What Are Mustard Seeds

Yellow, ballpark-style mustard is made from white mustard seeds.

Mustard seeds come from the Brassica genus (family) of plants which also includes broccoli, arugula, turnips and radishes. Mustard as a condiment comes from grinding the seeds. There are three types of mustard seeds from Brassica plants; white, black and brown. Each is used for different culinary purposes.

Black

Black mustard is a hard, round seed that can be dark brown or black. The seeds are smaller than white mustard seeds and have a very strong flavor. Black mustard seeds are used to make several condiment style mustards. Bordeaux mustard is made from mixing the seeds with unfermented wine. Dijon mustard mixes black mustard seeds with wine, spices and salt. German mustard is a mixture of black mustard seeds and vinegar.

Brown

Brown mustard seeds are about the same size as black mustard and range in color from light to dark brown. Brown mustard is less pungent than black mustard seeds but more pungent than white. The seeds are ground and mixed with other spices to create curry pastes and powders. Brown mustard seeds can also be used to make mustard oil, which is an ingredient in many Indian dishes.

White

White mustard has the mildest flavor of any mustard seed and is used in multiple culinary dishes. White mustard seeds are also round and hard and colored beige or light yellow. White mustard seeds have the outer skin removed before being used. The seeds are used in pickling spices or meat and seafood spice mixtures. American, ballpark-style mustard and English mustard are made from white mustard seeds. American mustard is slightly spicy, made by grinding the seeds and mixing them with vinegar and sugar. English mustard is very spicy. Both mustards get the yellow color from the addition of turmeric.

Ground Mustard

All three mustard seeds can be ground and used as a spice. Ground mustard (sometimes referred to as powdered mustard) is used in mayonnaise and some salad dressings as an emulsifier. The powdered mustard is also used as a flavoring in barbecue sauces, baked beans, deviled eggs and succotash.

Medicinal Purposes

Mustard has been used throughout history for different medicinal uses. Mustard seeds are a powerful emetic (used to induce vomiting) and a strong rubefacient (an irritant) used to soothe stiff muscles. A plaster is made to comfort stiff muscles and is sold at most pharmacies as an over-the-counter medication. Mustard seeds have been used through history as an aid for snake bites, toothaches, bruises, rheumatism and respiratory problems.

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