Olive Oil vs Mustard Oil – Which is Better

It is well established that - Indians love food. We live to eat – literally! And cooking oil forms an important part of all Indian dishes. In today’s world of social media, we are exposed to a variety of edible oils each asserting different health benefits. One such oil that all Indians have started to incline towards is OLIVE OIL but can it replace India’s favorite MUSTARD OIL? 

Well in this article, we are going to discuss exactly that. 

Unsaturated Fats 

Our body needs unsaturated fats as they improve our blood cholesterol levels, ease inflammation, stabilize heart rhythms and play a number of other beneficial roles. Mustard oil beats olive oil in the percentage of monounsaturated fats. Mustard oil generally has 11% saturated fats, 59% monounsaturated fats, and 21% polyunsaturated fats. Olive oil has 13% saturated fats, 72% monosaturated fats & 10% polyunsaturated fats. 

Omega Fatty acids (Omega3 and Omega6)

Mustard oil is rich in omega fatty acids. These acids help reduce the risk of heart diseases, reduce cholesterol and prevent blocking of the arteries. Mustard oil has 21% and olive oil has only 9% fatty acids. 

Anti-inflammatory properties 

Inflammation is a natural response of our body to heal and protect itself from harm. However chronic inflammation is harmful. Food products rich in anti-inflammatory properties help to prevent and heal inflammatory damages. While olive oil has inflammatory properties, but much less than mustard oil. 

Minerals content

Minerals help our body to keep our bones muscles, heart, and brain in a healthy condition. Mustard oil contains calcium in sufficient quantities whereas, olive oil has essential vitamins that are difficult to acquire from common food sources. Olive oil contains 1% potassium, 1% calcium & 0.5% iron. 

Nutritional Chart comparing Mustard oil and Olive oil

Shelf life

Olive oil and mustard oil both get rancid when exposed to oxygen continuously for some time. Mustard oil has a shelf life of 9 to 12 months while the shelf life of olive oil can last for 20 to 36 months. 

Taste

The taste of cooking oil should not be pungent enough to overpower the taste of the food. Mustard oil has a very strong smell and flavor and imparts strong flavor to food as well whereas olive oil has a mild taste & almost no smell. 

Price

The last factor we need to consider is the prices of both the oils. There is a huge price disparity in both oils. Mustard oil is available for Rs.81 to 113 per liter and olive oil costs around Rs 600 to 1000 per liter. 

Conclusion: Both olive oil and mustard oil have adequate health benefits and balanced quantities of dietary fats. Mustard oil has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which strengthen the immunity system. On the other hand, Olive oil has more antioxidants and higher monounsaturated fatty acids. Mustard oil is the best indigenous cooking oil taking into consideration it’s price, availability and other health benefits. Plus, it’s taste and flavor compliment the Indian dishes. 

Comment down below which cooking oils you want us to compare next!