Organic sesame seeds: small golden specks, and minerals in quantity

Sesame seeds are far more than a culinary ingredient. On minerals, they line up a set that few foods bring together — and not the ones you might expect.

Calcium, and a word about portions

With 975 mg of calcium per 100 g, sesame exceeds a whole day’s nutrient reference value — a rare thing for a plant food. Calcium contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and to the maintenance of normal teeth. Magnesium goes with it, at 351 mg: magnesium contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.

Let us be precise, because this is where many product pages cheat: nobody eats 100 g of sesame. A tablespoon weighs about 10 g and therefore brings close to 100 mg of calcium, the equivalent of a small pot of yoghurt. Two tablespoons a day over a dish is not nothing — and that is the real way to benefit.

Iron, the argument nobody expects

With 14.6 mg of iron per 100 g, sesame again exceeds the daily reference value, and does better than most red meats weight for weight. Iron contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, contributes to the normal function of the immune system and contributes to normal oxygen transport in the body. Serve with a squeeze of lemon: vitamin C helps absorption.

Skin, hair and nails: copper and zinc

Sesame provides 4.1 mg of copper per 100 g, four times the reference value: copper contributes to maintenance of normal connective tissues and contributes to normal skin and hair pigmentation. And 7.8 mg of zinc: zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal skin, normal hair and normal nails, and contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

Energy

Its magnesium plays a second role: magnesium contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism. Sesame seeds are also high in fibre, whose satiating effect is welcome between meals.

Support for the heart

Sesame fats are overwhelmingly unsaturated. Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats in the diet contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels.

Flavour: a crunchy touch for every recipe

With its lightly nutty taste, organic sesame transforms a dish in seconds. Toasted or raw, it brings crunch and character to salads, bowls, home-made bread, even desserts. Use it as a seasoning, as a paste (tahini), or simply scattered over a plate. One minute in a dry hot pan changes its aroma completely.

Further reading: five good reasons to adopt sesame.

Where these figures come from

The values shown come from published reference data for whole dried sesame seed and give a reliable order of magnitude; a particular batch may vary slightly. The wordings in bold are those authorised by Regulation (EU) No 432/2012.