Sesame: Seeds for a small surplus energy
Sesame is probably one of the first oil seeds cultivated by man. Some authors attribute the magic formula "open sesame you" in fact observed for millennia, that consumption of sesame has a favorable effect on memory and mental clarity. In the East it is the symbol of abundance. She has a reputation to maintain or restore the vitality to be a tonic and help fight fatigue and stress.
Since time immemorial, sesame has been used as an oil, which does not go rancid, almost, for food preparation and as a beauty. In Hindu mythology, sesame was a symbol of immortality.
There are different varieties of sesame. They can be brown, black or white. The black variety is low in oil but richer in trace elements than the brown variety.
Sesame is grown in Central Africa, Mexico and Central America and South America, Sudan, India, China and Japan.
When it is white sesame is peeled. It is best to consume sesame whole, because the envelope is separated by a chemical process that reduces its nutritional value. The sesame seeds sold in the traditional trade have generally been chemically treated during cultivation, it is important to eat only organically grown seeds.
Sesame seeds are rich in protein of good quality (22%) containing all essential amino acids. They are also rich in minerals assimilable organic (magnesium, potassium, copper, iron), vitamins B and E.
They contain 52% fat, 85% of unsaturated fatty acids.
One of the constituents of sesame seeds is sesamin, a lignan found to be a very powerful antioxidant and some researchers as a weapon against certain cancers. Lignans are especially effective in the fight against breast cancer and possibly prostate cancer. Even when tumors are able to develop, lignans have the effect of slow and even stop its growth. A study on guinea pigs, showed a decrease of 50% of breast tumors, after adding flaxseed to their diet. Lignans seem to contribute to the fight against cancer, bacteria, viruses and fungi.
Sesamin also increases the amount of vitamin E available in the blood and tissues, including the powerful gamma-tocopherol that can reduce the level of inflammation in the body.
The lignans in sesame seed can also lower the bad cholesterol (LDL) and increases good cholesterol. (HDL).
How to eat
Using the simplest is to put sesame seeds on salads, salads, cereals, in soups, as a topping on cakes and biscuits.
There are also some very nutritious product sesame
The tahini or tahini: It is a sesame butter obtained from grinding sesame seeds lightly toasted. It may be added a small amount of salt (marine preferred).
The gomasio: It is a salt of sesame. The seeds and sea salt are slightly toasted separately and then ground together. The sesame oil which is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, essential amino acids and lecithin, strengthens the nervous system and neutralizes acidity, while the salt promotes the secretion of gastric juices and stimulates the entire metabolism. We will use the gomasio to season food. This is an excellent alternative to traditional table salt.
The Middle East halvah prepared from crushed sesame seeds and honey.
Finally note that the famous and very nutritious "hummus" dish of Lebanese origin, is composed of a basic butter or sesame tahini, which is added a puree of chick peas, yogurt and other ingredients that vary from recipe to another.
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