Okay, let’s face it: when most people think of health food, condiments are not the first thing that comes to mind. This is because most condiments are frankly not healthy at all, being loaded down with a lot of additives like artificial dyes and preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, MSG and even genetically modified ingredients. Yuk!
One very notable exception to this rule is mustard. Many people do not even consider this lowly topping when they think about health, but more knowledge of its benefits continues to be discovered. Read on to find out more about what mustard can do for the body, including helping with cancer prevention.
More on Mustard
Mustard is, in fact, one of the healthiest condiments that people can possible use in or on their foods. That is because mustard seeds, from which the liquid mustard is made, contain a compound called allyl isothiocynate (AITC for short). AITC is being studied more widely now and recently, a study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Toxicology found that this compound was able to block cancer-causing toxins such as sodium nitrate from processed foods like processed meats (all the more reason to put mustard on that hot dog!).
The FDA vs. Nutritional Research
The FDA’s official position (heavily influenced by the big pharmaceutical companies) is that there is no such thing as a food or herb or supplement that is effective for cancer treatment or prevention. However, nutrition science, in studying many fruits, vegetables and herbs, has come up with increasingly compelling evidence that utterly belies this position. Foods like carrots, red grapes, oranges, celery and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower contain compounds like beta-carotene, resveratrol and indole-3-carbinol which exhibit strong anti-carcinogenic properties. When taken in this context, it is not surprising that something like mustard seed might also contain compounds that have the ability to prevent cancer or to help treat it once it has taken root in the body. Mustard is, in fact, just one of many foods that nutrition science believe can have a positive – and verifiable – impact on the disease process of cancer or may even help to prevent it in the first place.
So consider adding more mustard to the diet. While hotdogs, no matter what is put on them, are simply not healthy, there are other ways to include this in everyday foods. Scrambled eggs taste great when they are whisked up with a little mustard. It is also great in a health version of mac-and-cheese with whole wheat pasta as a base. Get creative! Most people will be surprised at how easy it is to work more mustard into the diet!
Sources: whfoods.com, environmentalhealthnews.org. metnews.com
More by Christine . S
Eat Your Water: 5 Foods That Help You Stay Hydrated
Top Foods, Additives and Preservatives that are Banned in Many Countries Except the U.S.
Get These Common Cooking Oils Out of Your Kitchen and Use These Instead
