Black sesame, the seed that nourishes by moistening

Uniformly black and glossy, black sesame seeds (Hei Zhi Ma) are both a food and a substance of the Chinese pharmacopoeia. A second way of writing their name contains the character for fat, and says what this seed is: oil, for half its weight. Its ancient name, Hu Ma, « the hemp of the Hu », tells of a journey: the Qi Min Yao Shu relates that Zhang Qian brought the seeds back from the Western Regions, under the Han.

Nourishing the Liver and the Kidney

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, black sesame is sweet and neutral: the very profile of a food, adding neither Heat nor Cold, which is why tradition uses it over long periods. It is associated with the Liver, which stores the Blood, and with the Kidney, which stores the Essence, and it gently replenishes both: it is a food-grade tonic, not a substance that forces. Tradition also makes much of its colour, black substances having an affinity with the Kidney; Li Shizhen drew the rule from it: white sesame for oil, black for the pharmacopoeia.

Moistening while nourishing

Its seed is oily, 50 to 55 % fat, and in tradition what is oily moistens. Associated with the Large Intestine, black sesame moistens the Intestines: its oil acts straight away, and the replenished Blood gives the body the means to moisten itself. A whole seed, however, passes through the body without giving anything up: it must be ground, ideally after dry-roasting, which also brings out its nutty aroma. Modern research is looking in particular at sesamin.

Key benefits

Nourished Blood & Gentleness

A food-grade tonic, black sesame gently nourishes the Blood and the Essence, and has its place in everyday eating.

Supported Liver & Kidney

According to TCM, it supplements the Liver and the Kidney, and its neutral nature allows it to be taken over long periods.

Comfortable Transit

Rich in oil, it moistens the Intestines and supports intestinal transit, without forcing anything.