Sesame seed: Oiling Your Circulation – Open Arteries!

“Open Sesame!”

Those well-known words—the password to a cave filled with riches, overheard by the fictional Ali Baba in “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”—are probably based on the fact that the pod of the sesame plant bursts open at maturity, scattering its seeds.

The wild sesame plant, native to West Africa, was also domesticated in India, where sesame seeds are a symbol of immortality in the Hindu religion, and sesame oil plays a key role in the ancient Ayurvedic system of health and natural healing. Charaka—the Hippocrates of Ayurvedic medicine—called it the “best of all oils,” and Ayurveda recommends it for abhyanga, a daily, whole-body self-massage for purification and vitality. In his book Ayurveda: The Science of Self-Healing, noted Ayurvedic physician Dr. Vasant Lad recommends a daily sesame oil massage of the gums, and rubbing the soles of the feet with sesame oil before bedtime to produce calm, quiet sleep.

Sesame seeds are so oily that they even feel oily when you rub them between your fingers. Forty to 60 percent of the seed is oil—including lots of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat (the same type as in olive oil). Sesame is also loaded with vitamin E, an antioxidant that supports the heart. It’s rich in phytosterols, cholesterol-like plant compounds that block the absorption of dietary cholesterol. And it’s loaded with lignans such as sesamin and sesamolin, a type of phytoestrogen (a weak estrogen found in plants) also linked to heart health. So it’s no surprise that scientific research shows the tiny seed can play a big role in the health of your circulatory system, possibly reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Open Arteries!

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. Blood pressure medications can control the problem. Blood pressure medications and sesame seed oil might cure it.

Curing high blood pressure. Researchers in India studied nearly 398 people with very high blood pressure, all of whom were taking the drug nifedipine (Procardia), a calcium channel blocker, to control the problem. For two months, 356 of the study participants were asked to use sesame oil as their only dietary oil. Two months later, the researchers could hardly believe the results.

The sesame plant is native to West Africa.

“The consumption of sesame oil remarkably reduced the blood pressure,” said the researchers. Systolic pressure (the upper reading) fell from an average of 166 to 134, while diastolic (the lower reading) fell from 101 to 85. Looked at another way, the average blood pressure fell from what medical experts say is the “very high” level of stage 2 hypertension, to the “caution” level of prehypertension—in other words, the participants no longer had high blood pressure, as it is medically defined!

And that’s not all. They had lower blood levels of sodium and higher levels of potassium, a sign of effective blood pressure management. They had a big drop in the oxidation of blood fats, the process that creates artery-clogging plaque. And they had large increases in blood levels of several artery-protecting antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase.

“These results suggest that dietary substitution of sesame oil, in nifedipine-taking hypertensive patients, has an additive effect in the reduction of blood pressure,” conclude the researchers in the Journal of Dietary Supplements.

In another study by the same team of researchers, 32 hypertensives on one of two pressure-lowering medications—either diuretics or a beta-blocker—were asked to use nothing but sesame oil as their dietary oil for 45 days. Once again, their blood pressure normalized! Then the participants stopped using sesame seed oil for 45 days—and their blood pressure zoomed back up! The findings were in the Yale Journal of Biological Medicine.

Lowering cholesterol in postmenopausal women. The drop in artery-protecting estrogen at menopause means a rise in the incidence of heart disease. Taiwanese researchers studied 24 postmenopausal women, dividing them into two groups. One group included 50 grams (about 1½ ounces) of sesame powder in their diet for two weeks, and one group didn’t. Compared to those who didn’t use sesame, those who did had bigger drops in total cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol, and a more heart-healthy ratio of LDL to “good” HDL cholesterol. They also had less oxidation of LDL. And they had higher blood levels of biomarkers of estrogen. “Sesame ingestion benefits postmenopausal women,” concluded the researchers in the Journal of Nutrition.

Boosting the protective power of vitamin E. “The tocopherols”—the components of vitamin E—“are believed to play a role in the prevention of age-related diseases such as cancer and heart disease,” wrote a team of researchers from the University of Hawaii Cancer Research Center in the journal Nutrition and Cancer. But, they noted, little is known about which foods really increase blood levels of vitamin E and the cell-protecting “functional activity” of the nutrient. Animal research, they explained, points to the necessity of raising levels of gamma-tocopherol for vitamin E to function. (The more familiar alpha-tocopherol is found in most vitamin E supplements.) And sesame seeds are rich in gamma-tocopherol.

