Sesame, Cholesterol Lowering Little One Who Is High In Calcium

Sesame topped sushi illustration (Unsplash / Tim-Luca Lagmöller)

JAKARTA - Sesame, small granules shaped like eyes are most often used for sprinkling on food. Both eastern and western foods, such as sushi, teriyaki, burgers, cheese sticks to traditional Indonesian food, onde-onde also use sesame. How does it feel?

Sesame has a savory taste and is slightly sweet, like nuts. If baked, the sweet taste will be more pronounced. There are two kinds of sesame, namely black and white sesame. Launching from Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School, sesame contains lignin and phytosterols.

Two substances in sesame seeds are compounds that can lower cholesterol. Sesame seeds also contain calcium and magnesium which are effective in controlling blood pressure. Not infrequently, sesame seeds are processed into sesame oil.

This clear colored oil is rich in healthy unsaturated fats, used for sauteing and baking. Besides being processed into oil, sesame is also processed into tahini, pasta, and the main ingredient of hummus.

Sesame is known since 1600 BC, its ingredients make it used in all kinds of dishes. Reporting from Healthline, 1 ounce of sesame seeds contains calories (160), fiber (3.3 grams), protein (5 grams), monounsaturated fat (5.3 grams), omega-6 fats (6 grams), copper. , manganese and magnesium.

Various interesting studies prove that sesame is not an ordinary seed. Sesame can be converted by intestinal bacteria into another type of lignin called enterolactone.

This compound can work like estrogen, while the lower lignin compounds can treat heart disease and breast cancer.

Another study found that postmenopausal women who consumed 50 grams of sesame seeds daily for five weeks lowered blood cholesterol significantly.

Apart from these benefits, other studies have also found that sesame can reduce inflammation, respiratory problems including arthritis.

Not yet finished the benefits of sesame, another recent study found that knee asteoarthritis reduced the level of inflammation after consuming 40 grams of sesame seeds every day for two months.

It was also found that if consumed by athletes for 28 days it reduced muscle damage, muscle tension, and increased aerobic capacity.

Especially for the black sesame seed variety, it is high in microminerals. Its functions in addition to those mentioned above, can regulate metabolism, improve cell function and boost the immune system.

To get maximum benefits, sesame seeds can be mixed in healthy foods. For example, sprinkled on a vegetable salad, after baking it can be sprinkled on top of fresh drinks such as smoothies.