Seasonal Sesame!

Kite flying is something which is celebrated worldwide. It may necessarily not be on the Makar Sankranti day (i.e. 14th January) that we have in India. There are various kite flying festivals around the world where one can see so many enthusiast kite flyers gathering in an open field competing with one another. As a child, I used to love watching such gatherings on television and would always desire for the different kind of kites that they used to fly.

As a child during Uttarayn (Sankranti), I also remember hearing often from my grandmother that having ‘teel’ delicacy was a must. What was the importance of it was something that was completely lost on me. According to Āyurvēda, it is said that eating (seasonal) sesame seeds in winters is beneficial for our health. Spiritually, sesame seeds and sesame oil have the ability to absorb and emit ‘sattva’ frequencies more than any other oil.

Makar Sankranti, which falls in the second week of January, still has the nip in the air from the ongoing winters. Hence, I believe this is the reason why our elders insisted on having ‘teel’ during Sankranti, as it is easy to convince an individual by telling them that it is compulsory to consume certain things during festival, because nobody argues or questions then and the ‘teel’ ki chikki & ladoo tastes delicious.

But it’s not just the ‘sattva’ frequencies that we get from consuming ‘teel’. Sesame seeds are an excellent source of copper and a very good source of manganese. They are also a good source of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, B6 Thiamin Folate and Niacin, zinc, molybdenum, selenium, and dietary fiber, proteins and carbohydrates. In addition to these important nutrients, sesame seeds contain two unique substances: sesamin and sesamolin.

Lowers Cholesterol:

Both of these substances belong to a group of special beneficial fibers called lignans, and have been shown to have a cholesterol-lowering effect in humans, and to prevent high blood pressure and increase vitamin E supplies in animals. Sesamin has also been found to protect the liver from oxidative damage.

Controls Diabetes & reduces cancer risks:

Significant health benefits of Sesame seeds include prevention and control of diabetes; reduction in risks of cancer; improving and support of bone health; as a strong anti-inflammatory agent; facilitating and improving colon health, digestion and preventing constipation; boosting oral health cellular growth and metabolic function.

Cardiovascular Health:

It is also known to help in reducing cardiovascular diseases and hypertension; reduces signs of premature aging and strengthening muscle tissue and hair. It is known to be very beneficial in protecting DNA from harmful effects of radiation either from accidental or natural sources or caused by chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Oral Health:

Sesame seeds and sesame seed oil help in boosting the oral health by removing dental plaque and whitening your teeth.

Skin Benefits:

Sesame is rich in powerful antioxidants and possesses antibacterial and antiviral properties. It offers several benefits to your skin by bringing blood and nourishment. The oil extracted from sesame seeds is rich in omega-6, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamins B and E which have been used as products of beautification.

-It helps tighten the facial skin, particularly the area around the nose, and controls the enlargement of pores

-Mix the sesame seed oil with rice or besan and massage your face thoroughly. Leave it on for some time and then wash it off with warm water.

These are some of the Sesame seeds benefits. Sesame seeds are packed full of essential nutrients and we should try to use them in our everyday diet.

SOUL Tip: To begin with you can get yourself sesame breads, once you get used to the taste you can try other things as well.

(Some text source india.com)

(Lookout this space for some ‘teel’ delicacies later)

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