Sesame Oil Sesamum indicum Family: Pedaliaceae CTFA name: Sesame (Sesamum Indicum) Oil

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Photo © Steven Foster

Introduction

The Sesamum indicum plant is a strong-smelling annual or short-lived perennial with white, tubular, bell-shaped flowers often tinged pink and spotted,¹  and small, sausage shaped pods containing numerous tiny pear-shaped seeds that can be white, yellow, brown, or black.²  African in origin, sesame has been cultivated in India and the Near East for thousands of years and is now widely naturalized and cultivated throughout the world.¹  

History and Cultural Significance

Sesame plants were grown in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Babylonia,¹  and were cultivated at least four millennia ago in Mesopotamia.³  Egyptian Ebers papyri (around 1500 BCE) mention what is probably the sesame plant.¹  Sesame, cited by ancient Greek writers, was cultivated for oil in ancient Babylon.²  As one of the oldest vegetable oils, it is pressed from the seeds.⁴  Archeologists have uncovered sesame seeds and elaborate oil extract equipment dating around 900-600 BCE near Yerevan in Armenia.¹  While the seeds and leaves are also used, all uses mentioned in this overview focus on sesame oil.

Sesame oil is an important traditional cooking oil in Asian cuisine and macrobiotic cooking.^2,4  As a culinary oil, it is flavorful, free of unwanted odors, very stable and resists becoming rancid.^1,2,4,5  Sesame oil is used in the manufacturing of margarine, lubricants, soaps, salad oils, and good quality cooking and seasoning oils.^1,4,5,6  Sesame oil is nutrient dense, high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, and a natural antioxidant.^2,5  

Sesame oil is currently used as a solvent³  by pharmaceutical companies in injected drug or intravenous-drip solutions.^1,7  It is mainly used in the cosmetics industry as a carrier oil.⁷  In agriculture, sesame oil has been used in coating stored grain to prevent weevil attacks.⁸  The oil also has synergy with some insecticides.⁹  

Sesame oil has been used in Chinese medicine since the 16th century.⁴  It has been used as a substitute for olive oil in making liniments, ointments, plasters and other preparations for external uses in India and the African, Eastern, and North American Colonies.^6,10  Due to its natural antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties, sesame seed oil has been used as a healing oil for thousands of years.⁷  Internal uses for the oil include as a mild laxative for dry constipation, especially in the elderly, and to promote menstruation.^1,6  Externally, it has been mixed with lime water and used for burns, boils, and ulcers.¹  Sesame oil can be used as massage oil and for soothing and healing burns and minor skin eruptions.⁴  The Egyptians applied sesame oil after bathing for hygienic and medicinal purposes.¹¹  In Ayurveda, traditional Indian medicine, sesame oil is considered a rejuvenating tonic.¹  Ayurvedic medicine promotes the application of the oil on the head to relieve headache and dizziness,¹⁰  as well as to help treat teen acne, keep the skin soft and supple, tighten facial skin, and help heal minor abrasions.⁷  In many traditional Middle Eastern societies, it is used to prevent many common skin infections and to treat lice infestations.⁷  In some Asian and Middle Eastern countries, the oil is used to treat diaper rash, prevent colds by swabbing inside the nose, and to cure chronic sinusitis with sesame oil nose drops.⁷  

Modern Research

One study showed nasal mucosa dryness, stuffiness, crusts, and other symptoms improved with a sesame oil nasal spray over standard treatment with an isotonic sodium chloride solution.¹²   Another study showed that, in conjunction with high blood pressure medication, sesame oil lowered blood pressure, cholesterol, and increased antioxidant levels when used as the primary cooking oil.¹³  

Future Outlook

The main producers of sesame are India and China, with other big producers in other parts of Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the West Indies.^1,2  World production of sesame is an estimated 2 to 5 million tons, but this number fluctuates due to local economic crop production pressures and weather conditions.⁷  In 2002, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations ranked sesame sixth in world production as an edible oil seed (2,893,114 million tons) and twelfth in overall world production of vegetable oil (754,159 million tons). In 2003, the world trade in sesame seed was 486,000 metric tons. Japan and the U.S. were the largest importers with 24% and 8% of the world imports respectively. Future growth predictions for imports of sesame seed are 6% to 8% per year until the year 2012.⁷  

USDA 2002 baseline projections for sesame cultivation in Mexico are expected to remain fairly stable throughout the next decade with larger amounts being imported although productive capacity is projected to be restricted.¹⁴  

Organically produced sesame is preferred in the global market.¹⁵  India produced 100 tons of organic sesame and other organic oilseed products in the 2002 export market.¹⁶  With international demand for sesame having markedly increased in recent years, small farmers in West Africa have been developing sustainable sesame crops for export since 2003.¹⁷