‘Til’ or sesame seeds have been a kitchen commodity in every Indian household for generations. Known to humankind for thousands of years, sesame seeds are a powerhouse of minerals and earned a special place in Ayurveda and other traditional medicinal forms. From maintaining beauty and youth to providing sufficient dietary fibre, sesame seeds, or til are prized by many holistic and alternative medicines for its therapeutic properties and ability to fight several health conditions.
While you may not be using til a lot, your ancestors sure used it in a variety of dishes to prolong their life by building up good immunity along with fibre and protein content. These tiny nutty-flavoured seeds undoubtedly offer an excellent alternative to the processed foods used for the same reason.
Top 11 health benefits of Sesame Seeds
#1 Healthy Skin and Hair
Are you losing hair by the lump or feel like your skin glow is diminishing? Then, turn to sesame seeds before you pick up any manufactured skin and hair product. The seeds and its oil contain tremendous organic properties that restore the skin’s glow and hair’s strength. Packed with Vitamin B complexes, such as thiamine, niacin, folic acid, pyridoxine, and riboflavin, these seeds are among the best organic alternatives to attain healthy skin and hair.Along with regular seeds consumption one can get into once a week scalp and body massage routine to improve skin and hair health.
#2 Stronger Bones
Til contains a considerable amount of calcium required for the human body. Even the presence of zinc acts as a critical mineral in strengthening the bone structure. As per multiple studies, eating sesame seeds regularly can help prevent osteoporosis later in life.
#3 Helps Control Blood Sugar Levels
Multiple studies have claimed that eating sesame seeds or their oil helps regulate blood sugar, especially for diabetic people. In the long run, it acts as an organic blood sugar regulator due to its low carbohydrates, high protein, and healthy fats content. Additionally, the presence of pinoresinol, a high-value plant-derived lignan with multiple healthy effects, plays an essential role in maintaining and regulating blood sugar levels.
#4 Keeps Blood Pressure in Check
You already know that sesame seeds are rich in magnesium. But, did you know that they help to prevent hypertension and blood pressure? Polyunsaturated fats and the compound present in sesame oil are known to keep blood pressure levels in check.
#5 Organic Source of High Energy
Along with numerous vitamins and minerals, sesame seeds are also a good source of energy as they have high-fat content mainly the omega 3 fats. They also contain elevated amounts of fibre, iron, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus that boost energy levels
#6 Pain and Allergy Reliever
Til is rich in essential minerals and provides your body with a much needed dose of copper, magnesium, and calcium. While copper is suitable for people with rheumatoid arthritis, magnesium is ideal for people with respiratory problems.
#7 Good for Your Thyroid Health
Our thyroid gland contains the highest concentration of selenium of any organ in the body, playing a critical role in making thyroid hormones. Sesame seeds supply almost 18% of the selenium reference daily intake (RDI) from both unhulled and hulled seeds, making them the right dietary choice to combat thyroid. Additionally, the presence of iron, copper, zinc, and vitamin B6 in these seeds support the creation of thyroid hormones and aid thyroid health.
#8 Improve Body Immunity
With all the coronavirus talk going around the world, immunity has become a trending topic. Sesame seeds help you in building up your immunity with their power-packed minerals and vitamins. For instance, the intake of zinc helps to develop and activate T-lymphocytes which are part of the body’s immune system that recognize and attack invading microbes.
#9 Helps Maintain Mental Well-being
Sesame oil contains an amino acid, tyrosine, which impacts serotonin activity. It is a neurotransmitter that affects our mood. An imbalance of serotonin could lead to depression or stress, and sesame seed oil helps in the production of serotonin, lowering the chances of anxiety and improving feelings of positivity.
#10 Improves Digestion
Constipation is a common digestive issue faced by multiple people. If you’re also struggling to maintain a clear digestive tract, turn toward black sesame seeds. They help in curing constipation with their high fibre and unsaturated fatty acid content. While the oil found in these seeds can work as lubricate for your intestines, the fibre helps to keep smooth bowel movements.
#11 Contains Antioxidants and Has Anti-inflammatory Properties
Sesame oil has sesamol and sesaminol. They are two antioxidants that have positive effects on your health. They reduce cell damage caused by free radicals. Moreover, sesame oils also have anti-inflammatory properties which help to treat joint inflammation, toothaches, and scrapes.
