Be a conscious consumer: Here are a few things that you consider before buying a Mustard Oil
Making the correct choice
Markets today are filled with a plethora of options when it comes to buying any consumer products- be it oil, soft drink, groceries or anything. A visit to any supermarket or kirana store these days are full of different options and varieties. With this existence of choice also comes a greater responsibility of making a correct choice. It is our duty to choose wisely when it comes to food items and what we are putting in our body. Oil is the basic ingredient of any cooking. In our Indian household, it becomes very important that the oil we choose satisfies not only our tastebuds but also our health goals.
Herein lays two questions that we need to address- First, which oil is the best for cooking? And second, how do we make sure that the oil chosen is up to the health standards?
Also read- Incredible health benefits of mustard oil
Over the years, people have become more fitness-oriented in our country. They genuinely want to invest in good products. But a lot of times, they lack awareness. Today, we will tell you a few things that you should keep in mind while buying mustard oil.
Health standards of mustard oil
The FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India), which is a watchdog for food safety and regulation in India has defined mustard oil as “the oil expressed from clean and sound mustard seeds, belonging to the compestris, juncea or napus varieties of Brassica.”.
An important way through which they ensure that people are informed about what they are eating is the labelling of the product. The labelling should include a list of the ingredients, nutritional information, a declaration regarding food additives and many more. So, the first step that we should take is to look at the labelling to be better informed.
Second, we should do some extra research to know the source of the oil. As mustard is a locally grown produce, it is better to have mustard oil which is locally procured.
Mustard is grown in India in states of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. South Indian states such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka also grow the Indian mustard.
The Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulation, 2011 allows companies to mix 20% of other edible oil along with mustard oil. A recent order from FSSAI had asked edible oil companies to stop the sale and manufacture of blended mustard oil under the Draft Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Amendment Regulations, 2020. However, this restriction had to be withdrawn as companies were largely dissatisfied with this order.
What role does price play?
Mustard oil is also sold as Kachi Ghani oil in the market. The price of almost all leading brands of mustard oil is the same, with very slight variations. Here, we as consumers should do a cost-health benefit analysis. Even if we have to shell out some extra bucks for a brand of oil that meets all the above criteria, is it not worth it? In the long term, it always pays off to invest in products that deliver better results rather than compromising on our health for money.
It always boils down to the question of how much you value your health. Choosing an oil that is such an everyday essential, we ought to make some smart and calculative decisions. Remember, health before wealth.
Oil Partner: Ganesh Oil
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