Happy Fall!
The mood in the air is getting a little spooky, and with that comes pumpkin-spice treats and lots of festivities. As Autumn rolls in, it’s the perfect time to check in with your skin, especially as your environment and weather changes around you! As you know, my area of expertise is all things nutrition! My goal is to help you learn about different foods you may be less familiar with, and how to use them as the perfect complement to your skincare routine. Let’s chat about a really cool thing you can add to your fall meals this season to promote vibrant, non-inflamed skin, and combat acne!
You might think we are going to go the traditional route of pumpkin or squash of some sort, but instead I decided to take a really great question I was posed recently and share this top notch ingredient…
The secret ingredient is… SESAME!
We are going to break down sesame seeds versus oils, and why adding this delicious ingredient to your meals this fall is so crucial.
Sesame seeds are fantastic fats and also pack a lot of fiber. They are super easy to add to a meal, not terribly priced, and have tons of benefits not only for your skin health, but your overall health as well.
I recommend sesame seeds as an addition to meals to clients all of the time. Especially when a client is having difficulty staying full after eating breakfast or lunch. Because sesame seeds are jam packed with fiber and are fats, they can really make a difference with remaining full until your next snack or meal.
These tiny seeds can do big things like maintain skin moisture, protect against UV, promote collagen production, and my favorite, heal and prevent acne. Sesame seeds contain zinc which is a big baller at reducing acne issues. Their antioxidants promote lowered inflammation, playing a role in acne healing, and they are absolutely amazing for balancing hormones.
You may be wondering if using sesame seeds is the same as sesame oil. I think this is great to consider. Sesame oil has an incredible taste, and I love a delicious Asian style dish with it! Important things to consider when utilizing sesame oil are:
Attention to amount used as it is high in fat
Oxidation (fancy way of saying that certain temperatures can cause free radicals to form in your body which are going to result in health issues and poor skin health)
Sesame oils tend to have low smoke points when they are dark refined oils. This means that they smoke at a low temperature and are not ideal for cooking. The low smoke point can cause this oxidation that I mentioned, and let’s just say this is not a chemical reaction we want going in our bodies.
So while sesame is a great ingredient to use to your benefit for skin health, it’s crucial, like with anything else, that you ensure you are not sensitive to it, that you use it accordingly for your health, and that you use it to promote eating a wide variety of nutrient dense foods.
Are you sold on “sesame szn” yet?? Try this cozy Fall recipe and let us know what you think!
Pumpkin and Sesame Seed Hummus
Ingredients:
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste
Water (to thin, if needed)
Instructions:
Blend Ingredients: In a food processor, combine pumpkin puree, tahini, sesame seeds, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
Adjust Consistency: If the hummus is too thick, add water a tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
Serve: Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with extra olive oil. Serve with pita chips or vegetable sticks.
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