Black Sesame Seeds
黑芝麻 · Hēi Zhī Ma
Moistens dry hair, dry skin, and stuck constipation
What it does
Dry hair, dry skin, and constipation that will not budge are what black sesame is for. It feeds the Liver and Kidneys, the systems TCM ties to aging, and nourishes blood: the classical rule is that treating wind starts with treating blood, which is why it sits in Eliminate Wind Powder. Its oiliness lubricates the intestines, moving what is stuck out through the stool.
Safety
- Sesame is a major food allergen. Anaphylaxis has been reported, so avoid entirely if you react to sesame.
- Allergic reactions can include asthma, hives, itching, swelling, cough, and an itchy throat.
- Contraindicated in those with diarrhea from Spleen deficiency. The oily, lubricating nature worsens loose stools.
- Avoid if you have loose stools, or leakage patterns such as spermatorrhea or vaginal discharge.
- AHPA Safety Class 1, Interaction Class A. No pregnancy or lactation safety data was identified.
How to take it
Grind or crush the seeds before eating, or whole ones pass through undigested. Use 1–2 tablespoons over congee, smoothies, or noodles. Toasting deepens the aroma. Sesame paste (芝麻酱) works too.
Add a tablespoon of black sesame paste to your morning congee for a nourishing blood-building breakfast
Blend 2–3 tablespoons of black sesame seeds with warm water and honey for a tonifying sesame milk. Drink once daily. Can also be simmered with rice to make a porridge-like drink.
Blend 2 tbsp black sesame with 1 cup warm water and a drizzle of honey for a nightly Liver and Kidney tonic
Where it comes from
Black sesame appears in the Divine Husbandman's Classic of the Materia Medica, and still goes by the older name hú má (胡麻), barbarian hemp, from the days when it arrived along the western trade routes. An 8th-century text credits it with tonifying the middle, nourishing the organs, and helping the body withstand extremes of heat and cold. Long-term use was said to keep hair from greying early. It remains one of the few blood-nourishing medicines people can simply eat every day.