Sesame Seeds

Biological Source : Sesamum indicum

Family : Pedaliaceae

Sesame seeds are tiny, flat oval seeds with a nutty taste and a delicate, almost invisible crunch. They come in a host of different colors, depending upon the variety, including white, yellow, black and red. Sesame seeds are highly valued for their high content of sesame oil, an oil that is very resistant to rancidity. Sesame seeds are the main ingredients in both tahini and the Middle Eastern sweet treat, halvah. Sesame fruit is a capsule, normally pubescent, rectangular in section, and typically grooved with a short, triangular beak. The length of the fruit capsule varies from 2 to 8 cm, its width varies between 0.5 and 2 cm, and the number of loculi varies from four to 12. The fruit naturally splits open (dehisces) to release the seeds by splitting along the septa from top to bottom or by means of two apical pores, depending on the varietal cultivar.

Culinary Uses of Sessame Seeds

• Dry, roasted sesame seeds and vegetable oil are grinded into a thin light brown color paste known as tahini. Tahini is one of the main ingredients in famous middle-eastern dip, hummus.
• Dry fried seeds sprinkled over toasts, biscuits, breads, cakes, salads, stir fries, etc.
• The seeds are largely used in the manufacturing of margarine in Europe.
• The seeds are used in many traditional South-Indian sweet delicacies, often mixed with roasted peanuts, almonds, and jaggery.
• Roasted and crushed seeds are often sprinkled over salads, desserts, particularly sundaes and other cream based preparations.
• Gomashio is Japan's specialty, which uses ground sesame seeds.
• Sesame oil obtained from the seeds is one of the most sought after cooking oil in Malaysia, Indonesia and southern states of rural India.

Health Benefits of Sessame Seeds

1. Sesame seeds are full of high quality protein making up 20 percent of the seed with 4.7 grams of protein per ounce.
2. Helps Prevent Diabetes.
3. Reduces Blood Pressure.
4. Lowers Cholesterol.
5. The high fiber content of sesame seeds helps the intestines with elimination.
6. The high zinc content helps produce collagen, giving skin more elasticity and helping repair damaged body tissues.
7. Sesame seed oil can help heart health by preventing atherosclerotic lesions with the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound known as sesamol.