Sesame oil

 Sesame is “Queen of Oilseeds” that Belonging to the Pedaliaceae family, its scientific name is Sesamum indicum.

Sesame oil is made from raw, pressed sesame seeds and has culinary, medicinal, and cosmetic uses.

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 Sesame oil is composed of the following unsaturated fatty acids: linoleic acid (41% of total), oleic acid (39%), palmitic acid (8%), stearic acid (5%) and small amount of linolenic acid. The antioxidative agents (sesamin, sesamolin, sesamol, their glucosylated forms sesaminol glucosides and tocopherol make the oil very stable and therefore it has a long shelf life. Sesame oil contains vitamin E and Vitamin B. It contains also minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorous and zinc.

1. Helps in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Copper is essential for building red blood cells, making connective tissue and keeping nerves and blood vessels healthy. Copper is also an anti-inflammatory mineral. Therefore, it is said to have positive effects on relieving arthritic pain. A cup (144 g) of sesame seeds contains about 5.9 mg copper (294% of the daily value). Calcium, magnesium, and zinc present in sesame seeds also aid in strengthening bones, joints, and blood vessels.

2. High in antioxidants (Fight of free radicals)

free radicals can damage DNA, cells and proteins and may lead to various diseases including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and cancer. Sesame oil have powerful antioxidants sesamol, sesaminol and vitamin E that help body to get rid of free radicals.

3. Good for your hair

The highly nutritious and lubricating sesame oil is full of vitamins B and E, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous – all essential for nourishing your scalp and hair. Massaging the oil into roots and scalp to keep your locks shiny and full. It also effectively hydrates the dry scalp, prevent hair loss, and relieve from itchiness or dandruff.

Sesame oil can darken the hair and prevent premature graying as well. Use it regularly to keep your hair dark and healthy.

4. Good for your heart (Rich in unsaturated fats)

Sesame oil is high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats (good fats) and low in saturated fats. According to nutrition data, per cup sesame seed contains 27 g monounsaturated fats, 31.4 g polyunsaturated fats, and about 10 g saturated fats. Both mono and polyunsaturated fats are ‘heart healthy’ and help maintain cholesterol under control.

5. Improves oral health

Our ancestors didn’t have Oral B or Colgate to brush their teeth, so they used oil pulling for removing plaque and maintaining oral health. Swishing a tablespoon of sesame oil for up to 15 minutes is an ancient Ayurvedic practice to reduce the growth of Streptococcus mutans in the mouth. This might be due to sesame oil’s antibacterial properties.

6. Helps with bowel movements

Constipation is a common problem, affecting all of us from time to time. If the underlying reason is simple, for instance, you fall off the water and fiber content, it can be treated using sesame oil. The oil extracted from the sesame seed lubricates intestine and ease bowel movements. Don’t like drinking sesame oil? Pop a teaspoon of sesame seeds daily until you get relief.

7. Lowers blood pressure

There’s a reason why sesame oil was used in cooking since the ancient times. Sesame seeds help prevent hypertension thanks to the high magnesium content present in them. A study published in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine found that sesame oil can lower blood pressure, decrease lipid peroxidation, and increase antioxidant levels in patients with high BP. The researchers also found a significant reduction in body weight and body mass index (BMI) in the subjects who were fed with edible sesame oil for 45 days.

Polyunsaturated fats and sesamin present in sesame oil also help maintain blood pressure levels.

8. For cooking

sesame oil has a high smoke point of 410˚ and neutral flavor (Smoke point is the temperature at which fat breaks down and release free radicals and unpleasant odors). That means sesame oil is great for sautés and roasts as it doesn’t smell up your kitchen and release toxic chemicals into the air.

9. Helps to fight stress and depression

Trying to cope with anxiety and stress? Include sesame oil as part of your diet. Tyrosine, in sesame oil, has direct links with serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is a happy hormone, an imbalance of which will make you depressed and stressed.

Sesame also contains magnesium and calcium, the stress relieving minerals. Also, it has thiamin and tryptophan which are known for their role in the production of serotonin.

When you have enough serotonin in the circulation, you will feel more relaxed and stress remains at bay.

10. Helps in preventing diabetes

Owing to the presence of magnesium  505 mg (126% of DV) per cup, sesame seeds, and sesame oil come handy in combating diabetes. Magnesium alongside other minerals and vitamins lowers blood glucose levels and thwarts the risk of diabetes. A pilot study conducted in hypersensitive diabetic patients indicated that edible sesame oil can lower BP, and plasma glucose levels.

According to another similar study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, sesame oil can enhance the effectiveness of glibenclamide, an oral antidiabetic drug in type 2 diabetic patients.

11. Slows down the aging of the skin

An exciting benefit sesame oil offers is that it can slow down the pace of skin aging. The antioxidants in the oil prevent cellular oxidation and promote skin rejuvenation. Sesamol in sesame oil prevents the appearances of lines, wrinkles, and pores.

A systematic review published in the Journal of Medicinal Food found that consuming sesame seeds can increase skin elasticity and reduce oxidative stress, thereby reducing the onset of premature aging.

Also, the vitamins and the antibacterial phytochemicals in sesame oil can heal the cuts and wounds quite fast, avoiding the formation of ugly scars or marks.

12. Sesame oil is a natural sunscreen

If your sunscreen lotion isn’t living up to the claims, switch to natural sunscreens to safeguard your skin. Sesame oil can form a protective film over your skin to eliminate the damages done by UV rays, environmental stressors, and free radicals. It is rich in Vitamin E which imparts antioxidant properties.

13. Helps in improving eye health

Sesame oil When applied topically, it will moisturize dry under eye areas thanks to the presence of emollient fatty acids including linoleic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid, and stearic acid.

According to traditional medicine, regularly massaging eyelids with sesame oil can reduce dark circles and crows’ feet.

14. Improves bone strength

Maintaining copper, calcium, and zinc levels through dietary sources is critical to bone growth. For improving the growth and development of bone, you should add sesame seeds and sesame oil into your diet because they contain more calcium than a glass of milk. Sesame oil is also found to speed up healing or regrowth of bones.

Moreover, as you get older, the minerals in sesame oil help prevent osteoporosis and age-related bone changes.

15. For Anemia

Sesame oil has a huge content of iron. That is why they are one of the most recommended home remedies for anemia as well as other iron-deficient problems.