Sesame seed properties
100% organic
antioxidants
they lower cholesterol
very tasty
THEIR SECRETS
They are collected from a spontaneous herbaceous plant of the pedaliacee family, which reaches a maximum of 50cm in height, is native to the tropical and subtropical areas of Asia and Africa, but also of India. In Italy they are mainly collected in Sicily. When buying, however, be careful: since they have a high fat content, they tend to turn rancid. Once at home, store them in a paper or canvas bag and in a cool, dry place.
SESAME SEEDS
They are mainly used to flavour bread or breadsticks. Yet sesame seeds are also excellent for giving a touch of originality and flavour to fresh and light salads, sandwiches and vegetable creams. And it would be worthwhile to keep them in the pantry and use them more often, not only because they are versatile in the kitchen, but also for their nutritional qualities.
CONTAIN ZINC, SELENIUM AND MAGNESIUM
Over 25% of the seeds are composed of excellent quality proteins and essential amino acids, first methionine, which is difficult to find other plants. In addition, it provides zinc that strengthens the immune system and defends against infections but also selenium which hinders the formation of free radicals. Without forgetting some important mineral salts, namely potassium, which helps maintain water balance and avoid pressure drops (especially in summer), and magnesium, an excellent mood rebalancer.
PREVENT OSTEOPOROSIS
But among the major nutritional qualities of sesame seeds is the richness of calcium, an essential mineral salt to strengthen bones and prevent osteoporosis. Usually, to recover it, we focus on the consumption of milk and cheese, without knowing that sesame is also very rich: 30 gr. bring about 300 mg of calcium against 120 gr. of an analogous quantity of mozzarella and 185 gr. Present in two scoops of fior di latte ice cream. And, above all, they are a valid substitute for dairy products in all cases of milk allergies and intolerances.
CHOLESTEROL GOES DOWN ...
Do they get fat? In fact, about 69% of sesame seeds are made up of fats, but most of them are unsaturated omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids, precious for lowering cholesterol and defending against cardiovascular diseases. A recent study then isolated a substance, sesaminol with strong antioxidant properties and capable of preventing tumours.
Composition Sesame: from about 5% water, 50% fat, 25% carbohydrates and the remaining 20% protein; among the minerals present in sesame seeds we mention calcium, phosphorus, zinc, selenium, potassium, copper and magnesium.
As for vitamins, we find many B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6), vitamin T and J, present in modest quantities together with vitamin A. These are the main amino acids present in sesame based on the quantity: glutamic acid, aspartic acid, glycine, alanine, arginine, leucine, serine and valine.
To underline the presence in the seeds of oleic and linoleic acid (omega 3), two substances with protective properties against the heart and the cardiovascular system.
The properties and benefits of sesame are numerous in the food sector but also extend to the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and herbal fields.
Among the main qualities of sesame seeds are the abundance of calcium which we know to be a very important mineral salt for strengthening the skeleton of our body as well as preventing osteoporosis.
Zinc is also present in sufficient quantities to bring benefits to our body by protecting it from infections; selenium, on the other hand, has effective properties in counteracting the activity of tree radicals.
The presence of phosphorus, potassium and magnesium, the use of sesame as a supplement in the children's diet gives excellent results in terms of growth, even where growth is much lower than normal.
The intake of sesame seeds represents a good tonic for blood platelets and hemoglobin; in fact, the vitamin T contained in them has the property of increasing blood platelets.
Sesame strengthens the immune system, especially in cases of fatigue and convalescence and able to rebalance the body's functions in case of nausea, headache and vomiting.
