Sesame oil: Is it good for you?

The aromatic, flavorful oil has many beneficial effects on the body

IN THE NEWS: The American Heart Association lists a balanced diet incorporating monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats as the key to lowering bad cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of heart disease or stroke.

“More than 80% of sesame oil is made up of healthy, unsaturated fats,” says Jessica VanRoo, CCMP, executive chef for the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute, part of UCI Health, told USA Today.

“Sesamin and sesamol are two lignans found in sesame oil that have potent antioxidant qualities.”

Antioxidants help fight cell damage caused by free radicals and may reduce inflammation, lower the risk of developing heart disease and boost the immune system.

Jessica VanRoo is the executive chef of the UCI Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute’s Mussallem Nutritional Education Center, a teaching kitchen where whole health flourishes through food as medicine. As a certified culinary medicine professional (CCMP), she develops institute programs that please the palate and promote culinary medicine. She also contributes healthy and delicious monthly recipes to the UCI Health Live Well blog.

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