Brassica juncea
2 associations assessed — none with dependable human evidence behind them yet. Strongest first.
The seed of a brassica, sold whole for tempering and pickling or milled into the dry powder that becomes prepared mustard. The USDA entry is the ground seed, per 100 g; a teaspoon of the powder is a couple of grams.
Also known as mustard seed, ground mustard, mustard powder, rai, brown mustard
What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.
Some small studies have looked at mustard added to a meal and postprandial glucose, with inconsistent findings and very little to pool. There is no dependable human evidence here.
Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.
Mustard seed extracts are active in laboratory and rodent models of inflammation, as most isothiocyanate-rich brassicas are. Human trials of mustard seed for inflammatory markers are absent, so there is nothing to rate.
Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.
Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.
AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.
| Nutrient | Amount | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Macronutrients | ||
| Calories | 508 kcal | 25% |
| Protein | 26.1 g | 52% |
| Total fat | 36.2 g | 46% |
| Carbohydrate | 28.1 g | 10% |
| Fibre | 12.2 g | 44% |
| Total sugars | 6.79 g | — |
| Water | 5.27 g | — |
| Fats | ||
| Saturated fat | 1.99 g | 10% |
| Monounsaturated fat | 22.5 g | — |
| Polyunsaturated fat | 10.1 g | — |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| EPA (omega-3) | 0 g | — |
| DHA (omega-3) | 0 g | — |
| DPA (omega-3) | 0 g | — |
| Linoleic acid (omega-6) | 5.92 g | — |
| Vitamins | ||
| Vitamin A | 2 µg | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 7.1 mg | 8% |
| Vitamin D | 0 µg | 0% |
| Vitamin E | 5.07 mg | 34% |
| Vitamin K | 5.4 µg | 5% |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.805 mg | 67% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.261 mg | 20% |
| Niacin (B3) | 4.73 mg | 30% |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 0.81 mg | 16% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.397 mg | 23% |
| Folate | 162 µg | 41% |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 µg | 0% |
| Choline | 123 mg | 22% |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 266 mg | 20% |
| Iron | 9.21 mg | 51% |
| Magnesium | 370 mg | 88% |
| Phosphorus | 828 mg | 66% |
| Potassium | 738 mg | 16% |
| Sodium | 13 mg | 1% |
| Zinc | 6.08 mg | 55% |
| Copper | 0.645 mg | 72% |
| Manganese | 2.45 mg | 106% |
| Selenium | 208 µg | 378% |
| Other measured compounds | ||
| Beta-carotene | 18 µg | — |
| Alpha-carotene | 0 µg | — |
| Lycopene | 0 µg | — |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 568 µg | — |
| Caffeine | 0 mg | — |
| Ash | 4.33 g | — |
Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.
Source record: Spices, mustard seed, ground (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 170929).
% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.
Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.
Glucosinolate
Sulphur-containing precursors found throughout the cabbage family. Inert until enzymatic breakdown converts them into isothiocyanates such as…
Isothiocyanate
The sharp compound of mustard, horseradish and wasabi, released when the tissue is damaged.
Organosulfur
The broader family of sulphur compounds in alliums, including the stable metabolites that persist long after allicin has degraded.
Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.
Milled mustard seed only becomes pungent when mixed with cold water, which lets myrosinase convert sinigrin into allyl isothiocyanate over several minutes. Mixing with hot liquid or acid straight away deactivates the enzyme and leaves a mustard that is bitter rather than hot — which is why vinegar goes in after the water, not before.
Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.
Allergy
Mustard must be declared on labels in the European Union, Canada and elsewhere because reactions can be severe and are triggered by small amounts. It is a common hidden ingredient in dressings, sauces, spice blends and processed meat, and cross-reactivity with rapeseed and other brassicas is reported.
Too much
Mustard plasters and poultices, still used as a home remedy for chest congestion, cause full-thickness chemical burns when left on too long. Allyl isothiocyanate is a potent irritant to skin, eyes and airways.
Worth knowing
Brassica glucosinolates can interfere with thyroid iodine uptake at high, sustained intakes, which matters mainly where iodine intake is already low. Culinary quantities of mustard seed are not a realistic concern.