25 Apr Black Sesame Seed Health benefits and dishes
Black sesame seeds are small, flat, oily seeds that grow in the fruit pods of the Sesamum indicum plant, which has been cultivated for thousands of years. Sesame seeds grow in a variety of colors, including shades of black, brown, tan, gray, gold, and white. Black sesame seeds are primarily produced in Asia, although they’re quickly gaining popularity around the world.
Black sesame seeds are rich in nutrients that support optimal health, and regularly eating them may have specific benefits. One reason why black sesame seeds could be so beneficial to health is due to the seeds’ effects on oxidative stress, particularly for people who are living with a chronic disease. In one 8-week mouse study, consuming 0.45–0.9 mL of a black sesame seed extract per pound (1–2 mL per kg) of body weight daily improved insulin resistance, treated oxidative stress in the liver, and appeared to protect against obesity. Furthermore, some human research has shown that black sesame seeds may help reduce oxidative stress. A study in 30 people found that taking 2.5 grams of black sesame seed capsules per day for 4 weeks significantly decreased levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), one of the most commonly used biomarkers of oxidative stress.
