Mustard is among the most used condiments around the globe. People love to add it to different foods.
You may find it in hotdogs, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, and other fast food items. Typically, cooking experts prefer to use yellow mustard as dips with food.
While many love the acidic taste, others avoid eating mustard for its sour flavor. Is mustard acidic?
If you like to add mustard sauce to almost every food, you may want to know its acidic properties to avoid health problems.
The pH Value of Mustard
Mustard has a strong taste.
You may be able to identify it quickly among the many ingredients of a sandwich. The sour flavor may feel like vinegar. However, it is altogether different from it.
If you wonder what the pH value of mustard is, the scale finds it at about 3.6 (1). This reading makes mustard an acidic condiment.
The pH level of mustard falls closer to limes. You may want to avoid excessive consumption of mustard due to its acidic properties.
Frequent consumers may have a higher risk of acid reflux, heartburn, and discomfort in the stomach.
Acidic Properties of Different Types
pH Level of Yellow Mustard
The most common mustard form is yellow. It is widely available in the groceries section of the supermarket. Yellow mustard is typically a thinner sauce made from water and vinegar. You may add it to your burgers, chicken strips, hotdogs, or hamburgers.
The pH value of yellow mustard is 3.9, making it acidic. The value may be slightly higher than that of lemons. However, you must take precautions if you like to have it every other day.
pH Value of Dijon Mustard
Dijon mustard is a slightly different form of mustard.
You may not be able to distinguish it from other forms easily. Mostly used by fast food chefs, this type of mustard compliments sandwiches and salads. If you had a chance to eat a salad with mustard included in the ingredients, you might have tried dijon mustard.
If we evaluate dijon mustard on a pH scale, we can find it at 3.5. This value is slightly lower than yellow mustard, pushing it further towards the acidic side of the scale. To consume it appropriately, you may want to consult your doctor.
pH Value of Spicy Brown Mustard
Another form of mustard is spicy brown mustard. It is made from vinegar, spices, and water, this type is relatively less common among other forms. You may find a good pair of spicy brown mustard with different forms of meat.
Restaurants often complement steaks and chops with brown mustard. You can also enjoy it with cheesy food items.
The pH value of spicy brown mustard lies at 3.5 on the pH scale. It has dominating acidic properties. You may want to consume it with an alkaline ingredient to minimize its acidic impact.
Consulting with your doctor can help you evaluate an appropriate amount.
pH Value of Mustard Powder
Mustard powder is a common condiment in a typical household kitchen. People use it for different seasoning foods, including chicken, beef, and pork. You can add the powder in moderate amounts for a slight touch in the flavor.
Like yellow mustard, the powdered form is a product of vinegar and water.
The pH value of mustard powder is in a range between 3.5-3.8, making it acidic like its other forms. Your doctor can advise you on the optimum amounts to consume.
Is Mustard Bad for Acid Reflux?
Acidic foods can expose you to the risk of acid reflux and heartburn. Doctors generally advise GERD and acid reflux sufferers to avoid consuming foods high in acidic content. A safer way to consume such foods can be by combining them with alkaline ingredients.
It is worth noting that alkaline foods do not reduce the acidic properties of condiments like mustard. They reduce the chances of the acidic content causing reflux in the stomach.
Mustard is rich in vitamins and minerals (2). It contains several antioxidants and sulfur-rich compounds with anti-inflammatory properties.
The healthy effects of eating mustard depend on the amount of consumption per day. Exceeding the prescribed limits can worsen your acid reflux, leading to other health complications.
Nutrition Breakdown
| Nutrients | Concentration |
| Protein | 2 grams |
| Calories | 15 |
| Carbohydrates | 3 grams |
| Fat | < 1 gram |
| Sugar | 1 gram |
| Fiber | 2 grams |
| Vitamin A | 9% (DV) |
| Vitamin B6 | 6% (DV) |
| Vitamin C | 44% (DV) |
| Vitamin K | 120% (DV) |
| Vitamin E | 8% (DV) |
| Copper | 10% (DV) |
Health Benefits of Eating Mustard
Despite its acidic properties, mustard can provide various health benefits if consumed moderately. Let’s review some of the primary advantages below.
Psoriasis Relief
Research shows that mustard seeds can help in treating chronic diseases like Psoriasis (3). The anti-inflammatory properties of mustard can stimulate the function of healthy enzymes in the human body.
