Toasted Sesame Oil

EDEN Toasted Sesame Oil also known as 'dark' or 'Oriental' sesame oil, has a distinctive nutty flavor that complements many foods. Its appetizing fragrance and rich taste make it a highly prized seasoning. Use EDEN Toasted Sesame Oil as you would other cooking oils. Toasted sesame oil enhances the flavor of rice, noodles, tofu, fish, and vegetables. Try in your next stir fry.

To make EDEN Toasted Sesame Oil whole sesame seeds are cleaned, slowly roasted in a rotary kiln to unlock their flavor and aroma, then placed in a screw press called an 'expeller' to extract the oil. The oil is gently filtered, then bottled in amber glass. Nitrogen flushed before capping to protect and preserve its fine nutrients, flavor and integrity.

EDEN Toasted Sesame Oil is rich in monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and essential fatty acids shown to promote a healthy balance of 'good' (HDL) cholesterol versus 'bad' (LDL) cholesterol. Sesame oil is especially rich in linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid that is necessary for proper cell membrane and nerve function, the production of healthy blood, and the promotion of normal growth. It is also a carrier for the fat soluble vitamins D, K, E, and A. Linoleic acid is also believed to help prevent hardening of the arteries and to moisturize the skin. EDEN Toasted Sesame Oil also contains sesamol, a natural preservative found in sesame seeds making it more shelf stable than most vegetable oils.

Researchers at the Osaka University have found that sesamin, one of the lignans most abundant in sesame seeds and sesame oil, has a a vasodepressing property that helps to control high blood pressure. In the December 2004 issue of the 'Journal of Hypertension', researchers reported that that sesamin may improve blood pressure control by its action on nitric oxide production and its ability to inhibit ET 1 production - which constricts blood vessels - from endothelial cells. Sesamin has already been demonstrated to have lipid-lowing effects, antioxidant effects, and immunoregulatory functions, according to a report published by Nutra Ingredients/Europe and Food Navigator/Europe, March 2005.

EDEN Toasted Sesame Oil to contain a number of beneficial phytosterols (plant esters), including b-sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol. Recently numerous studies have been shown phytosterols reduce total serum cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol by up to 10 percent without decreasing levels of beneficial HDL (good) cholesterol. Phytosterols are plant compounds that have a chemical structure similar to cholesterol competing with and effectively blocking the absorption of cholesterol causing it to be excreted as waste.

Sesame (Sesamum indicum) is a treasured herb native to Indonesia and Africa. It has been widely grown in tropical and subtropical Asia and in the Mediterranean region for thousands of years. The first formal cultivation of sesame is occurred around 3,000 B.C. in the Middle East and 1,600 B.C. in Egypt. The Egyptians are credited with being the inventors of sesame oil. Sesame seeds were introduced to Japan around 645 to 793 A.D. by Buddhist priests from Korea and China. Sesame oil production in Japan was recorded during the Heian Period (794 to 1191 A.D.).

Sesame plants grow about two to five feet and produce pretty purple cone shaped flowers. There are several varieties of the sesame plant that produce creamy white, black, and red seeds. When ready for harvest the seeds are encased in a protective hard shell that rattles with its precious contents. The entire plant is cut off at the base of the stem and stacked in an upright position against racks and allowed to dry. While drying the capsules that hold the seed split open. The plant is turned upside down and the seeds drop onto a cloth.

It is best to avoid commercial vegetable oil that is heated above its boiling point, filtered with the petroleum based solvent hexane, treated with sodium hydroxide, and chemically bleached and deodorized at 400 degrees F. These processes create an unhealthy product stripped of its natural nutrients, flavor, color, and aroma. For delicious and nutritious unrefined oils, choose EDEN.