Sesamum indicum - Pedaliaceas
Food and Cosmetics
The plantThis herbaceous, oil-producing tropical plant is one of the oldest known cultivated plants. It is found as early as 2500 B.C. in Mesopotamia, Syria and Palestine. Today it is cultivated mainly in India, China, Central America, and around the Persian Gulf.
Oil ExtractionThe fruit is a sort of capsule, containing 200 seeds each. The tiny, oval-shaped seeds are longish and flat and can be black, red, or white in color.
When pressed, the seeds produce vegetable oil. The oil content is approximately 50 - 57%.
There are two ways of obtaining the oil:
- the seeds are toasted: the oil is dark amber in color with a rich, nutty flavor
- the seeds are not toasted: the oil is very light in color and neutral in taste.
Sesame oil is a staple of Oriental cooking.
CompositionIt is mainly composed of unsaturated fatty acids: 43% oleic acid and 41% linoleic acid
Fatty acids:
Palmitic acid C16:0 8 - 11 %
Palmitoleic acid C16:1 max 0.3 %
Stearic acid C18:0 4 - 6 %
Oleic acid C18:1 37 - 42 %
Linoleic acid C18:2 w6 39 - 47 %
Linolenic acid C 18:3 w3 max 0.6 %
Arachidonic acid C20:0 max 1 %
It is also very rich in protein, fiber, vitamins (including vitamin E: between 20 and 50 mg per 100 mg) and mineral salts.
It contains sesamolin and lecithin, two natural antioxidants.
PropertiesHighly concentrated in linoleic acid, it can be used to fight cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure and bad cholesterol.
The vitamin E content endows it with anti-free-radical properties.
The presence of lecithin - an essential nutrient for the nervous system, the brain and the endocrinal system - makes it effective in treating problems of memory and intellectual performance.
Traditional qualities and uses
Sesame oil was a remedy of choice in Ayurvedic medicine. It was one of the ingredients used in treatments for rheumatismal ailments.
There are also records of it being used for culinary purposes by the Babylonians and the Gauls. As early as the 7th century B.C., the Chinese used sesame seeds to treat insect bites and minor burns.
Sesame oil is a staple of Oriental cooking.
Culinary useIt is suitable for frying, since it does not easily turn rancid.
Sesame is particularly resistant to oxidation. Regular consumption of sesame oil is thought to slow the process of cellular aging and extend the cellular life span, thereby prolonging life expectancy.
Cosmetic useThe essential fatty acids contained in sesame restructure cutaneous tissue, making it beneficial to skin and hair. It is effective against skin irritations and dryness.
When used as a massage oil, it relieves rheumatism, sciatica and back aches.
Because it has the property of absorbing ultraviolet rays, it is added to sun creams. It is effective against skin irritations, such as eczema, psoriasis, or flaking. It also tones up hair and nails.
Virgin sesame oil and the fight against free radicals. The antioxidative components "sesamol" and "sesaminol" make it a restructuring oil.
- External use: treatment of dryness and skin irritations
- Internal use: preventive treatment for cardiovascular diseases
- Culinary use: an effective cholesterol-lowering agent.
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