The use of sesame seeds for health
Sesame seeds is a familiar type of the world. But not everyone knows the uses of sesame seeds on health and the great benefits they bring.
Not only has a great effect in beauty, helps skin smooth, youthful, supports natural blackening of hair, sesame seeds are also good for the digestive system because of the laxative effect and cure indigestion. In addition, this nut is also a good source of vitamins E, B and calcium.
Used of sesame seeds:
Sesame seeds have long been used as a food to protect the body against heart disease, diabetes and arthritis.
- Good source of fiber
Consume about 30g of unrefined sesame seeds (equivalent to 3 tablespoons), providing 3.5g of fiber with the body, accounting for 12% of the daily fiber intake.
Fiber helps to promote gastrointestinal health. In addition, scientists have recently shown that increasing dietary fiber may play a role in reducing the risk of heart disease, some cancers, obesity and type 2 diabetes. .
- Has the effect of reducing cholesterol and triglycerides
Several studies show that regular consumption of sesame seeds can help lower cholesterol and high triglyceride levels. These are factors that increase the risk of heart disease.
Sesame seeds have 15% saturated fat, 41% polyunsaturated fat (polyunsaturated fat) and 39% monounsaturated fat. Researchers have shown that eating more polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats compared to saturated fat can help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. In addition, sesame seeds contain two types of plant compounds, lignans and phytosterols, which also reduce cholesterol levels.
- Abundant plant protein supply
If you eat 30g of sesame seeds, your body will be provided with 5g of protein. Protein is essential for human health because it helps build everything from muscles to hormones. Therefore, it can be seen that sesame seeds are a relatively high source of plant protein.
To maximize protein availability, soak and roast sesame seeds before serving. The roasting process reduces the oxalates and phytates found in the nuts. These are two compounds that interfere with the digestion and absorption of protein by the body.
Notably, sesame seeds are low in lysine, an essential amino acid found in animal foods. Therefore, if you are a vegetarian, you can compensate this amino acid for the body by consuming legumes like kidney beans and green beans because they are high in lysine.
On the other hand, sesame seeds contain lots of methionine and cysteine, two amino acids that legumes don’t have much.
- Antihypertensive effect
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Sesame seeds are rich in magnesium, a mineral that helps lower blood pressure. In addition, lignans, vitamin E and other antioxidants in sesame seeds can help prevent plaque buildup in arteries, potentially maintaining healthy blood pressure.
In one study, people with high blood pressure consumed 2.5 grams of black sesame seed powder. At the end of a month, their systolic blood pressure index dropped by 6% compared to the placebo group.
- Support the healthy development of the skeletal system
Whole or peeled sesame seeds are rich in nutrients that help promote the health of the skeletal system.
- May reduce inflammation
Eating sesame seeds may help fight inflammation. Even low-level inflammation can be one of many causes of several chronic conditions: obesity, cancer, heart and kidney diseases.
People with kidney disease eat a mixture of 18g of flaxseeds, 6g of sesame seeds and 6g of pumpkin seeds per day for 3 months, their inflammatory markers decreased by 51-79%. However, because this study was experimented with a mixture of 3 types of seeds, the anti-inflammatory effects of sesame seeds alone were uncertain. But studies conducted on animals using sesame seed oil also show anti-inflammatory effects. This may be due to sesamin, a compound found in sesame seeds and their oils.
- Good source of B vitamins
Sesame seeds are a good source of B vitamins such as thiamine (B1), niacin (B3) and vitamin B6, which are essential for proper cellular function and metabolism. In addition, vitamin B6 is also involved in the process of making hemoglobin.
- Helps form blood cells
To make red blood cells, your body needs some minerals and vitamins such as iron, copper and vitamin B6. Sesame seeds are a good source of these minerals.
To increase the body’s ability to absorb these minerals, you should soak or roast them before use.
- Supporting effect of blood sugar control
Sesame seeds are low in carbs but rich in protein and healthy fats, so they help control blood sugar, which is suitable for people with diabetes. In addition, the seeds also contain pinoresinol, a compound that can help regulate blood sugar levels by inhibiting the activity of maltase digestive enzymes.
Maltase breaks down maltose sugar, the sugar used as a sweetener in some foods. It is also produced in your gut from the digestion of starchy foods like rice, bread, pasta, vermicelli, pho, etc. lower blood.
- Rich in antioxidants
Animal and human studies suggest that consuming sesame seeds can increase the total amount of antioxidant activity in your blood. The lignans in sesame seeds function as antioxidants, which help fight oxidative stress, a chemical reaction that can damage your cells and increase the risk of many chronic diseases.
In addition, sesame seeds contain a form of vitamin E called gamma-tocopherol, an antioxidant that helps fight heart disease.
- Support the immune system
Sesame seeds are a good source of nutrients for your immune system, including zinc, selenium, copper, iron, vitamin B6 and vitamin E. Our bodies need zinc to grow and activate certain cells. White blood cells recognize and attack invading bacteria. Therefore, mild to moderate zinc deficiency may impair the immune system function. Eat 30g of sesame seeds to meet about 20% of the recommended zinc / day.
- Helps relieve knee pain
Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of joint pain and often affects the knees. A number of factors can play a role in arthritis including inflammation and oxidative damage to joint cartilage. Sesamin, a compound in sesame seeds, has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that can protect your cartilage.
In a 2-month study, people with knee arthritis consumed 5 tablespoons (approximately 40g) of sesame seed powder per day in combination with drug treatment. As a result, their knee pain decreased by 63%, while that of the drug treatment group decreased only 22%. As mentioned above, this type of seed also works to reduce inflammation so it is very good for people with osteoarthritis.
- Can support thyroid health
Sesame seeds (whole or shelled) are a good source of selenium, providing the body with 18% of the daily recommended intake of selenium.
The thyroid gland is the organ that contains selenium with the highest concentration of any organ in the body. This mineral plays an important role in making thyroid hormones. In addition, these nuts are a good source of iron, copper, zinc and vitamin B6, which support thyroid hormone production and support thyroid health.
- Hormonal balance in menopause
Sesame seeds contain phytoestrogens, plant compounds similar to the hormone estrogen. Therefore, this type of nut is very beneficial for women during menopause when estrogen levels drop. Phytoestrogens work against hot flashes and many other symptoms when estrogen levels in the body are low.
Moreover, these compounds may reduce the risk of certain diseases such as breast cancer. A disease usually appears during menopause. Therefore, menopausal women should regularly use sesame seeds to receive these wonderful benefits.
- Soothes sunburns
If you have a sunburn, you can use sesame oil to massage the skin to soothe the burning situation. In addition, you can also apply sesame oil to protect the skin from the harmful sun rays. Another use of sesame oil is to help reduce wrinkles.
- Support weight loss
If you crave food regularly, you should sip on sesame seeds. The ghrelin in this nut helps to reduce the level of hormones that cause cravings. In addition, the lignans present in this nut also help facilitate the body to burn fat and boost metabolism.