One of the most significant contributors to your health that you can control is your nutrition, and a healthy diet can lower your risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Mustard oil and cod liver oil both provide essential nutrients, but they have some differences in their nutritional composition. In moderation, both kinds of oil can be part of a healthy diet.
Calories and Macronutrients
Mustard oil has 124 calories and 14 g fat, and cod liver oil has 123 calories and 13.6 g fat per tablespoon. All of their calories come from fat, and they have no protein or carbohydrates. Both of these oils are low in saturated fat, which raises levels of LDL, or "bad," cholesterol in your blood. Mustard oil has 1.6 g saturated fat, and cod liver oil has 3.1 g. Cod liver oil has 78 mg cholesterol, and mustard oil is cholesterol-free.
Omega-3 Fats
A tablespoon of mustard oil provides 0.8 g alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA, and no eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, or docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. Cod liver oil provides 0.1 g ALA, 0.9 g EPA and 1.5 g DHA. ALA is a short-chain omega-3 fat and an essential nutrient, according to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center. EPA and DHA are long-chain omega-3 fats. They are not essential in your diet, but you may be able to lower your risk for heart disease when you get at least 0.25 g per day, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Micronutrients
Mustard oil does not contain essential vitamins or minerals. Cod liver is also free from most essential micronutrients, but it does provide high amounts of vitamins A and D. A tablespoon of cod liver oil provides 13,600 international units, or IU, of vitamin A, compared with the daily value of 5,000 IU. Cod liver oil also has 1,360 mcg vitamin D, or more than three times the daily value of 400 IU. Mustard oil and cod liver oil are both sodium-free.
Alternative Choices
Canola oil, flaxseed oil, ground flaxseed and walnuts are alternatives to mustard oil because of their ALA content; walnuts and flaxseed also provide dietary fiber. You can get DHA and EPA from fatty fish and shellfish, which also provide protein and potassium. Salmon, sardines and tuna supply vitamin D, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. You can get vitamin A from dairy products, some meats and many fruits and vegetables, such as spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes and melons.
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