Flying with sesame seeds

The only time I ever ate sesame seeds regularly was when I ate Big Macs. You know "two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun". Now I find out that they are actually very good for me. This is an excerpt from my friend Dr. Ann's Wellness Newsletter.

Like their nut cousins, sesame seeds are concentrated nuggets of nutritional excellence. They are exceptionally rich in a host of key minerals, and provide two very special and unique phytochemicals, sesamin and sesamolin. Both are super-potent antioxidants from the lignan family that have been shown to lower cholesterol, prevent high blood pressure, and boost the activity of vitamin E.

Throw toasted or raw sesame seeds into your salads or veggies. Enjoy hummus regularly. Keep tahini (pure, ground sesame seeds) as a staple in your fridge and use it as a "healthy oil" base for salad dressings and sauces.

You can read more about this and other extremely healthy tips at http://www.dranns10steps.com/index.cfm

Okay, sesame seeds do not make the Big Mac any healthier. It still has 576 calories, 32.5 grams of fat (12 grams is saturated), 103 milligrams of cholesterol, and 742 milligrams of sodium.

On the plus side, (yes, there is a slight one) it has no sugar and is high in selenium (an important trace mineral that works as an antioxidant, along with Vitamin E, to protect cells from damage from substances called free radicals. It also helps regulate the thyroid and is necessary for proper immune system function). I had no idea!