Black Sesame Seeds: An Anti-Aging Secret

Did You Know…that black sesame seeds are a nutritional anti-aging powerhouse of health and longevity?

An ancient Chinese anti-aging secret is hidden within the pods of Sesamum indicum, or the sesame plant.  According to the Compendium of Materia Medica, the most comprehensive Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) book ever written…

“Taking black sesame seeds can heal all the chronic illness after 100 days, improve skin tone on body and face after 1 year, reverse gray hair after 2 years, and regrow teeth after 3 years.”

Associated with longevity in both the Chinese and Hindu traditions, black sesame seeds improve:

  • Heart health
  • Liver and kidney function
  • Mental acuity
  • Vision
  • Hearing
  • Hair and skin

Black Sesame Seeds and TCM 

According to TCM, aging is the result of a deficiency of blood and jing in the liver and kidneys.  (Jing is the Chinese term for essence, especially as it applies to kidney essence.)  Your liver is responsible for clearing your blood of toxins and pathogens by…

 

  • Producing bile (a digestive juice that breaks down fats)
  • Storing sugar in the form of glycogen

Your kidneys likewise filter waste from blood, but also help lower your blood pressure, keep your bones strong, process urine, and regulate your body’s chemical balance.  When your liver and kidneys succumb to the pressures of age, you may experience blurred vision… hearing loss… gray hair… ringing ears… and weak bones and joints.

For centuries, TCM practitioners have been proscribing black sesame seeds to restore blood and jing to the kidneys and liver and to reverse age-related symptoms.

Black Sesame Seeds’ Nutritional Profile

B Vitamins and Iron: A deficiency in Bs and iron has been linked to a decline in memory function, a loss in hearing, and a higher likelihood of premature graying.  Rich in the B vitamins and iron, black sesame seeds help to both prevent and rewind these signs of aging.

Calcium and Magnesium: 1/4 cup of black sesame seeds delivers 126 mg of magnesium and 35 mg of calcium, nearly 35% of the recommended daily value of these minerals.  Calcium and magnesium help protect against heart disease by normalizing blood pressure, and help reduce the occurrence of tension and migraine headaches by inhibiting blood vessel spasms.  Calcium builds strong bones and helps protect against osteoporosis, and magnesium relaxes muscles and promotes regular and deep sleep patterns.

Copper: Black sesame seeds are rich in copper, an anti-inflammatory mineral that decreases the pain and swelling associated with inflammatory conditions like arthritis.  Your body depends on an adequate store of copper to stimulate the production of an enzyme needed to build collagen and elastin, two proteins that provide structure and suppleness to bones, joints, and skin.

Zinc: When you don’t have enough zinc in your bloodstream, your immune system starts to falter and your bone density decreases.  Black sesame seeds deliver a heaping helping of zinc to decrease your risk for osteoporosis and bone fractures.  Zinc also sharpens your immune system so you’re less likely to succumb to the common cold.

Sesamin and Sesamolin: these two substances belong to a group of dietary fibers called lignans that help lower cholesterol levels and protect the liver against free radical damage.

Experts say to look for unhulled sesame seeds, which are richer in nutrients like calcium, and store in a cool, dry, dark container.