super benefits of Til in Indian cooking. Sesame seeds, known to most as til in India, have been long-established as a part of winter food. Black and white are 2 common varieties of sesame seeds. Used to make Til chikki to laddu and roti in West of India to ghajak in North of India, sesame seeds form an indispensable part of Indian winter foods. Apart from these foods, they are also a common ingredient added to salads and topped on a variety of breads. These tiny nutty flavoured seeds are essentially to be a part of every healthy diet. They are packed with nutrients and essential oils which are used a variety of medicinal purposes. With numerous nutrients to its credit, sesame seeds play a role in fortifying your immune system and improving your state of health.
So how do these seeds benefit you? Let’s study it in detail.
1. Sesame – a good source of protein : These tiny white seeds are indeed a good source of protein. ½ cup provides around 11 g of protein to build bones, enhance muscle mass and promote cell health. It has specific amino acids including lysine and tryptophan. These high protein seeds are widely used in a weight loss diet to boost metabolism too.
2. Sesame – a calcium booster : Half of daily requirement of calcium is fulfilled by consuming ½ cup of sesame seeds. That’s truly amazing! Isn’t it? This aids in promoting skeletal health, which is the backbone of our body. This mineral is therefore known to age related osteoporosis. Another remarkable benefit of calcium is maintenance of teeth and oral hygiene. Chewing on calcium rich seeds assists in strengthening teeth, while use of sesame oil is known to keep your mouth germ-free and reduce bad breath.
3. Sesame – a dose of iron ad folic acid : Sesame seeds are a storehouse of iron. Ask a nutritionist what to eat to increase RBC count and hemoglobin levels? And they would recommend sesame seeds and garden cress seeds for sure. These tiny seeds help to prevent iron deficiency anaemia and boost your energy. Folic acid is another nutrients necessary for the formation of RBC and prevent megaloblastic anemia. Regular consumption of sesame seeds is sure to ward off your worry about poor concentration and fatigue associated with anaemia.
4. Sesame – a potent cholesterol lowering seed : The lignans, a type of polyphenol, present in seed does wonders to naturally reduce cholesterol levels. Sesame seeds also abound in the monounsaturated fatty acid, oleic acid, which helps in lowering the bad cholesterol and increasing the good cholesterol in the body. This reduces the risk of development of atherosclerosis and also the likelihood of heart diseases and stroke.
5. Sesame – a boon for diabetes : These white seeds provide substantial amounts of magnesium too. A deficiency of magnesium leads to insulin resistance. By keeping up with your magnesium levels in the body you can control your blood sugar levels. Try it with magnesium rich sesame seeds.
6. Sesame – a free radical fighting seed : The lignans and fiber in til help to fight the free radicals in the body, which are essentially formed as a by-product of metabolism and are known to enhance the chances of cancer. Reduce these possibilities by feasting on healthy nuts and seeds like walnuts, almonds, flax seeds, chia seeds including sesame seeds.
7. Sesame – a skin and hair care food : Zinc is a very crucial nutrient to support hair and skin health. While a good amount of zinc is often present in non-vegetarian foods, these seeds serve the same purpose for vegetarians. Zinc helps in collagen synthesis (to give elasticity to skin) as well strengthens hair from its root. You can blindly rely on zinc as a key nutrient to overcome the problem of hair fall and dandruff too. Chewing a few sesame seeds is the best nourishment you can give your hair and skin.
8. Sesame – an anti-hypertensive agent : Again, it’s magnesium which is the key nutrient here. It acts as a vasodilator and is effective in reducing blood pressure. ½ cup of sesame seeds make up for 60% of daily requirement of magnesium.
9. Sesame – a digestive aid : The fiber and the oils in sesame lubricate the intestine and helps in the easy movement of bowels. They keep you free of digestive disorders. 10 g of fiber from just ½ cup of til is quite a considerable dose to support the health of your digestive system.
10. Sesame – an anxiety reliever : Sesame is a good source of stress- relieving nutrient – magnesium. It also abounds in amino acid tryptophan which achieves its effect by promoting the release of serotonin, one of the key brain chemicals involved in regulating mood. Serotonin helps you provide the feeling of calmness and relaxation. Because the body can't make it's own tryptophan, it must be taken in as part of the diet; for this reason turn to sesame seeds.
11. Sesame – a DNA protective agent : The sesamol compound present sesame seeds and oil has been found to prevent DNA damage due to harmful radiations and maintain cell integrity and in turn organ health.
Nutritive Information for Sesame seeds, Til:
½ Cup of sesame seeds is about 60 grams
RDA stands for Recommended Daily Allowance.
Energy - 338 calories
Protein – 11 g
Carbohydrate – 15 g
Fat – 26 g
Fiber – 10 g
See full nutritional details of sesame seeds in Sesame seeds, til glossary click here.
Cooking Winter Fare with Sesame Seeds, Til
1. Til Chikki
3. Black Sesame Seed Chutney Recipe
4. Til ke Ladoo
6. Til Chutney
Also read….
More Uses of Sesame Seeds
All About Sesame Powder
What is Sesame Paste