Eating moderate amounts of mustard can help heal the skin’s flaky areas. The anti-inflammatory nature of mustard seeds can also help you fight against many other inflammatory disorders.
Fights Against Respiratory Problems
Mustard seeds are a good source of healing in areas where respiratory diseases are common. Moderate consumption of mustard seeds can help you fight respiratory problems, including congestion and cold (4). The seeds also help to treat sinus problems. If a doctor prescribed you an expectorant, you might try eating mustard seeds to get the same benefits.
Mustard seeds have a heat-generating nature that helps eliminate mucus in the respiratory tract. Many herbal medicines use mustard seeds to treat several ailments leading to respiratory diseases. Moreover, according to some unconfirmed sources if you gargle with a cup of tea made with mustard seeds, it can provide relief to your soar throat.
Treats Body Aches
If you often complain about body aches, you may want to try a poultice made from mustard seeds. The rubefacient properties of mustard may help to relieve your muscles if applied as a plaster. The plaster is heat-generating, leading to analgesic effects on the underlying muscles.
A vital tip to remember is to avoid direct contact of mustard plaster with the skin. It may cause blisters on the skin. You can use a piece of soft cloth (e.g., linen) to avoid the adverse effects. But be sure to consult your doctor first!
Helpful In Diabetic Conditions
Mustard seeds can help diabetic patients manage their optimum blood sugar levels (5,6). The antioxidants in mustard seeds can help reduce oxidative stress in diabetic patients. While mustard may not be a direct source of diabetic healing, it helps reduce the blood sugar level.
Consuming moderate amounts of mustard oil can aid glucose metabolism in the body. You can include it in your diet plan after consulting with your doctor to minimize the use of medicines.
Aids Cholesterol Management
One of the many benefits of eating mustard is cholesterol management (7,8). The leaves of the mustard plant can help you lower your cholesterol levels in the body. They can help to excrete the acids from the digestive tract by restricting them to bile.
Cholesterol is among the essential compounds present in bile. Consuming moderate amounts of mustard greens can help to clear the excess cholesterol from the body.
For more efficient results, you may want to try steamed mustard greens instead of raw forms.
Boosts Immunity
Consuming a single (cooked) cup can provide you with 140 grams of vitamin C. The water-soluble properties of vitamin C make it highly suitable for good immunity. People with reduced vitamin C consumption are more likely to get sick (9).
You can also find an optimum concentration of vitamin A in mustard greens. Vitamin A aids the growth of T-cells that help in fighting against body infections (10).
Improved Heart Health
Eating mustard may help to improve your heart health. The antioxidants like beta carotene and flavonoids reduce the chances of heart diseases in the human body (11).
The compounds in mustard can also lower cholesterol levels in the blood, leading to improved heart health.
Better Eye Health
Mustard greens contain antioxidants called lutein and zeaxanthin (12). These compounds play an influential role in improving retinal function. Consuming moderate amounts of mustard greens can protect the retina from oxidative stress.
Eating foods rich in compounds like lutein and zeaxanthin can also prevent macular degeneration, leading to blindness. You may consult your doctor about developing a moderate diet plan to improve your eye function.
Anticancer Effects
Mustard is rich in compounds that support anticancer effects. Apart from the antioxidants, mustard is rich in glucosinolates (13). These compounds help to protect body cells against DNA disruption leading to cancer growth (14,15).
You may eat moderate amounts of mustard to promote healthy cell function in the body. If you have other health complications, you may want to talk to your doctor to add an appropriate amount of mustard greens to your diet.
The Takeaway
Mustard is a popular ingredient of almost every cuisine around the globe.
Despite its acidic nature, there are tonnes of benefits you can enjoy with moderate consumption of mustard. You can find many resources online to explore unique recipes to add mustard to your food.
Further reading: Is Quinoa acidic?
Does honey mustard have acidic properties?
People like to use it in burgers, wraps, and for eating chicken strips. Honey mustard has acidic nature due to the acidic properties of mustard and processed honey.
What are the uses of dijon mustard?
Dijon mustard is one of the popular types of mustard in most cuisines. People like to add dijon mustard to their sandwiches, salads, and burgers. You may find it as a valuable condiment in fast food restaurants.
What happens if you eat too much mustard?
Eating moderate amounts of mustard can provide you with many health benefits. However, consuming too much can lead to acid reflux, heartburn, ulcers, and stomach infections. You may consult your dietician or doctor to consume moderate amounts of mustard daily.
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