Health benefits of Sesame/ Gingelly Oil

Sesame oil (Sesame indicum) also known as gingelly oil is widely consumed as cooking oil and as medicine in traditional and oriental therapies. It is one of the two oldest oils known to mankind, the other one being coconut oil.

Sesame oil has received greater attention by food scientists due to the presence of unique minor compounds that have astounding health benefits. Regularly consuming Sesame oil could be an effective treatment for controlling degenerative diseases by reducing inflammation and regulating lipid metabolism.

Sesame oil is rich in both MUFA and PUFA (approximately 47% oleic acid and 39% linoleic acid). It also contains lignans such as sesamin, asarinin and sesamolin that are known to inhibit cholesterol synthesis in the gut and prevent cholesterol absorption.

Glycation of haemoglobin has been associated with cardiovascular disease, nephropathy and retinopathy in diabetes mellitus. There is an improvement in glycated haemoglobin levels after regular consumption of sesame oil which may be attributed to the antioxidative capacity of sesame oil.

The presence of the natural antioxidants such as sesamol, sesamolin, and gammatocopherol gives a high oxidative stability to the sesame oil. Cooking with sesame oil has been reported to help reduce high blood pressure and lower the amount of medication needed to control hypertension.

Vitamins C, E and b-carotene inhibits lipid peroxidation and high intake of these vitamins, particularly vitamin E, is related to reduced incidence of ischemic heart disease.

Oil Pulling with Sesame Oil

Oil pulling is a procedure that involves swishing oil in the mouth for oral and systemic health benefits. Oil pulling therapy with sesame oil has been used as a traditional remedy for improving general health. The concept of oil pulling has been discussed in the Ayurvedic text where it is mentioned to as kavala graha or kavala gandoosha. For oil pulling therapy, a tablespoon of sesame oil is taken in the mouth and rinsed for 10-15 min till the viscous oil turns thin and milky white. It is stated that the swishing activates enzymes and draws toxins out of the blood. The oil should not be swallowed as it contains bacteria and toxins. Oil pulling therapy should be followed by tooth brushing and rinsing of the mouth. It is preferably done on an empty stomach in the morning.

Thus, the queen of oil has been addressed as boon of Mother Nature due to its health benefits to mankind.

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Image Credit: Flickr/ Cathy Stanley-Erickson

7 Natural Strategies to Control Blood Pressure

“An alarming one in three American adults has high blood pressure”, claims a report titled Controlling your blood pressure, published by Harvard Medical School.

Blood pressure is the force exerted on the arteries by a wave of blood propelled from the heart. Since our lifestyles are often what lead to high blood pressure, you can reduce and control blood pressure in a healthy range simply by making lifestyle changes. Here are 7 natural strategies you can adopt to reduce and control your blood pressure.

7 Natural Strategies to Control Blood Pressure

1. Adhere to ideal body weight. If you are overweight try to reduce it steadily.
2. Start off your day with physical exercises - not less than 30 minutes.
3. Include polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats in your diet. Examples are sunflower oil, safflower oil, canola oil and olive oil. Intake of Saturated fat should be less than 6 %. Butter, palm oil, coconut oil are rich sources of saturated fat.
4. Common salt consumption should be less than 6 gms.
5. Include potassium rich foods in your diet. Tomatoes. Cabbages, potatoes, mushrooms, spinach are good sources of potassium.
6. Calcium and magnesium should be a part of your daily food intake for maintaining your overall health.
7. Stop smoking and limit alcohol intake to 50 ml per day.

The above 7 natural strategies are merely guidelines for you to follow; please note that your blood pressure treatment and goals should be tailored to you personally.

ABOVE ALL CHECK YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE REGULARLY.

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Image Credit: Flickr/ Direct Relief

Nutritional Benefits of Water Melon

Water melon is a celebrated snack throughout the hot summer months. It refreshes us, quenches our thirst and prevents dehydration.

In spite of the common belief that watermelon is made up of only water, it’s a nutrient packed fruit that provides great amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants with very low calories.

Nutritional benefits of Water melon

• Water melon is one of the high Lycopene foods and is essential for our cardio-vascular and bone health.
• Lycopene is also a well-known antioxidant that neutralizes free radical molecules known to cause cancer.
• The ripe fruit contains amino acid, citrulline which prevents accumulation of fat inside fat cells thereby helping in weight loss.
• Watermelon is a very good source of vitamin C and boosts our immunity.
• Due to its high water (92 %) and fibre content, it prevents constipation and regulates the peristaltic movement of digestive tract.
• It’s a good source of vitamin A, which is great for our hair and skin.

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Image Credit: Flickr/ Hajime NAKANO