Sesame oil seeds are rightly deemed as the ‘Queen of Oilseeds’. Cold pressed unrefined sesame oil seeds have a lot of benefits and thus are extensively used during cooking many dishes. Raw pressed sesame seeds give us this sesame oil that not only has culinary uses, but medicinal and cosmetic too. Let us look at how we get sesame oil, what its benefits are, and what nutritional value we harness from it.
How is Sesame Oil Obtained and How Do We Use It?
Let’s dive deep into how we actually get cold-pressed unrefined sesame oil. The scientific name of the sesame plant is Sesamum indicum. It belongs to the Pedaliaceae family, which has plants that are harvested for their edible seeds. We can actually use both toasted and raw seeds of the Sesamum indicum plant. If we use the raw seeds, the sesame oil we get is light in color and neutral or delicate flavored. If we put the oil extracted through these methods through the cold-press method, we can get cold pressed unrefined sesame oil. On the other hand, toasted sesame seeds give sesame oil richer and darker in color along with a nuttier taste.
Sesame oil has a wide range of benefits with being known as one of the healthiest oils today and serves as a storehouse of vitamins and essential minerals. It also has antioxidant properties and provides the necessary phytosterols and fatty acids needed in our diet. Sesame oil is generally added to dressings and marinades with an intention to sauté meat and vegetables. Many stir-fries, dips or sauces, sesame noodles, and vinaigrettes can be made by using sesame oil, at low to medium heat.
Ayurveda lists out its medicinal benefits as sesame oil is considered good for the skin and is often used while giving massages as it can penetrate deep into the skin, providing relief to any kind of stress. It has cosmetic benefits too and is well regarded for its benefits for our hair. For many different cosmetics, it is used as a carrier oil.
What are the Five Incredible Benefits of Unrefined Sesame Oil?
As we already mentioned above, sesame oil gives you wide-ranging benefits. Let’s look at the top five benefits that might just force you to switch to sesame oil for your cooking needs. Many of these benefits are proven by many rodent studies.
Loads of Antioxidants
Sesame oil seeds actually contain a lot of antioxidant materials. To start with, they are rich in two compounds – sesamol and sesamol, which have antioxidant properties. The seeds also contain lignans, which are usually found in plants. Lignans have unique chemical properties and physiological effects including having an antioxidant effect on the body. Sesame oil seeds also have Vitamin E, another powerful antioxidant.
Supplying our body with antioxidants is really important as they combat free radicals inside the cell to decrease any cell damage caused by the same. Generally, free radical accumulation inside cells leads to inflammation and diseases. A month-long study of the benefits of antioxidants on rats also showed how heart cell damage is prevented by them.
Unsaturated Fats are Better For Your Heart
A relative quantity of more unsaturated fats (MUFA and PUFA) is always better for you. While oils like ghee and butter are loaded with harmful saturated fats, sesame oil on the other hand has 82% unsaturated fats. For every 100 grams of sesame oil, 82 grams ( 40 grams MUFA and 42 grams PUFA) is unsaturated fats while a mere 14 grams are saturated fats. Adding to that, the oilseeds are rich in Omega 6 fatty acids.
Various researches have found that unsaturated fats are better for your heart and reduce the risk of coronary heart diseases (CHD). Research done in rats suggests that when compared to using saturated fats, unsaturated fats will slow down the formation of plaques or blockages inside your arteries. A month-long study in 48 people also concluded that when a group of them were given four tablespoons (about 59 mL) of sesame oil daily, LDL or bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels were reduced as opposed to the other group who was given olive oil.
A Natural SPF
Several studies claim that cold pressed unrefined sesame oil also acts as a natural sunscreen and SPF and that it can protect your skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun. This is credited to the antioxidant compounds inside it. However, there is not much study to prove how effective it is against the strong rays of the sun.
Other than that, it has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which is why it is highly valued in Ayurveda. It is a natural moisturizer for the skin and poses anti-aging benefits to rejuvenate the skin.
Support for Your Arthritis
Joint pain affects a lot of us and is a common consequence of osteoarthritis, something that is prevalent in 15% of the population. Sesame oil seeds have a high level of Zinc and Copper, which are stimulants for RBS production, good blood circulation, and metabolic activities. Its anti-inflammatory properties give relief to arthritis pain, reduce swollen joints, and make bones stronger.
Studies done on rodents have suggested that sesame oil is indeed linked to improvement in arthritis-related difficulties. For four weeks straight, rats were given daily doses of 0.5 mL per pound i.e. 1 mL per kg of their body weight. The rats showed a decrease in oxidative stress and symptoms of arthritis, like joint pain as mentioned above. So, there are definitely sources to suggest that sesame oil gives relief, but researches in humans are needed for confirmation.
Heals Burns and Wounds
When we go beyond just considering the health benefits of cold pressed unrefined sesame oil, we can explore how it is also useful in healing wounds and burns. First of all, we should know that ozone (O3) is a natural gas that has medical uses too.
The study showed that this treatment gave rise to higher levels of collagen within the wound tissue. Collagen, a structural protein, is essential for healing wounds. Other studies suggest that the time needed for healing wounds and burns in mice is reduced by topical treatment of sesame oil. This is probably because of the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant content in the sesame oilseeds. Again, research in humans will give us stronger proof to these claims though.
Nutritional Value of Cold Pressed Unrefined Sesame Oil
We can elucidate the nutritional value of sesame oil by considering the contents in one tablespoon of it. A tablespoon of sesame oil has about 120 grams of calories and 14 grams of fats. Also, sesame oil has Omega 3 fatty acids and Omega 6 fatty acids. The oilseeds are rich in compounds having antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. The unsaturated fat percentage is about 82% and saturated fats are about 14% in sesame oil seeds.
