Benefit yourself with Black Sesame nutrients today

Published: 08/01/2013 - Updated: 08/13/2019

These small seeds may seem more of an element to decorate our meals with and give an attractive appearance, but do not be fooled by their size as they really are an excellent source of minerals like iron and calcium, in addition to fatty acids and proteins.

In this way, it is important to try to include them in our diet as they can provide a lot of benefits for our health.

Whether roasted, raw or processed, what matters most is that you include them in your diet. But what makes them so special?

Benefits of black sesame

Regualtes cholesterol:

Helps maintain cholesterol at adequate levels in the blood.

Maintains strong bones

It is high in calcium, which helps optimal bone health especially for people who cannot consume cow's milk. Its great calcium contribution also favours the prevention of osteoporosis.

Smooth assimilation

This food is easy to digest in the body and the nutrients it contains can be fully taken advantage of: Calcium and iron are easily assimilated by eating these seeds.

Helps prevent atherosclerosis

These seeds promote better oxygenation of the brain and allow the blood to flow normally and constantly. They also normalise blood pressure and help to improve the health of the circulatory system, achieving atherosclerosis prevention.

Important source of iron

Their high iron content is beneficial for people suffering from anemia and especially for women during pregnancy and lactation.

Contribution of plant proteins

Black sesame has a significant source of dietary protein but it is important to note that by consuming solely plant-based proteins, it is sometimes necessary to supplement them with other foods to enrich the diet and meet the demand of amino acids per day. A good idea is to combine black sesame seeds with cereals and legumes like soybeans to create high quality protein with sufficient amino acids.

Good fibre

The black sesame seed has a greater contribution of fibre than white sesame seeds, so it has an extra that makes it even more attractive to consume because fibre helps to improve the digestive processes.

100 grams of black sesame seeds can also give us:

Different vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin D, E and K as well as those belonging to the group "complex B" (vitamin B1, B2, Niacin etc..), which are all very necessary to improve the health of the skin, eyes, hair and general bodily health.

Recommendations for including black sesame in your diet

Nutrition experts suggest adding these seeds as a condiment for salads, pasta, vegetables or fruits, bread or even cookies.

It is recommended to consume 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds a day.

Another good option to include sesame in your daily diet is a paste prepared from the seeds. This paste has been consumed for hundreds of years in the Arab region and is called 'tahina' or 'tahini': It is very easy to prepare and allows us to increase our consumption of this wonderful seed. Here we will tell you how it's done:

Tahini: Sesame Pasta

Ingredients:

  • 6 tablespoons of sesame seeds
  • ¼ cup of Water
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • ¼ tsp. of Ginger

Preparation:

  1. Toast sesame seeds in the oven or in a pan: It should be a very low heat to prevent burning.
  2. Process the roasted seeds with a little water to a thick creamy consistency. It should not have too much of a liquid consistency.
  3. When the paste is ready, add salt, pepper and ginger.

This paste can be used to prepare hummus or spread directly on the bread; it is a great source of rapid action energy!

About the author
  • Dra. Loredana Lunadei

    Dr. Loredana Lunadei is a specialist in food, dietetics and nutrition. She studied at the University of Milan where she obtained a Master in Food Science and Technology. Subsequently, she continued her studies, completing her PhD also at the University of Milan. Linkedin.