Sesame seed oil

Technical Data Sheets :

Botanical Name: Sesamum Indicum. The other names of Sesame seed oil are Gingelly oil, Asian sesame oil, Benne seeds oil, Sesamolina and Hulled sesame seeds.

Common Method of Extraction: Sesame oil is extracted with cheaper and physically demanding techniques like hot water floatation, ram presses, bridge process, ghani process or by small scale expeller. This is the case of developing countries. But in developed nations expeller press is used widely, machines or by pressing.  It can also be extracted using the cold press method. This is widely used for sesame oil for food because the chemical content will be less in this. Depending on the usage people use solvent extraction, neutralization and bleaching. The colour of the oil varies depending upon the method extraction.  Cold pressed oil is pale yellow in colour, Indian sesame oil is golden in colour and East Asian oil is brown in colour. If the seeds are roasted you tend to get the dark brown colour. The taste of the oil also differs in the roasted and raw seeds.

Parts Used: Seed

Note Classification: Base

Aroma: The aroma of Sesame oil is not strong but faint with a peculiarly sweet, nutty sesame aroma.

Largest Producing Countries: Mynamar, India, China, Ethiopia and Sudan.

Traditional Use: During Indus valley civilization sesame was cultivated and it was the main oil crop. Later around 2500 BC it was exported to other countries. Sesame seed is the first crop processed for oil.  Assyrians used sesame oil for food before 600 BC. It was also used in medicine. Hindu believed that the oil is sacred and used it light lamps in front of Gods.  The oil was and is popular in Asian countries like Korea and China. It is also popular in the southern states of India like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Properties: Sesame oil is widely used in cooking in South India and as flavouring in Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Middle Eastern cooking. It is used in traditional massages and treatments. Ayurveda medicine uses the sesame oil as lot in their medicines. It is good to control blood pressure because of the presence of antioxidants and polyunsaturated fats. It is a source of Vitamin E and contains copper, zinc, calcium, iron and Vitamin B6. Magnesium in the oil helps vascular and respiratory health. It is good for colon cancer, osteoporosis, and migraine and is good for bone health.  Sesame oil can cure sinusitis and with a throat gargle it can cure bacterial throat infections. Sesame oil is a natural Ultra Violet protector.

Blends Well With: Sesame oil blends well with all essential oil especially with almond and grapeseed oil.

Of Interest: Sesame oil has been in use for healing thousands of years before. Mention of the oil is there in the Vedas. It is also the oldest oil seed crop known to human beings.

Safety Data: Sesame oil may produce allergic reaction to some. But the percentage is very less. People with diarrhoea are not advised to consume sesame oil.