About Sesame

Sesame (Sesamum indicum) is a flowering plant of the Genus Sesamum. It is an annual plant growing to about 1 meter tall. The flowers are white to purple.
The seeds in the pods are used as food. These oil-rich seeds come in a variety of colors such as cream-white, gold or black.

Sesame seeds contain high amounts of unsaturated fat, for example, omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids, which increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels.
They also contain antioxidant substances called lignan. Among those lignans, there are unique substances only sesame seeds have, such as sesamin and sesamolin. These substances are known to lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol level, and enhance liver function.
Sesame seeds are a rich source of vitamin E, which also acts as an antioxidant. It also contains the vitamins A, B1, B2, B3 and B6.
They are also a good source of protein, minerals and dietary fiber as well.
It is known that the nutrients of sesame seeds are better absorbed if they are ground or pulverized before consumption because they are likely not to be digested and absorbed due to its hard skin.

Trivia of the Month