Do Sesame Seeds Really Help Lower Cholesterol?

Not many are aware, but sesame seeds are more than just a flavorful addition to your hamburger bun. They are backed by a series of nutrients including manganese, protein, vitamin E, fiber and unsaturated fat. The beneficial usage of sesame goes back to centuries. It has been used in China and India to treat several medical conditions including baldness, skin infections and for promoting dental health.

Sesame Seeds: Discovering the Truth Behind their Impact on Cholesterol:
Sesame seeds are great when it comes to lowering cholesterol as well. Read on for further details in this regard. Several studies have been carried out till date to gauge the impact of sesame seeds on lipid levels. The outcomes of these studies have been mixed – which invariably tells us that the impact of sesame seeds on cholesterol is not infallible.

Most of the studies included people who already had high trigycleride or cholesterol levels. These people consumed around 25 – 50 grams of sesame seeds daily for two months. Notably, sesame seeds contain high amount of fats. As such, many studies replaced the calories usually consumed in the diet with sesame seeds. They were not added to the diet as extras.

While in some studies, the impact of sesame seeds on the cholesterol was hardly noticed, in others, it was found that they had a major role to play in the lowering of LDL cholesterol by 8-16%. Additionally, total average cholesterol was reduced by 8%.

The Final Words..
Sesame seeds contain a lot of healthy ingredients that presumably have an effect on the levels of cholesterol. Sesamin, for instance, is known to block absorption of cholesterol from the small intestine and minimize the actions of HMG CoA reductase, known as one of the major catalysts for cholesterol. The presence of soluble fiber also results in lower LDL cholesterol levels.