In their study, the researchers fed nine people muffins baked with either sesame seeds (rich in gamma-tocopherol), walnuts, or soy oil (other good sources of gamma-tocopherol). After three days, only the sesame seed muffins “significantly elevated” blood levels of gamma-tocopherol.

Little Seed, Big Results

Animal and test tube research reveals promising possibilities for sesame’s power to prevent and treat various diseases.

Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers in Korea found that sesamol, a compound in sesame, could stop the formation of amyloid beta, the protein found in the plaque that riddles the brain of a person with Alzheimer’s disease. Sesame “may hold promise in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease,” concluded the researchers in Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin.

Cancer. Many studies show that sesame and its components may have anti-cancer potential. In the laboratory, Japanese researchers found sesamin stopped the growth of breast cancer cells, and also reduced the activity of genes linked to lung, bone, kidney, and skin cancer. Another team in Japan found sesamol killed leukemia cells. US researchers found that both sesamol and sesame oil reduced the number of tumors in animals with chemically induced skin cancer.

Huntington’s disease. This genetic disease of the central nervous system typically appears in middle age, eventually causing near-paralysis and dementia. Researchers in India used a chemically induced animal model of Huntington’s disease to test the protective power of sesamol, an antioxidant in sesame. They found it helped prevent loss of muscle control and mental decline. “Sesamol could be used as an effective agent in the management of Huntington’s disease,” wrote the researchers in Basic Clinical and Pharmacological Toxicology.

Wound healing. Indian researchers found that a compound prepared from sesame seeds and sesame seed oil sped up wound healing in animals.

Getting to Know Sesame Seed

People have been enjoying sesame seeds for a while now—a depiction of bakers sprinkling bread with sesame seeds is carved into a 4,000-year-old Egyptian tomb. And to this day, sesame seeds are used as a topping for breads, biscuits, buns, and bagels. (A third of all the sesame seeds grown in Mexico are purchased by McDonald’s for its sesame seed buns.)

Most of the world’s sesame seeds, however, are used as a source of dietary oil rather than as a spice. Cold-pressed sesame seeds produce a highly stable oil that doesn’t turn rancid in heat and humidity. That’s why sesame oil has become such an integral ingredient in Asian stir-fries and other dishes. (Sesame oil is also called “gingelly oil.”)

Seeds fresh from the plant come in a range of colors—yellow, brown, black, and red—but once hulled they are a creamy white. This is the seed used throughout the US and Europe. Unhulled black sesame seeds are used in addition to white in the Middle East, India, and Asia.

The Middle East has many sesame specialties. Halva is the popular confection—dense and sweet—made from compressed ground sesame seeds and sweet syrups. Tahini, a paste made from ground sesame seed, is used as a dip and spread, and accompanies the deep-fried chickpea patty called a falafel, and the seasoned eggplant dish called baba ghanoush. Hummus—a food found in just about every US supermarket—is mashed chickpeas made with tahini, olive oil, and spices. Simsmiyeh is a chewy sesame candy popular in Lebanon. Sesame is a key ingredient in the nutty Egyptian spice blend dukkah.

In India, black and white sesame seeds, called gingili, have many roles in cooking. They are sprinkled on breads, pastries, and biscuits, and in rice pilafs, sauces, and stuffings. The India region of Gaya is famous for its tilkut, a sweet savory confection made from sesame seeds.

One of the most innovative uses of sesame seeds is found in Japan’s shoujin ryori cuisine, a vegan style of eating created by monks. The cuisine offers one of the few dishes starring sesame seeds: goma dofu, sesame seeds ground to a paste and into a block (just as tofu, another Japanese dish, is specially processed soybeans in a block). Japanese cuisine also uses white seeds to flavor teriyaki and black and white seeds in sushi. Shichimi is a popular sesame-based spice blend and a common Japanese table condiment. The Japanese also mix sesame seeds with MSG and salt and use it just as Americans use regular table salt. In both Japan and China, sesame seeds are ground into a paste and served over noodles.

Sesame seed may help prevent and/or treat:

Alzheimer’s disease

Cancer

Cholesterol problems (high total cholesterol, high “bad” LDL cholesterol)

Heart disease

High blood pressure (hypertension)

Huntington’s disease

Wounds

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Sesame seed pairs well with these spices:

Allspice

Cardamom

Chile

Cinnamon

Clove

Coriander

Garlic

Ginger

Mint

Mustard seed

Nutmeg

Onion

Pumpkin seed

Thyme

Vanilla

Wasabi

and complements recipes featuring:

Breads and biscuits

Chicken

Chickpeas

Noodles

Pork

Salad greens

Salmon

Stir-fries

Tuna

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Other recipes containing sesame seed:

Dukkah

Grilled Lamb Patty Pockets with Cucumber Mint Sauce

Wasabi Orange Chicken with Toasted Almonds

In Mexico, sesame seeds are used frequently in mole recipes, complex sauces that are the hallmark of many regional cuisines.

