Mustard Oil vs Flaxseed Oil

What you are actually buying

• Buy mustard oil to cook with, tempering, frying and building a dish from the ground up.
• Buy flaxseed oil to finish with, a small drizzle stirred in once cooking is already done, never heated.
• If you only need one oil for actual cooking, flaxseed oil is not a candidate at all, buy mustard.
• If you already have a cooking oil sorted and want something to add raw for its own sake, flaxseed oil fills a completely different gap.
• These are not substitutes for each other in either direction, buying one does not reduce your need for the other.

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Mustard vs flaxseed oil buying questions

Can flaxseed oil replace mustard oil for cooking?

No, flaxseed oil cannot be heated at all, so it cannot fill mustard oil's role in cooking.

Do I need both in my kitchen?

Only if you specifically want flaxseed oil's raw, finishing role. Otherwise mustard oil alone covers everyday cooking needs.

Which is more versatile?

Mustard oil, by a wide margin, since it handles actual cooking. Flaxseed oil has one specific, narrow use.

Is one healthier to buy than the other?

This article is not making that claim either way, the two simply serve different roles in cooking.