By Maryann Readal

Everyone is familiar with this famous quote from the ancient Arabic folktale, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, where Ali Baba uses the magical phrase to open a cave where stolen treasures are hidden and where his brother Cassim is trapped. The story is one of the most popular tales in the Arabian Nights. The Babylonians considered sesame seed to have magical properties, and some say that this is the reason why Ali Baba used the phrase “Open, sesame” to open the cave. Others say that the phrase mimics the way the sesame seed pod opens. It pops open when the seeds are mature–just what Ali Baba hoped would happen to the blocked cave entrance in front of him. Another explanation is simply that Ali Baba just overheard the thieves saying “Open Sesame” to open the cave. 

There are some other old stories about sesame. An Assyrian myth claims the gods were enjoying sesame seed wine before they created the earth (Schlosser, 2007). The Hindus believed that the god of the dead, Yama, created sesame for use as a purifier and a symbol of immortality in death rituals (Hayes, 1961). 

Sesame is considered to be the oldest seed for making oil known to man. It is, indeed, a very old spice. Sesame, Sesamum indicum L., is the sesame species that has been cultivated in India for centuries. Many wild and native species of the plant grow in sub-Saharan Africa. Some say that the Chinese burned the seed oil in their lamps and used the oil to make ink for their ink blocks 5000 years ago. Archaeologists have found charred pieces of sesame seed in India dating back to around 3500 B.C. The Indians were trading sesame seed oil with the Mesopotamians around 2000 B.C. Sesame seeds were found in baskets in King Tutankhamen’s tomb. They were also listed in the Ebers Papyrus (1550 B.C.) as a medicinal herb. Sesame oil was a common carrier for perfumes and herbal medicines. The Romans combined sesame and cumin and ground them into a paste for their bread. They spread honey on bread coated with sesame paste to give them energy before going into battle. In Africa, the seeds were called “benne” and enslaved peoples brought the plant to the Americas and began to grow sesame there.  

Sesame is an annual plant and is easily grown in dry, hot places. Fertile ground and moderate rainfall ensures a good crop. It does require at least four months of above-freezing temperatures in order to produce the seeds. It grows to about two to six feet tall. It has a long blooming season and has a lavender or pink-tinted white,  tubular flower resembling foxglove. There are about twenty, one-inch seed pods on each plant, each containing about 100 seeds. When the seed pods are nearly ripe, the plants are cut, tied in bunches, and stood upright to dry. They are then threshed to loosen the seeds, which are collected and then hulled. The seeds can be black, white, tan, or red, depending on plant variety. Unless a special variety of sesame is planted, machines are not effective in harvesting the seeds, so the plant is usually grown by small farmers using a lot of manual labor. After processing the seed for oil, the resulting seed cake is used for animal feed or ground into flour.

In 2020, Sudan was the world’s largest producer of sesame. The U.S. produces some sesame with growing centered around Paris, TX (Tucker and Debaggio, 2009). Japan and China are the biggest importers of sesame seed, understandably, considering their cuisines. The seeds are about 45-63 percent oil (Tucker and Debaggio, 2009). The oil resists becoming rancid because of its antioxidant properties (Dunford, 2021).

Sesame oil is an essential ingredient in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cuisines. It is used in sauces and marinades and in frying. The Middle Eastern sweet, halvah, is made from sweetened sesame seeds. Tahini is also made from sesame seeds, and is the primary ingredient in hummus and baba ghanoush. The seeds, when toasted, have a sweet, nutty flavor and make a nice topping for bagels, crackers, cookies, and, of course, hamburger buns. Sesame is also an ingredient in the Levantine spice mixture, za’atar. 

The health benefits of sesame and its oil are many. Sesame has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic Medicine for a long time. The leaves of sesame contain mucilage and have been used as a laxative and to treat cholera and dysentery. Studies show that the active components in sesame oil help to inhibit prostate and breast cancer and other tumor growth, and to lower cholesterol levels (Dunford, 2021). The component, sesamine, is used to treat arthritis. The oil is also good for the scalp to treat dandruff and lice. Because of its astringency, sesame seed oil may aid in improving dull and aging skin and can tighten large pores (Glenn, 2020). Sesame oil is a rich source of antioxidants and fatty acids, which are important for heart health (WebMD, 2022). However, sesame has recently been found to be the ninth major allergen in the U.S. and products containing sesame seed must now be labeled as containing an allergen (Dunford, 2021).

Sesame is The Herb Society’s Herb of the Month for October. For more interesting information about sesame, please visit The Society’s website and Facebook pages. There is good information in both of those places.

Medicinal Disclaimer: It is the policy of The Herb Society of America, Inc. not to advise or recommend herbs for medicinal or health use. This information is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered as a recommendation or an endorsement of any particular medical or health treatment. Please consult a health care provider before pursuing any herbal treatments.

Photo Credits: 1) Arabian Nights by Maxfield Parrish (Public Domain); 2) Harvesting sesame seeds (Matthew James Read); 3) Sesamum indicum plant with flowers and seed pods (Chrissy Moore); 4) Sesame seed bagel (Shisma, via Wikimedia Commons); 5) A bottle of sesame oil (Amazon)

References

Chevallier, Andrew. 2000. Encyclopedia of herbal medicine. New York: Dorling Kindersley.

Dunford, Nurhan Turgut. 2021. Sesame oil properties. Accessed 9/9/23. Available from: https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/sesame-seed-oil-properties.html#:~:text=Sesame%20oil%20may%20contain%20up,cancer%2C%20and%20alleviating%20postmenopausal%20syndrome

Glenn, Lori. 2020. Sesame Oil. Accessed 9/1/23. Available from: https://www.herbalgram.org/resources/herbclip/herbclip-news/2020/sesame-oil/

Hayes, Elizabeth S. 1961. Spices and herbs around the world. New York: Doubleday.

Herbalist of MDidea Extracts Professional. 2015. Sesame: origin, history, etymology and mythology. Accessed 9/9/23. Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20180125134833/https://mdidea.com/products/new/new06704.html

Schlosser, Katherine. 2007. The Herb Society of America’s essential guide to growing and cooking with herbs. Baton Rouge, LA: LSU Press.

Tucker, Arthur and Thomas Debaggio. 2009. Encyclopedia of herbs. Portland, OR: Timber Press.

WebMD. 2022. Sesame oil: is it good for you? Accessed 9/9/23. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/diet/sesame-oil-good-for-you

Maryann is a board member of The Herb Society of America and a Texas Master Gardener. She is a member of The Society’s Texas Thyme Unit in Huntsville, TX. Maryann is also a certified Native Landscape Specialist. She lectures on herbs and plants and does the herb training for several Master Gardener programs. She gardens among the pines in the Piney Woods of East Texas.