Words on Wellness: Wild Mustard by Karin Uphoff
Walking through mix coastal scrub one morning, my attention was pulled to a small group of house finches voraciously eating their breakfast. They were cracking open brittle wild mustard pods and gobbling up the seeds, reminding me of the wonderful benefits of these brassicas—another wild medicine we can harvest. These prolific plants originally of Eurasia, produce up to five-hundred seeds each and are considered invasive. But who doesn’t enjoy their bright yellow flowers in spring?
All wild mustards are edible, but some are tastier than others. Along the California coast we mostly have Brassica nigra, a black mustard seed which is quit hot in flavor. The green raw leaves can be sharp (like radish) and bitter when cooked. Blanching or boiling them in salted water helps remove the bitterness and they can be used like spinach in any recipe. You can eat the flowering tops just before they open and cook them like broccoli. I like those same cruciferous clusters sniped raw with scissors into food and later collect the open flowers to add a decorative kick to salads. Chickens and rabbits love the dried stalks as a treat.
Mustard seeds are high in selenium, omega-3 fatty acids and magnesium, plus packed with compounds like other brassicas, that prevent the growth of cancer cells and reduce the effect of carcinogens and chemotherapy. Traditional use includes topical mustard plasters. Soak seeds in hot water and as they soften, grind into a paste that can be spread on a cloth. Cover with another cloth and wear it warm for 15-20 minutes. Mustard packs can also be made with equal parts of ground seed, wheat flour and water, which reduces the sting and makes more of a sticky plaster.
Mustard opens up blood vessels, increases blood flow and draws out toxins, reducing swelling and pain. Headaches can also be treated with mustard seed tea or capsules. Clear sinuses by inhaling mustard vapor over a bowl filled with hot water and a small amount of ground mustard. A pouch of mustard seed can be put in a bath or foot soak for arthritis or fighting off colds/flu. Mustard can cause stomach irritation or skin rashes, so always test a small patch of skin first. If nothing else, the condiment is easy to make and you can always enjoy mustard that way.
