The sesame seeds that top hamburger buns and bagels are more than just a garnish. Sesame seeds offer a wealth of health benefits and nutrients. Make an effort to include more sesame in your diet to benefit from the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants they offer. Incorporate the seeds into salads, stir fries, baked goods or smoothies.
Vitamins
Sesame seeds are a source of thiamn, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6 and folate. These B vitamins are essential to the health of your red blood cells and support your ability to derive energy from food. Sesame seeds also improve your ability to retain and utilize the antioxidant vitamin E. In one study published in the "Journal of Nutrition" in November 2001, rats fed with sesame seeds for 8 weeks experienced elevations in their levels of vitamin E. Vitamin E enhances immunity, may protect against heart attack and some cancers and helps prevent cataract development. These findings were confirmed by another study published in the journal "Nutrition and Cancer" in 2001. People who ate muffins containing just 5 mg of sesame seeds experienced increases in their vitamin E levels after just three days.
Minerals
Sesame seeds provide nine different minerals. In 1 tbsp. of sesame seeds, about 52 calories worth, you get 88 mg of calcium, about 9 percent of the recommended daily value. In addition, 1 tbsp. of sesame seeds provides 1.3 mg of iron, 31.6 mg of magnesium, 57 mg of phosphorus, .7 mg of zinc, .4 mg of copper and .2 mg of manganese. These minerals and trace minerals support important bodily functions, including bone growth and retention, muscle contraction, immunity and nervous system function.
Antioxidants
Sesame seeds contain sesamin and sesamolin, antioxidants that help fight free radicals in the body to ward off chronic disease and the effects of aging. A study in the journal "Hypertension Research" published in November 2001 found that the consumption of sesamin combined with vitamin E can help lower elevated blood pressure and oxidative stress in rats, which may mean these compounds may be used to treate those at risk of hypertension and stroke.
Phytosterols
According to a study published in the 2005 issue of the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry," sesame seeds, along with wheat germ, contain the highest total phytosterol content of any commonly consumed nuts and seeds. Phytosterols are compounds found only in plants that inhibit your body's absorption of cholesterol. Regular consumption of foods containing phytosterols can lower your levels of bad, or LDL, cholesterol.
References
- "Journal of Nutrition;" Dietary Sesame Seeds Elevate Alpha- and Gamma-Tocotrienol Concentrations in Skin and Adipose Tissue of Rats Fed the Tocotrienol-Rich Fraction Extracted from Palm Oil; S. Ikeda, et al.; Nov. 2001
- "Hypertension Research''; Effects of Vitamin E and Sesamin on Hypertension and Cerebral Thrombogenesis in Stroke-Prone Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats; T. .Noguchi, et al.; Nov. 2001
- Linus Pauling Institute; Vitamin E; Jane Higdon, Ph.D.; Nov. 2004
- "Nutrition and Cancer"; Effects of Dietary Sesame Seeds on Plasma Tocopherol Levels; R.V. Cooney, et al.; 2001
- "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry"; Phytosterol Composition of Nuts and Seeds Commonly Consumed in the United States; Katherine M. Phillips, et al.; 2005
- Linus Pauling Institute; Phytosterols; Jane Higdon, Ph.D.; August 2005
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