Mustard – it’s one of those condiments that people either seem to love wholeheartedly or dislike entirely. The condiment, which has a flavor profile that runs the gamut of sweet through spicy, is a favorite for burgers, sandwiches, and many other savory snacks and dishes.

Your humble writer, for their part, adores mustard, and would pour it out on almost everything – but this article isn’t about that. In today’s article, we’re talking about mustard.

A BRIEF HISTORY IN YELLOW (AND OTHER COLORS)

So what’s the deal about mustard?

Mustard – or, more accurately, mustard paste – is made from the seeds of the mustard plant (surprise!) and was originally used as traditional medicine back in the old days of rising civilizations like Greece and Rome. The mustard plant is native to the Mediterranean region, and also grows wild in North Africa and India, but has been grown commercially in North America, India, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Denmark in recent decades.

There are 3 basic types of mustard: yellow, black, and brown. While their individual flavors vary, they don’t really have that characteristic spicy flavor to them when in raw seed form – this only occurs after the seeds have been ground and mixed with a liquid, like water, vinegar, or in the case of Dijon mustard paste, white wine.

As for the paste itself, there are several variants, with the American Yellow mustard and Dijon mustard fighting for first place as the most popular. Mustard paste is often made with ground mustard seed, a liquid base (either to enhance or neutralize the spicy flavor of the seed), and a bit of salt, though other variants mix in other ingredients as well, such as honey or horseradish.

Because there are as many ways to make mustard paste as there are foods you can spread it on, there’s bound to be a variant that suits every palate or flavor preference. It also comes in various textures, from coarse and gritty to smooth and fluffy.

HEALTHY TASTY MUSTARD

It’s not all about flavor with mustard, too. In its raw plant form, mustard contains rich amounts of calcium, copper, vitamins A, C, and K, magnesium, manganese, and selenium. It’s also rich in dietary fiber, which helps with digestion.

Mustard also contains isothiocyanates and sinigrin, two glucosinolates that have anti-inflammatory properties and can help in protecting against some types of cancer. Glucosinolates are also considered antioxidants, which helps with flushing out toxins.

MUSTARD CONFESS…

Mustard deserves a chance. It not only delivers a punch of flavor to the dishes that it’s mixed with, it also has a lot of nutrients that our body needs. Stock up on mustard on your next COVID-19 grocery run and dive into the exciting world of mustard flavors this summer!

The post Kitchen Diaries: Mustard Confess My Love for Thee? appeared first on The Fast Metabolism Diet Community.