BENEFITS OF SESAME AND ITS DERIVATIVES

Western cultures have enjoyed the health be nefits of sesame seed oil for over 3,000 years. And today's cutting edge research continues to uncover a myriad of health benefits for the human body. Sesame seed oil contains several compounds, or lignins, that produce powerful physiological results. In Japan, where sesame seed intake remains especially high, sesamin, sesamolin, and other related compounds are being studied with growing intensity. Because the controlled research on sesame seedcomponents is so new, studies have not yet progressed to the point of human research, but to date the animal models show great promise.

How Sesame Seed Oil Keeps You Healthy?

Nourishes the body
Sesame has been known for a long time as a healthy food because of its rich components and its good balance. Sesame contains high-quality proteins (20%), fats (50%), calcium, iron, vitamin B1, B2 and E in a well balanced manner. It can replenish the energy of the body and increase muscle strength.Note that nutrients from the sesame seed are best absorbed in the form of sesame oil or tahini. The whole seeds do not break down readily and release all their nutrients unless very well chewed.

Promotes cell integrity and function
Sesame oil contains several important antioxidants, sesamolin and sesamol, that are believed to promote the integrity of body tissues in the presence of oxidizing compounds. The antioxidants sesamolin and sesamin prevent the oxidation of fats in the blood vessels including low-density lipoproteins (LDL), thus, protecting the arteries from hardening.

Enhances vitamin E activity
Vitamin E, a fat-soluble antioxidant, protects the body from harmful oxidizing compounds. Sesame oil contains gamma-tocopherol, which has little vitamin E activity. However, the sesamolin and sesamin found in sesame oil, increases vitamin E activity dramatically, acting synergistically with vitamin E to provide antioxidant capacity to the body. Vitamin E prevents premature aging, cancer and heart diseases. It may alleviate symptoms of PMS.

Keeps your heart healthy
Sesame seed oil contains calcium, an important nutrient for the entire vascular system. Animal research suggests that supplementation with sesamin may help maintain normal blood fat levels by regulating the secretion of fats from the liver.
Sesame oil is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids which are known to reduce the "bad" cholesterol and thus promoting the "softness" and "youth" of the blood vessels.

Supports immune response
Sesamin, through its effect on regulating compounds known as eicosanoids, helps promote a balanced immune and auto-immune response. In vitro research showed that sesame oil also protects the body against certain types of cancer (skin and colon cancer).

Protects the skin
Sesame oil makes ideal massage oil because of its emollient properties. Applied topically sesame oil is thought to aid in healing chronic diseases of the skin. Its chemical structure gives it a unique ability to penetrate the skin easily, nourishing and detoxifying even the deepest tissue layers. It is naturally antibacterial for common skin pathogens, such as staphylococcus and streptococcus as well as common skin fungi, such as athlete's foot fungus. It is also a natural anti inflammatory agent. Sesame oil rubbed on the skin may sooth minor sunburn as well as help in the healing process. Studies showed that it could assist against ageing of the human body.

Maintains a healthy liver
Tissue analyzed from animal experiments show sesame oil lignins may promote a healthy liver. The results of human research are not yet complete.

Aids the digestive tract
Sesame seeds help in relieving constipation and remove worms from the intestinal tract. They are an aid to digestion and stimulate blood circulation.

This explains why in ancient Greece, Hippocrates, known as the "Father of Doctors" had said:" Sesame is a food that can improve mankind's energy and vitality."