounts in a teaspoon of mustard are small, so this is a reason to eat more cruciferous vegetables rather than a reason to eat more mustard.
EFSA, dietary reference values for carbohydrate and fiber (2011)
Mustard allergy is uncommon and it is not one of the allergens that the US, the EU or Canada require to be declared, which means it can be missed. It shows up as a contact reaction around the mouth or nose in people who work with it as well as in people who eat it.
European Society of Contact Dermatitis, guideline on patch testing (2015)
What can I use instead?
Related
More sauces & dressings:
Common questions
Is mustard healthy?
There is nothing in it that is a concern, and a teaspoon is a small amount of food. The only thing worth watching is the salt, since mustard is salty and people use it generously without counting it.
Is mustard gluten-free?
Usually. Yellow American mustard is just seed, water, salt and vinegar. Some English-style mustards use wheat flour as a binder, and Dijon usually does not, so the ingredient list is the check.
Is mustard halal?
Plain mustard made from seed, salt and vinegar is halal. Dijon mustard is made with white wine, and most certifiers treat that as a question to ask about rather than something that automatically rules the product out.
Is Mustard safe?
Generally safe (88/100). Mustard is a food with no E-number, so it is outside the additive system. It is covered by the general rules for condiments, and because some recipes contain wheat flour or wine, the label is where the dietary answer is found.
Is Mustard vegan?
Yes. Seed, water, salt and vinegar.
Is Mustard gluten-free?
Depends. English-style mustards often contain wheat flour; check the label.
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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
- USDA FoodData Central, mustard powder
- EFSA, dietary reference values for carbohydrate and fiber (2011)
- European Society of Contact Dermatitis, guideline on patch testing (2015)