Sesame seeds may be the oldest seasoning known to man. The World's Healthiest Foods website notes that their culinary use dates back to 1600 B.C . Black sesame seeds have been used in herbal medicine, including traditional Chinese medicine, where they are known as hei zhi ma. These tasty, versatile seeds can add crunch to salads, be ground into a paste for tahini, utilized in Asian recipes or eaten as a snack.
High Copper Content
Sesame seeds are rich in copper. The Word's Healthiest Foods lists them as a good source of the mineral--with a quarter cup yielding 1.48 mg, or 74 percent of the recommended daily value--and notes that copper may help reduce the pain and swelling of rheumatoid arthritis.
High Manganese Content
Black sesame seeds are also a beneficial source of manganese, with .88 mg in a quarter cup of seeds providing 44 percent of the daily value. Manganese is a trace mineral found in bones and internal organs essential for the formation of connective tissue and bones. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that manganese is necessary for normal brain and nerve function.
Source of Other Minerals
Sesame seeds are a good source of magnesium, yielding 126.36 mg, or 31.6 percent of the DV, in a quarter cup. According to the World's Healthiest Foods, magnesium supports vascular and respiratory health, may help to prevent migraines and lowers blood pressure thereby reducing risk of heart attack and stroke. In addition, it helps to relieve menopause-related insomnia. Black sesame seeds are also a good source of calcium, supplying 351 mg, or 35.1 percent of DV, in a quarter cup. The same quarter cup of sesame seeds contains 29 percent of the DV of iron, 22.6 percent of the DV of phosphorus, and 18.7 percent of the DV of zinc, which may help prevent osteoporosis in elderly men and women.
Dietary Fiber and Lignans
Not only are black sesame seeds a good source of dietary fiber, but they contain two different types of beneficial fibers--or lignans--called sesamin and sesamolin. There is some scientific evidence suggesting that lignans have cholesterol-lowering properties. In a clinical study conducted by Chen and colleagues and published in the 2005 issue of Nutrition Research, four weeks of dietary sesame supplementation reduced serum total and LDL cholesterol levels in hyperlipidemia patients. According to The University of Wisconsin Extension, fiber-rich black sesame seeds are valued in Chinese Traditional Medicine for their lubricating effect on the intestinal tract. Naturopathy Digest adds that herbalists recommend black sesame seeds to treat constipation and promote regular bowel movements. People prone to diarrhea or loose stools should avoid black sesame seeds.
Phytosterols
Black sesame seeds are rich in phytosterols, plant compounds that may reduce blood levels of cholesterol, boost immune response, and cut cancer risk. The World's Healthiest Foods notes that in a study of phytosterol contents of nuts and seeds customarily eaten in the United States, sesame seeds had the highest content, with 400 to 413 mg per 100 g, beating out pistachio, sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
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