Fight Inflammation, Blood Sugar Issues, and Heart Disease with This Powerful Healthy Fat

We know that eating fats benefits our health in more ways than one. There are so many out there to choose from, but oftentimes, we get stuck in the rut of using the same ones over and over again, like olive and coconut oil. As for other healthy fats in the form of plant oils that we should be aware of, there’s the mighty sesame oil. In fact, eating it may help you sidestep inflammation and other chronic health conditions.

Sesame Oil Benefits For Your Health

Sesame oil is derived from raw, pressed sesame seeds. It can be used cosmetically as a skin and haircare product, and consuming it could benefit your health in so many different ways.

For one, sesame oil is high in antioxidants, which fight free radical damage to our cells. When free radicals harm our cells, chronic inflammation and other serious health conditions can result. Specifically, sesame oil is high in the antioxidants sesamol and sesaminol, which have shown in studies to protect heart cells from damage and increase overall antioxidant activity in the body. And since it works to combat inflammation, sesame oil may be helpful to use if you have arthritis. Animal studies show that sesame oil reduced joint pain and inflammatory markers in arthritic rats.

As a healthy fat, sesame oil has benefits for your heart and blood sugar levels, too. Sesame oil is made up of 82 percent unsaturated fatty acids, which have shown to reduce LDL “bad” cholesterol levels while boosting “good” HDL levels. Research in animals suggests that ingesting sesame oil could help prevent plaque buildup in the arteries, thereby protecting the heart. Findings from one human study even suggested that adding sesame oil to one’s diet may be more effective for improving cholesterol than olive oil.

In a similar light, eating healthy fats like those in sesame oil have shown to help reduce blood sugar levels, and it could be a good option if you have diabetes. One specific study done on 46 adults with type 2 diabetes found that ingesting sesame oil for 90 days significantly reduced fasting blood sugar and hemoglobin A1c, which is a measure of long-term blood sugar control.

Luckily, adding sesame oil to your diet is easy. It has a slightly nutty flavor and blends really well into asian dishes like stir fries. Try it in sauces, marinades for meat and fish, and vinaigrettes, too. Just make sure you’re using a high-quality oil, like this one from Kadoya (Buy on Amazon, $13.07).