8 Powerful Health Benefits of Sesame Oil

The sesame plant’s nutritional qualities have inspired some to dub its seeds the “Queen of Oilseeds.” Belonging to the Pedaliaceae family, a group of plants harvested for their edible seeds, its scientific name is Sesamum indicum. Sesame oil, or gingelly oil, is an edible oil derived from sesame seeds. Sesame seeds are small, yellowish-brown seeds primarily found in Africa, but they also grow in smaller numbers on the Indian subcontinent. Sesame oil has a nutty, flavorful taste and is considered a healthier alternative to other vegetable oils because of its anti-inflammatory properties.

Why Sesame oil and not others?

The oil has gained quite a bit of popularity in recent years because it is relatively inexpensive to extract (simple hot water floatation or various pressing techniques). It is best to remove the seeds when they are completely ripe, which means that the outer shells burst. The impressive amount of vitamins such as vitamin E and vitamin K, as evidenced by the USDA National Nutrient Database, organic compounds, and other sesame oil benefits, are a few reasons why it is considered so healthy. Raw, pressed sesame seeds are used to make oil. There are various sesame oil uses such as in cooking, medicinal, and cosmetic uses. Let’s look at what science-backed health benefits can be enjoyed when you add this oil to your diet.

Powerful Health Benefits of Sesame Oil

1.  Helps To Fight Stress and Depression

Tyrosine, an amino acid found in sesame oil, helps to relieve anxiety and sadness by flooding the brain with the required enzymes and hormones. It’s the perfect antidepressant that doesn’t have any negative side effects! Magnesium and calcium, both stress-relieving elements, are also found in sesame. It also contains thiamin and tryptophan, two amino acids that have a role in creating serotonin. You will feel calmer, and stress will be reduced if you have adequate serotonin.

 2. Helps To Reduce Blood Pressure

If you have high blood pressure, eating a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products while avoiding saturated fat and cholesterol can drop your blood pressure by 11 mm Hg. Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) is the name of this eating strategy. Sesamin and sesamolin, two chemicals found in sesame oil, have been shown to naturally lower blood pressure and reduce the load on the cardiovascular system. Sesame seeds contain up to 25% magnesium, a strong vasodilator that helps to decrease blood pressure and protects cardiovascular health.

3. Helps in Lowering Cholesterol

According to several studies, eating sesame seeds daily can help lower high cholesterol and triglycerides, which are risk factors for heart disease. Sesame seeds are high in saturated fat (15%), polyunsaturated fat (41%), and monounsaturated fat (39%). When used in place of oils high in saturated fats, it may help decrease cholesterol levels. In one-month research of 48 people, it was shown that those who ingested four tablespoons (59 ml) of sesame oil daily had lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides than those who consumed olive oil.

4. Prevents Premature Hair Greying

There are countless sesame oil benefits for hair. Sesame or til oil benefits for hair can be obtained when you massage your hair and scalp to prevent premature greying. The oil offers hair darkening characteristics that help keep your hair’s natural colour. The compounds in this oil may help improve the lustre and strength of your hair. An eight-week trial revealed that daily consuming sesamin and vitamin E pills improved hair strength and shine.

5. Rich in anti-inflammatory properties

Chronic inflammation may be hazardous and lead to sickness, so it’s critical to keep it bare minimum. Sesame oil has long been used in traditional Taiwanese medicine to treat joint pain, toothaches, and scrapes due to its anti-inflammatory effects. Sesame oil has recently been demonstrated in animal and test-tube tests to decrease inflammatory indicators like nitric oxide production, which may be one of its key health advantages.

6. Good for the heart

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated lipids are found in sesame seeds, which may help in heart health. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), moderate quantities of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats may help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by lowering the levels of harmful cholesterol in the blood.

7. Helps to control blood sugar

Sesame seeds reduce blood sugar levels. Over 60 days, participants who ingested sesame oil had the highest drop in blood sugar levels, according to a 2011 research published in the journal Clinical Nutrition. Pinoresinol is found in sesame seeds. Pinoresinol is a chemical that inhibits the enzyme maltase, which helps to manage blood sugar.

8. Helps to improve sleep quality

There is roughly 0.37 g of tryptophan in 100 g of sesame seeds. Tryptophan is an important amino acid that the human body does not make and therefore must be obtained from the diet. When tryptophan is given to our bodies, it aids in the manufacture of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that makes us feel calm and relaxed. This, combined with tryptophan, which aids in producing the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, will be a powerful combo for bettering our sleep. Sesame seeds are a good source of this amino acid, which our systems need to make serotonin and melatonin, two important chemicals for sleep regulation.

Final Thoughts

Sesame seeds are high in healthy fats, vegetarian protein, fibre, and antioxidant polyphenols, all beneficial to your health. They can also assist in lowering the risk of certain illnesses. In particular, lignans found in some seeds may help cut cholesterol and cancer risk.

Sesame seeds are a simple method to add healthy nutrients to your diet and maybe easily added to salads, yoghurt, cereal, and also create healthy food recipes using sesame oil such as chappati, paniyaram, etc. It is important you buy the best quality unpurified sesame oil, which is why we recommend buying sesame oil online or gingelly oil online from VVS. Since 1939, VVS & Sons have been manufacturing best quality sesame oil and various healthy food items like cold-pressed sesame oil online, chekku oil online, groundnut oil online, sesame seeds online, black and white sesame seeds online, and many more.

FAQs:  

Can we apply sesame oil to the face?

Massaging your face with sesame oil combined with other vegetable oil or face cream is really healthy. Gently massage your skin twice a day to notice a difference in your dull, damaged face skin.

Is sesame oil anti-ageing?

Yes, sesame oil has various benefits for skin. It is high in Vitamins A and E, important nutrients for healing and skin cell renewal. It can help reduce wrinkles, fine lines, and enlarged pores. This potent oil also includes antioxidants and sesamol, two compounds that combat free radicals, the major cause of ageing and skin damage.

Can I apply sesame oil to my hair?

Yes, you can. Sesame seeds have anti-ageing properties that delay premature greying of hair. According to specialists, sesame seeds offer several health benefits, including anti-ageing characteristics and a high level of omega fatty acids, stimulating hair development.

Can Sesame oil be used for massage?

Yes, sesame oil is good for skin and you can use it liberally on your skin for massage and moisturising purposes. Sesame oil massage benefits are tremendous as they have magnesium, zinc, copper, calcium, and manganese which are abundantly present in the oil. These nutrients help increase bone health and density while also lowering inflammation and oedema.

What is sesame oil good for?

Antioxidants thrive in sesame oil. It also includes lignans, sesamol, sesamol and vitamin E and phytosterols. These substances assist your body combat free radicals, which may lower your risk of chronic illness. The omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids in sesame oil are in a good proportion.

Can you stir-fry with sesame oil?

Sesame oil has a smoke point of around 420°F, and because it is extracted from toasted seeds, it retains this high level of smoke point. This makes it perfect for stir-frying.

Can I take sesame oil every day?

Yes, you can consume sesame oil every day. When used in place of oils heavy in saturated fats, it may help decrease cholesterol levels and aid in weight loss. It is said to help the body rid itself of pollutants. Because of its therapeutic characteristics, sesame oil is widely utilised.

Is sesame oil good for Indian cooking?

In India, sesame oil or gingelly oil is one of the most popular options. It has a silky texture and a milder scent that quickly enhances the flavour of your cuisine. There are numerous gingelly oil benefits when used in making various food items like sauté dosa, vegetable salad, chicken rice, gravy, sambar, chutney, and other dishes.