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Quick Summary tl;dr
Sesame oil contains sesamin, sesamolin, and sesamol, compounds that protect fragile polyunsaturated fats from oxidation.
Sesame can inhibit the conversion of omega-6 fats into certain inflammatory molecules, possibly helping to lower inflammation.
In animal and clinical studies, sesame has been shown to alter lipid metabolism, lower triglycerides, increase HDL, and lower oxidative stress.
Processed seed and vegetable oils are typically considered to be unstable and inflammatory, in part, because of their high omega-6 content.
Overconsumption of omega-6 fatty acids from these "seed oils" can lead to an increase in the omega-6/3 ratio in your body, promoting inflammation (more about omega-3 here).
Over evolutionary history, the human species rested happy near an omega-6/3 ratio of about 1:1. By contrast, today the average American has a ratio of 16:1 or higher. (Simopoulos, 2016, Simopoulos, 2016)
What’s more, studies in genetically engineered mice suggest that having a higher omega-6/3 ratio alone, independent of differences in dietary content, can contribute to worse health and disease. ( Kaliannan et al, 2019) Admittedly, rodent fat metabolism is different that that of humans; but since you can’t germ-line engineer humans, these are the studies we must do to separate essential fatty acid ratios from diet.
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That said, I do enjoy five different plant oils. Olive oil and avocado oil are the first two exceptions. But then again, olives and avocado are actually fruits.
Macadamia oil and hazelnut oil are also exceptions. All four of these oils — olives, avocado, macadamia, and hazelnut — are characterized by having far less omega-6 fat and far more monounsaturated fat.
Sesame oil is my fifth exception and actually contains a decent amount of the omega-6 fat, linoleic acid. About 40% of the fat in sesame is linoleic acid, which is less than industrial vegetable oils like soybean and corn oil (55-60%), but not by much. So, what makes sesame special?
Sesame Oil is Stabilized by the Terrific Trio
The omega-6 fats in sesame are protected by powerful natural antioxidants called sesamin and sesamolin. What’s more, as sesamolin is heated, it is thermally converted into an even more powerful antioxidant called sesamol.
In a 2015 study, scientists measured omega-6, linoleic acid, oxidation in the absence of any of these three antioxidations and in the presence of each one. All three members of the trio antioxidants — sesamin, sesamolin, and sesamol — erased 96 to 98% of omega-6, linoleic acid oxidation. Granted, this is an in vitro model, but these data are consistent with the human data mentioned below. ( Kumar et al, 2015)
Three antioxidants in sesame almost entirely erases omega-6 oxidation in vitro, which is consistent with sesame’s overall antioxidant effect in humans.
Sesame Oil Inhibits Generation of Inflammatory Molecules
The omega-6, linoleic acid, can be converted into inflammatory compounds. One of the proteins important in this conversion is an enzyme called delta-5-desaturate.
It turns out that the sesamin in sesame oil can inhibit this enzyme and, thereby, block the production of certain inflammatory molecules. ( Shimizu et al, 1991) At the same time, it leaves omega-3 and anti-inflammatory fat metabolism untarnished. ( Umeda-Sawada, 1995)
What does this suggest practically? It suggests that sesame may bias omega-6 and omega-3 metabolism towards an overall anti-inflammatory balance.
Personally, I love drizzling toasted sesame oil over salmon, mackerel, or sardines to get the benefits of sesame plus the omega-3 power of my three favorite fatty fish.
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Sesamin in sesame inhibits the enzyme delta-5-desaturase, blocking the generation of certain proinflammatory molecules from omega-6 fat precursors.
Clinical Data on the Health Effects of Sesame Oil
There have been several studies demonstrating that sesame oil, sesame extracts, and even tahini can decrease triglycerides and increase HDL or protect against oxidative stress and inflammation in humans. ( Sankar et al, 2010)
For example, a study conducted in 45 osteoarthritis patients found that supplementing with only 40 grams of sesame for 8 weeks lowered the go-to blood marker of oxidative stress (MDA) by a significant 30%, as compared to the control group in which MDA levels did not change. ( Haghighian et al, 2014)
The human data are complicated by variations in patients’ baseline characteristics, but I believe there is enough there to consider experimenting with sesame oil for yourself.
How to Use Sesame in Recipes
There are several ways you can incorporate sesame into your diet — in the form of seeds, oil or tahini (blended sesame seeds).
Sprinkle some sesame seeds over salads like this Seared Ahi Tuna Bowls, or use to make Everything Bagel Seasoning and add to this Creamy Egg Salad or sprinkled over Deviled Eggs. You can also use the seasoning to make veggie "sandwiches" like this Bell Pepper Sandwich with Smoked Salmon & Avocado.
Sesame seeds go well with salmon as they add both crunch and flavor. Try on this Sesame Crusted Salmon with Coconut Cauli-Rice or Ginger & Lime Grilled Salmon.
If you're low-carb and miss bread, you should make these Nut-Free Keto Buns which use sesame flour and sesame seeds as topping.
My favorite way to eat sesame is by making Tahini Dressing! It's versatile and can be drizzled over any vegetables or proteins. Try with some Grilled Eggplants, Grilled Eggplant & Red Pepper Salad, Chargrilled Broccolini or Smoky Roasted Mushrooms! You can also use tahini dressing serve with any meat skewers, especially chicken.
Love crunchy snacks? Make a batch of these Crispy Multiseed Keto Crackers and serve them with creamy dips such as Baba Ganoush, Roasted Zucchini Hummus or Avocado Hummus.
To add both texture and flavor to any meals, make this Savory Nut-Free Seed Granola or Roasted Nut & Seed Dukkah. Serve them as salad toppings or sprinkled over avocado wedges.
And if you've got a sweet tooth, make a batch of these Low-Carb Tahini Swirl Cookies, Crunchy Nut-Free Keto Cinnamon Cereal or Persian Sohan Asali Keto Caramels. The options are endless!
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