Rich in protein, nutrients and antioxidants, black sesame seeds are popular in Southeast Asian cuisine. Some traditional medicinal practices use black sesame seeds to prevent hair from graying prematurely.
Culinary Uses
Cultures around the world use whole sesame seeds as condiments and in desserts and breads. Grinding the seeds produces sesame paste and sesame butter (tahini) for spreads, sauces and dressings. Sesame oil provides unsaturated fat for cooking and frying.
Protein
Two tablespoons of whole sesame seeds contain 3 grams of protein needed to build muscle and repair tissue in the body. Two tablespoons of tahini sesame butter contain 5 grams of protein.
Fat
Two tablespoons of sesame seeds contains 9 grams of fat, of which 1.25 grams are saturated. Polyunsaturated fat comprises 3.9 grams and 3.4 grams are monounsaturated fat. Black sesame seed provide 4 grams of omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids.
Nutrients
Sesame seeds provide a non-dairy source of calcium and a plant source of iron. Other nutrients found in sesame include fiber, copper, magnesium, zinc, manganese and vitamin B.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants fight oxidation and free radicals that can damage cells. A study by Shahidi, Liyana-Pathirana and Wall in 2006 found high antioxidant levels in both white and black sesame seeds. Black seeds, however, contain higher levels than white seeds.
References
- What's In The Foods You Eat Search Tool, 3.0, USDA Agricultural Research Service
- Fereidoon Shahidi, Chandrika M. Liyana-Pathirana and Dana S. Wall, Antioxidant activity of white and black sesame seeds and their hull fractions, Food Chemistry, Volume 99, Issue 3, 2006, Pages 478-483. n. page web. Oct. 2009.
- Sesame Seeds, World's Healthiest Foods, The George Mateljan Foundation
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