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What Are Sesame Seeds?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Sesame seeds are the seeds of Sesamum indicum, an annual tropical plant which is probably native to Africa. The sesame plant is cultivated throughout Asia as well, and the seeds play a vital role in many ethnic cuisines. These seeds are used whole, ground into pastes such as tahini, or pressed for their rich, nutty oil. They are often available in all of these forms from large grocery stores or Asian specialty stores. Whole seeds should be stored in a cool dry place in an airtight container when they are not in use, and oil should be refrigerated.

In what is believed to be the earliest recorded use of a spice, an Assyrian myth stated that the gods drank wine made from sesame seeds the night before they created the earth. These seeds also have their place in other mythology and stories, suggesting that they have been used for over 5,000 years in cooking, and that they were greatly valued in some societies. These seeds appear to go rancid less readily than many other oil-containing seeds and nuts, making them highly shelf-stable without the benefit of refrigeration.

Sesame seed oil is a common ingredient in skin care.
Sesame seed oil is a common ingredient in skin care.

The sesame plant has white to pink flowers which develop within eight weeks of planting. Once fertilized, seeds will appear in four to six weeks. When they are ripe, sesame pods burst open to reveal the seeds inside, leading to the famous quote “Open Sesame.” The seeds range in color from white to inky black, with white seeds producing more mild, pale oil, and black seeds yielding dark, intensely flavored oil. Black sesame seeds are especially popular in Japan and China, where they are often used whole as a garnish. When eaten whole, the seeds are rich in manganese, copper, calcium, and vitamins B1 and E. The oil alone is also rich in vitamins B1 and E, and is sometimes integrated into skin care products.

Sesame seeds are rich in Vitamin E.
Sesame seeds are rich in Vitamin E.

The rich, nutty flavor of sesame seeds can be found in food around the world. Toasted, the whole seeds can be sprinkled on a variety of dishes for extra crunch and flavor. They are also used raw in some dishes. Ground sesame paste is used in both sweet and savory dishes, and is a primary ingredient in both hummus and halvah, two popular Middle Eastern dishes. The oil from white and brown sesame seeds is used as a cooking and flavoring oil, and black sesame seed oil may be used in small amounts for flavoring as well.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a DelightedCooking researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a DelightedCooking researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

Denha

I love sesame seed bagels. They are so delicious, especially freshly toasted.

stolaf23

@ivanka, two ounces of sesame seeds sounds like quite a lot to me, since they are a pretty fattening- 2 ounces would be about 50 grams, and 100 grams is over 500 calories; that's more than 250 calories in a small amount of seeds. However, even a few a day in your diet probably has good effects.

ivanka

Sesame seeds lower LDL cholesterol. About two ounces a day will is very beneficial.

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    • Sesame seed oil is a common ingredient in skin care.
      By: picsfive
      Sesame seed oil is a common ingredient in skin care.
    • Sesame seeds are rich in Vitamin E.
      By: Rasulov
      Sesame seeds are rich in Vitamin E.