Properties of sesame seeds, whose nutritional value provides important benefits. Discover everything you need to know about these nutritious seeds.
Although many times they go completely unnoticed in our eyes, sesame seeds are present in any daily food. What’s more, with them we can prepare gomasio, the popular sesame salt. In addition, we can also find them in the typical hamburger buns and they are also present in countless sweets such as cookies, cakes or donuts. And over the years, sesame oil has also become famous due to the great boom that this food has brought both Chinese and Japanese gastronomy.
Throwing other interesting facts about sesame, it should be noted that the “sesasum indicum” is a seed that usually grows in India and Africa since time immemorial. Although it was not until well into the 18th and 19th centuries when it began to be transported to the continents of Europe and America.
Thousands of slaves of that time bartered with her in order to get other foods or spices. And from then on, it was increasingly settled in regions such as the US and the Caribbean. And there are many dishes in these areas that have sesame as their main base.
However, this seed is not only used to season and add more flavor to our dishes. It is also a food that provides numerous benefits for our health. Would you like to meet them? Well, if so, we are going to ask you not to lose sight of the following lines.
Sesame seeds benefits
Sesame is a powerful source of vitamin E
Surely many of you were unaware that sesame is one of the best sources of vitamin E that exist. In fact, it is also very present in some nuts such as almonds and hazelnuts. Once this is known, we are going to learn about some of its other properties:
- It is a powerful antioxidant. Thanks to the consumption of vitamin E it will be possible to delay the aging process of all our skin, making us look younger and healthier.
- It can cure cardiovascular and eye diseases. Vitamin E is also a powerful ally to combat hypertension. Its consumption is also recommended in older people as it prevents the appearance of eye diseases.
Magnesium is very present in sesame seeds
A component as important as magnesium can also be found in sesame seeds. As with iron and calcium, it is an element to take into account to strengthen our entire immune system. To all this, we must add the following benefits:
- Fight stress. This is something to keep in mind today. Especially if we lead a busy life with all kinds of personal and professional chores that can cause us to feel fatigued and tired for a long time. Hence, the consumption of magnesium a couple of times a week is recommended in order to lift our spirits.
- It gives us an extra energy. This is due to the fact that magnesium accelerates the metabolism, something that is translated after a shot of energy sometimes so necessary to face the rest of the week at 100%.
- Prevents diabetes. Some scientific studies affirm that sesame seeds regulate the production of glucose in the blood. This means that this food can be of great help to prevent diabetes.
How can we take sesame seeds?
Another of the great advantages that sesame seeds offer is that we can consume them in a multitude of different ways, each with its own particular benefits. The first and most common of them is to take them completely toasted and add them to any whole wheat bread that we have for breakfast.
Likewise, another delicious way to enjoy all its advantages is by mixing it with honey that we can then spread on a rich toast just when we get up. This way it will be possible to strengthen our defenses and we will also have enough energy to face the day.
Finally, it is also very common to see them in the form of sesame oil. This liquid gives us an extra amount of Omega 6 and 9 that turns out to be the most beneficial for our health.
Properties of sesame seeds, in summary
- Advisable for men, whose daily consumption prevents male infertility, thanks to its zinc content.
- It is ideal for pregnant women and women who have reached menopause, thanks to its calcium content.
- It is a powerful aphrodisiac.
- Useful against high cholesterol when lowering cholesterol, due to its contribution in lecithin.
Sesame Seeds Nutrition Facts
100 grams of sesame seeds provide the following nutritional values:
- 599 calories.
- Proteins: 20 gr.
- Fats: 58 gr. of unsaturated fats.
- Minerals: calcium (675 mg.), Iron (9 mg.) And zinc (5 mg.). It also contains copper, chromium, phosphorus and magnesium in minor amounts.
