Welcoming the winter, with Sesame seed

Here comes the winter, bringing with it the knee, joint and all sorts of body pains, dry skin and chapped lips. Isn't this when we see the maximum number of advertisements for lip balms, lotions and moisturizers.

Is applying a petroleum product topically, a solution for dry skin? Are pain killers really effective in treating joint pain and knee aches?

On the other hand, the only side effect of a food, when used as medicine, is good health . This is very true in the case os Sesame Seed. , the hero of the winter

People have used this for several years as a calcium supplement. The calcium does not get get deposited on your arterial walls or create kidney stones (common side effects of calcium tablets). It lubricates your joints and strengthens your bones which makes it very good for those who suffer from arthritis of any type. It reduces blood pressure , has anti inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties and is great for your lipid profile/Cholestrol. Being a great source of omega 3 fatty acid and rich in antioxidants and Vitamin E, it is not only great for your heart, but also for your skin, hair and brain. You will no longer have to pop yucky fish oil supplements from now on. The winter hair fall and split ends will also be reduced.

The sesame seed oil which our ancestors called as nallennai in tamil and Malayalam has the literal meaning. It’s the good oil. Though not marketed as the ‘heart healthy oil’, this is the best oil. The other ‘heart healthy’ oils don’t stand anywhere against this. It has the perfect ratio of omega 3, omega 6 and omega 9. This oil is best consumed without heating, like we do with idli, dosa . Traditionally, all pickles were made in this oil and should be continued to do so.

Making the sesame laddu/ellurundai/ellunda/chikki is the perfect snack for winter, as i) it has jaggery which is most suited for winter (more on this in future posts) ii) it’s yummy and kids will just grab it and eat rather than running behind them to make them eat ii) its easy to make at home as well.