One of the main characteristics of cold-pressed Mustard Oil is its typical pungency. That zing you experience on your taste-buds and that sharp stinging sensation in your nostrils… these form an integral part of the mustard experience.
The pungency of mustard oil tells you three very important things: one – it is authentic cold-pressed mustard oil; two – it delivers all the health benefits promised by mustard oil; and three – it has no adulteration, blending or additives.
To understand the importance of pungency, one first needs to understand where it comes from. Pungency has nothing to do with any agricultural methods or oil extraction processes. It lies in the mustard seed itself.
The pungency of cold-pressed Mustard Oil comes from an enzyme called myronsinase and from sinigrin, a type of a plant metabolite compound known as glucosinolates. During the cold-pressing process, the myronsinase in the mustard seeds combines with the sinigrin to produce an organosulphur compound called Allyl Isothiocyanate or AITC.
AITC offers some truly amazing health benefits and gives cold-pressed Mustard Oil powerful cancer prevention and cancer fighting properties. Various research studies indicate that AITC can inhibit the growth of cancer cells, especially in cases of colorectal cancer, lung cancer, leukaemia, bladder cancer, neuroblastoma, hepatoma, breast cancer and prostate cancer. In fact, cold-pressed Mustard Oil is already being used successfully in the treatment of colon and colorectal cancer.
Remember, cold-pressed Mustard Oil is a powerful protector, shielding you from cancer; and the essence of this protection lies in the oil’s pungency. If there is no pungency in your Mustard Oil, there is no AITC – and that means no protection. So don’t ever compromise on pungency.