Sesame seeds didn’t appear in the US until the 17th century, brought here from West Africa with the slave trade. In most of the South, sesame seeds are still referred to as benni (benni is the West African name for sesame seed), and benniseed cookies are a Southern specialty.

How to Buy Sesame Seed

Sesame seeds are pearly white, flat, tear shaped, and tiny. They are readily available in well-stocked markets. Look for seeds that have an even creamy color.

The oily seeds don’t have a long shelf life. If they’ve been in your spice cabinet for more than a few months, smell them before using. If they smell rancid, throw them out. For the longest shelf life, keep sesame seeds in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

You can find hulled black sesame seeds in Indian and Asian markets. There isn’t much of a difference in taste or texture between black and white seeds. (Cooks often choose one or the other based on how the garnish affects the appearance of the dish.)

Most of the world’s sesame seeds come from China and India, but they’re also cultivated in Guatemala, Mexico, and the southern US. Most of the sesame seeds used in the US are from Mexico.

In the Kitchen with Sesame Seed

Raw sesame seeds taste stale and bland. You need to toast them to bring out their appealing nutty essence. But toast with care, as they can burn easily. The easiest way to toast them is in a dry iron pan. Heat the pan on medium-high for just a few minutes until they turn golden. Continually stir, so they do not burn. If they start to hop around, it’s a clue that they’re done.

Sesame oil is strong—a little goes a long way. Use only a quarter to a third of sesame oil compared to other oils you use. The oil adds a pleasing nutty taste to Asian stir-fries, especially poultry and vegetables.

Sesame Seared Tuna with Pickled Ginger and Vanilla Slaw

You can find wasabi powder and pickled ginger at any market that sells take-out sushi or at an Asian market.

For the slaw:

1 cup sour cream

¾ cup rice vinegar

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground white pepper

2 cups shredded napa cabbage

2 cups julienned carrots

 cup chopped scallions

½ cup chopped roasted peanuts

1 green pepper, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped

1 red pepper, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped

1 jalapeño, cored and seeded

For the tuna:

 cup white sesame seeds

 cup black sesame seeds

4 teaspoons wasabi powder

2 tablespoons sesame oil

4 six-ounce sushi-grade tuna steaks, 3” x 3” each

½ cup pickled ginger

1. To make the slaw: Put the sour cream in a small bowl and slowly whisk in the rice vinegar. Add the sugar, vanilla, salt, and pepper and stir. Set aside for 30 minutes.

2. Combine the cabbage, carrots, scallions, peanuts, green and red peppers, and jalapeño in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the slaw and refrigerate while you make the tuna.

3. To make the tuna: Combine the sesame seeds and wasabi powder on a plate. Rub the tuna steaks with the sesame oil and dip the steaks in the sesame mixture to coat them.

4. Lightly coat a large heavy-bottomed frying pan with non-stick spray and put over high heat. When the pan is hot, sear the tuna on all sides until the seeds are golden, about one minute on all sides. Divide slaw among four plates and top with tuna. Divide the ginger and place on top of the tuna.

Makes 4 servings.

The sky’s the limit as to what you can do with toasted sesame seeds. You can use black and white seeds interchangeably; if you don’t have black seeds, substitute white. (The only thing you’ll lose is a little drama in the presentation.)

Here are a few ways to get more sesame seeds into your diet:

• Put toasted seeds in green salads or fruit salads.

• Add toasted seeds and fried garlic to steamed spinach.

• Use sesame seeds instead of breadcrumbs on pan-fried chicken.

• Sprinkle toasted seeds on top of or into lentil soups.

• Sprinkle toasted seeds on ice cream.

• Sprinkle black and white toasted seeds on deviled eggs.

• Add toasted white seeds to your recipe for hot wings.

• Sprinkle toasted white seeds on baby back ribs during the last few minutes of grilling, after you smear them with spicy barbecue sauce.

• Make a seasoning for grilled meats by combining 2 tablespoons of black and white seeds, 2 tablespoons of coarse salt, 1 teaspoon of hot pepper flakes, and lots of cracked black peppercorns.