Fight Inflammation and Reduce Cholesterol with Sesame Seeds

The only time most Americans eat sesame seeds is on the buns of their Big Macs. That’s a shame because these seeds offer numerous health benefits. Their most unique constituent is a lignan called sesamin, which turns out to be one of nature’s most effective fat-soluble antioxidants.

In addition to fighting free radicals, sesamin increases blood and tissue levels of vitamin E, including the particularly potent gamma tocopherol form, which helps put the brakes on inflammatory processes in the body.

Sesame seed lignans also reduce cholesterol. Studies have shown that taking 32 mg sesamin or 40 grams of sesame seeds daily lowered total cholesterol and improved the LDL:HDL ratio. Other studies suggest that they may also protect against breast tumors and other hormone-mediated cancers.

Need another reason to add sesame seeds to your diet? They taste great. Sprinkle them on salads or cereal, add them to baked goods, or eat them in the form of tahini, which is kind of like peanut butter made from ground sesame seeds.

Sesamin supplements are also available in health food stores. Look for a product standardized for 60 percent sesamin and take 20–40 mg per day.

Now it’s your turn: Do you have a favorite way to enjoy sesame seeds?

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