Sesame — Healthy little seeds that help delay cell aging
A rising star of the Japanese health food world
Sesame, which is believed to have first been cultivated in India, is prized the world over for its culinary and medicinal uses.
Societies across the globe have long recognized the health benefits of this seed, which comes in white, black and golden varieties.
And now that modern science has finally revealed the nutritional basis for this traditional wisdom, many Japanese have been inspired to incorporate more sesame into their daily diets.
Sesame lignan eliminates active oxygen
Sesame lignan, an antioxidant found in sesame, has actually been shown to eliminate active oxygen from the body.
Active oxygen — which is produced as a result of stress, UV light and intense exercise —is so highly oxidized that it causes damage to cells.
By helping to eliminate it from our bodies, sesame lignan helps improve liver function, lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and boost the metabolism.
Keeps the skin youthful too!
As if that wasn`t enough, the linoleic acid and vitamin E in sesame have also been shown to combat premature skin aging.
To get all these benefits and more, start by adding about 10 grams of sesame into your daily diet.
Just bear in mind that the hard shell of sesame seeds can be hard to digest, so you might want to try the ground version, known as surigoma in Japanese. And remember that sesame is high in fat, so enjoy it in moderation!
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