Health Benefits of Sesame
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Sesame has been used in cuisine and for medicinal purposes for more than 5,000 years and was proven to be a potent cure for numerous conditions and diseases. Sesame seeds are packed with nutrients and their oil is also extremely healthy and beneficial. These tiny seeds contain proteins, manganese, phosphorous, copper, vitamin B6, calcium, zinc, magnesium and iron. Now let’s see how they can help you.
Diabetes Prevention
As mentioned above, the sesame seeds contain magnesium, thus they are efficient in fighting against diabetes. A study has revealed that the effect of glibenclamide, an anti-diabetic drug, is boosted when taken with sesame oil. This oil can also help patients with hypertensive diabetes in lowering their plasma glucose.
Fights Dental Plaque and Gingivitis
The sesame oil is extremely beneficial for your oral health and it has been used for this purpose for thousands of years. Gurgling sesame oil for a few minutes can help you prevent dry throat, bleeding gums, halitosis and teeth decay. It can also strengthen your jaw, gums and teeth and reduce the bacteria in your mouth.
Lowers Blood Pressure and Protects the Heart
Thanks to the magnesium contained by sesame, these seeds can lower your blood pressure in hypertensive patients. Sesame oil has been proven to reduce both dystolic and systolic blood pressure and, at the same time, reduce the antioxidant status and the lipid peroxidation that can lead to various heart diseases.
The sesamol in the sesame seeds is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant and can prevent the atherosclerosis lesions, thus boosting the cardiovascular health.
Promotes Healthy Skin
The zinc in the sesame seeds is important for producing the collagen that offers elasticity to your skin. Moreover, zinc is also essential for treating and repairing the damaged tissues. So, whenever you have a skin related disorder or a burn, you can rub some sesame oil on it to sooth the pain and speed up the healing process.
Promotes Bone Health
The above mentioned zinc is also beneficial for boosting the bone health by increasing their mineral density. A recent study has shown that osteoporosis and zinc deficiency are strongly related. Furthermore, the sesame seeds also contain calcium, a mineral that is crucial when it comes to bone health. Consuming enough sesame seeds containing calcium and zinc can prevent numerous bone conditions.
Prevents Cancer
The sesame seeds are a great source of phytate, a powerful anti-cancer substance. Moreover, they also include magnesium, a mineral with various anti-cancer properties. Various studies have shown that those consuming sesame seeds on a regular basis can reduce the risk of developing colorectal tumors and cancer by up to 13% mainly because of the magnesium in these seeds.
Boosts Digestive Health
It is well-known that sesame seeds have numerous fibers, meaning that they are effective in cleaning and detoxifying your colon and maintaining a healthy digestive system.
Sesame seeds can also help you with other conditions such as: iron deficiency anemia, stress, lowering cholesterol, preventing constipation, intestinal parasites, detoxifying the body, lactation disorders, PMS symptoms and protecting against DNA damage caused by radiation.