sesame & it’s history

Sesame seed is one of the oldest oil-seed crops known, domesticated well over 3000 years ago. Sesame has many other species, most being wild and native to sub-Saharan Africa.

Historians have dates some charred remains of sesame recovered from archeological excavations to 3500-3050 BC. Some reports claim sesame was cultivated in Egypt during the Ptolemaic period.

Egyptians included sesame in the list of medicinal drugs in the scrolls of the Ebers Papyrus dated to be over 3600 years old and called it sesemt.

The historic origin of sesame was favored by its ability to grow in areas that do not support the growth of other crops. It is also a robust crop that needs little farming support—it grows in drought conditions, in high heat, with residual moisture in soil after monsoons are gone or even when rains fail or when rains are excessive. It was a crop that could be grown by subsistence farmers at the edge of deserts, where no other crops grow. Sesame has been called a survivor crop.

sesame benefits

Sesame seeds are full of high quality protein, in which protein makes up 20 percent of the seed. It also helps lowering cholesterol levels as it contains phytosterols that block cholesterol production. The rich magnesium levels it contains is a key nutrient known to help lower blood pressure. In addition to that it is good for digestion due to the high fiber content . Also, needless to say that the high zinc content helps produce collagen, giving skin more elasticity and helping repair damaged body tissues. Regular use of sesame oil can reduce skin cancer.