Sesame seeds

Sesamum indicum

nuts & seeds

Seeds of an annual plant domesticated in India, probably the first oil plant ever grown; raw, ground or toasted in cooking and baking. They provide calcium, iron, magnesium and lignans, which the gut flora turns into enterolignans.

Origin

East Africa and India

Season (United States)

all year round · grows in your region

Preparation

Whole, with their hull, they carry far more calcium than hulled, but much of it is held back by oxalate. Soaking, sprouting or sourdough bring its phytates down — and release the zinc and iron they were holding. Its oxalates leach into water: boiling it and throwing the water out takes a good share with it.

Molecules

Lignans · Vitamin B1 (thiamine) · Vitamin B6 · Plant iron · Zinc · Magnesium · Calcium · Copper · Protein · Methionine · Tryptophan · Omega-6 (linoleic acid) · Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) · Phosphorus · Monounsaturated fatty acids · PhytosterolsIn small amounts, not counted InositolWhat slows things down Phytates · Oxalates

Did you know?

“Open sesame”: the ripe capsule opens with a sharp snap, like the cave.