Description
Sesame (
Sesamum indicum) is a flowering
plant in the genus
Sesamum, also called
benne.
Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in
India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the
world and is cultivated for its edible seeds
Health benefits of sesame seeds
Flavorful, crunchy sesame seeds are widely
considered as healthy foods. 100 grams of seeds carry 573 calories.
Although much of its calorie comes from fats, sesame contains
several essential health-benefiting nutrients, minerals,
antioxidants, and vitamins.
The seeds are especially rich in
mono-unsaturated fatty acid, oleic acid, which comprises of up to
50% of fatty acids in them. Oleic acid helps lower LDL or "bad
cholesterol" and increases HDL or "good cholesterol" in the blood.
Research studies suggest that Mediterranean diet which is rich in
mono-unsaturated fats may help prevent coronary artery disease, and
stroke by favoring healthy serum lipid profile.
The seeds are also valuable sources of dietary
protein with fine quality amino acids that are essential for
growth, especially in children. Just 100 g of seeds provide about
18 g of protein (32% of daily recommended values).
Sesame seeds contain many health benefiting
compounds such as sesamol (3, 4-methylene-dioxyphenol), sesaminol,
furyl-methanthiol, guaiacol (2-methoxyphenol), phenyl ethanthiol
and furaneol, vinyl guacol, and decadienal. Sesamol and sesaminol
are phenolic anti-oxidants. Together, these compounds help stave
off harmful free radicals from the human body.
Sesame is among the seeds rich in quality
vitamins, and minerals. They are an excellent sources of B-complex
vitamins such as niacin, folic acid, thiamin (vitamin B1),
pyridoxine (vitamin B6), and riboflavin.
100 g of sesame contains 97 µg of folic acid,
about 25% of recommended daily intake. Folic acid is essential for
DNA synthesis. When given to expectant mothers during their
peri-conception period, it may prevent neural tube defects in the
newborns.
Niacin is another B-complex vitamin found
abundantly in sesame. About 4.5 mg or 28% of daily required levels
of niacin provided from just 100 grams of seeds. Niacin helps
reduce LDL-cholesterol concentrations in the blood. Also, it
enhances GABA activity inside the brain, which in turn helps reduce
anxiety and neurosis.
The seeds are incredibly rich sources of many
essential minerals. Calcium, iron, manganese, zinc, magnesium,
selenium, and copper especially concentrated in sesame seeds. Many
of these minerals have a vital role in bone mineralization, red
blood cell production, enzyme synthesis, hormone production, as
well as regulation of cardiac and skeletal muscle activities.
