06 Nov Sesame and Its History
Sesame and Its History
Dating back to 3000 B.C., sesame seeds are one of the oldest seeds known to humankind. Although we do not have exact information about its origin, historians accept the fact that the Ancient Egyptians obtained flour from this miraculous seed and made bread from this flour. Sesame is grown in the tropical regions of Africa and Asia commonly. India, Myanmar, China, and Sudan are the biggest sesame producers in the world, they hold 68% of the world production. In the world, India ranks first in the production and field of sesame seeds. Sesame is grown in different seasons that cover almost all agroecological zones
For centuries, Chinese people have not only cooked sesame or burned it for lightening purposes, but also used it to soot in blocks of ink in order to obtain a type of ink. Romans used it to make a kind of bread from a mixture they made by picking sesame seeds and mixing them with cumin on a wide surface. It is a known fact that African slaves brought sesame seeds to America. Sesame seeds are small and have a pearly white color. It is seen that sesame seeds soon became an integral part of the meals especially in the South America region and nowadays it is possible to find them everywhere in the world from Central America region to Asia and North Africa regions. Sesame seeds have been a source of food and oil for ages. They are still the main source of oil used in the meals of Near and Far Eastern communities. Sesame is an oil plant which contains an oil amount of more than half of its seeds’ weight (50-60%). It is used in the production of tahini and tahini halva and in soap, medicine, and cosmetics industries mostly. In Turkey, it is mostly cultivated in the Aegean, Mediterranean, and Southeastern Anatolia regions.
Benefits of Tahini
• ● Tahini, one of the foods which contain high antioxidants, helps prevent free radical damage in the body thanks to these antioxidants. Deterioration of the cell structure is delayed in this way.
● Being a powerful anti-inflammatory, tahini prevents the inflammatory inflammation in the body and relieves the pain of injury and inflammation with this characteristic.
● It is good for stomach disorders as it covers stomach like a protective layer when consumed without any additive ingredient.
● Makes you get hungry long time after eating thanks to its high level of protein and nutritional values.
● The Vitamin E abundantly present in it beautifies skin and accelerates recovery of wounds.
● Tahini increases body resistance, gives you energy and you feel less cold especially when consumed with molasses during winter season.