Winnipeg Jets' Mark Letestu downs packet of mustard on bench
So this seems to be a thing.
Some folks eat mustard, like yellow mustard in packets without any accompaniment, to help ease muscle cramps.
Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Letestu seems to be one of these people.
On Thursday night cameras caught him on the bench downing a packet of mustard during the third period of a preseason game against the Edmonton Oilers.
He makes short work of it. NHL posted a clip to YouTube.
Letestu started his NHL career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he was drafted by the team in 2007 and played for the Penguins for three seasons from 2009-2012. He went to play for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Oilers and is in his first season with Jets.
While staying hydrated with water or Gatorade, or eating bananas are usual ways to help alleviate muscle cramps, some people drink pickle juice, eat mustard or take a super spicy drink made with cinnamon, ginger, lime juice, sweeteners, and capsaicin (a compound found in chili peppers).
The principal behind pickle juice, mustard and spicy drinks is by overstimulating nerves in your mouth and stomach, the nerves causing cramps in your legs or elsewhere are overwhelmed and don’t fire.
According to Harvard Health, many people swear by these alternative remedies and they don’t hurt you.
Other athletes have been seen eating mustard during a game. TMZ Sports noted that NFL player Kerryon Johnson was spotted chugging mustard on the sidelines during a high school game in 2014.
@AyeyoKEJO does that look like you hate it??? pic.twitter.com/rZZDkAELJz
— Reid Stewart (@Reid__Stewart) August 27, 2014
Frank Carnevale is the TribLive multimedia editor. He started at the Trib in 2016 and has been part of several news organizations, including the Providence Journal and Orlando Sentinel. He can be reached at fcarnevale@triblive.com.
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