Las semillas de ajonjolí, a pesar de su pequeño tamaño, son un cultivo extremadamente valioso. El nombre científico de la planta de donde vienen es Sesamum Indicum, que es originaria de África pero ahora se encuentra principalmente a lo largo de Asia, siendo Myanmar e India los mayores productores en ese continente.
Estas plantas anuales son las plantas oleaginosas más antiguas conocidas por el hombre, y el aceite de sésamo o ajonjolí, que conforma hasta el 60% de la semilla, se usa mundialmente para cocinar y con fines medicinales. Las semillas en sí se usan como especia o condimento, perfectas para agregar un toque especial a cualquier platillo, aunque son especialmente apreciadas en panadería.
La planta de sésamo puede crecer hasta un metro y medio de altura; sus flores son de color blanco, rosa o morado rosáceo, y las semillas crecen dentro de pequeñas vainas alargadas. Cuando llega el momento de la cosecha, se agrupan los tallos y se extraen las semillas del interior de sus vainas.
El ajonjolí en México
Como muchos otros cultivos, el ajonjolí llegó al continente americano con los esclavos africanos, quienes traían esta semilla como parte de su dieta, utilizándola en diversos platillos, así como usando el aceite para enaltecer la belleza de la piel.
Este cultivo poco exigente de nutrientes, se desarrolla en una gran variedad de suelos, pero los más aptos son de texturas ligeras. Hay más de 15 variedades de ajonjolí, las cuales se pueden dividir por su color y su precocidad, las más comunes son de color blanco y negro o tostado.
Los agricultores mexicanos aportan 0.8% del ajonjolí que se cosecha en el mundo, siendo su rendimiento 1.9 veces mayor al del líder mundial. México es el productor número 15 en el mundo, generando hasta 20 millones de litros de aceite de ajonjolí.
Datos curiosos
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También puedes encontrar diversos productos Don Zabor en nuestra tienda en línea, además de ofertas imperdibles, como la de la nuez de la India, ¡no la dejes de aprovechar!
They are an excellent source of nutrition for vegans and omnivores alike and are linked to positive health outcomes. If you want to know why, keep reading.
How are nuts distinguished from seeds?
It is not always easy to know which is one or the other, or even what each one is for, but we hope that this guide will be useful to you; let's start with the nuts. These are the fruit of a plant that is surrounded by a hard shell. The botanical definition of a walnut implies that this hard shell does not split open to release the seed.
In the culinary and nutrition world, we define foods by their use in recipes and by their nutrient content; that's why we never use the botanical definition of a fruit because that would include nuts, whole grains, and lots of vegetables.
The seeds come from a plant whose purpose is to become a new plant. Again, the culinary definition specifies that the seeds are edible for human consumption.
Your benefits
These foods are an excellent source of essential nutrients and also contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, both of which can be beneficial to long-term health.
Studies have found that people who regularly eat nuts and seeds have better heart health, weight control, and lower risk of some cancers than those who don't. Eating nuts and seeds may also be helpful for people with type 2 diabetes.
They are a good source of dietary fiber; they provide good fats, which nourish blood cells and help maintain brain function. They help control cholesterol levels and are rich in trace elements such as selenium, magnesium, copper and zinc, which our body needs.
Why is it important to include them in a vegan diet?
While the nutrients found in nuts and seeds can be beneficial to both vegans and omnivores, they are especially helpful to vegans.
They are excellent sources of plant-based protein, which is why they are often incorporated into plant-based diets very commonly, even as the main ingredient to create alternative products to dairy, such as cream, cheese and non-dairy milks among others. And boy, at Don Zabor we have recipes of this kind that are finger-licking good. You can find them on our blog, of course.
What kind of seeds and nuts should you include in your diet?
There are tons of tasty nuts and seeds that can fit into your everyday life.Some great options for nuts include:
How to use them in the kitchen?
As we already mentioned, you can use them to make alternative products to dairy such as vegan cheeses, vegetable milks, cream, yogurt, or make parfaits or oatmeal with chia or flaxseed for a healthy breakfast, to accompany a salad or a pasta; if you have meetings with friends or family, you can make delicious dips with nuts and seeds, or use them to make granola and even as snacks or collations to give energy to your body throughout the day
Do you want to know more about our products? You can find a lot of information and recipes on our blog, plus you can buy them at any Walmart, Superama, Bodega Aurrera, laComer and Alsuper, and at our new online store.
The Cashnut is praised for its significant reserve of nutrients. Along with Brazil nuts and almonds, cashews have the highest magnesium content per serving of any tree nut. And like most nuts, they're also a good source of vitamin E and cancer-fighting phytochemicals.
From tree to spice
This seasoning, although not of Mexican origin, has been adopted by our gastronomy in countless sweet and savory dishes. Originally from Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), it is now cultivated in many tropical countries; Indonesia, China and Vietnam are the main producers, leaving Sri Lanka in fourth place.
In Mexico, it is cultivated in certain areas of Chiapas and Veracruz, since the climate of these places is appropriate for it to prosper, thanks to the fact that it is humid tropical and maintains temperatures above 25oC.
This evergreen tree grows up to 13 meters tall, and the seasoning we know as canelaw2 comes from its bark; it is removed every two years, the outer layer is scraped off and allowed to dry; With the help of the hands of the worker, during this process it shrinks and takes on the shape we know, like a branch.
Fake cinnamon?
Cinnamomum verum was described by the Czech chemist, botanist, zoologist, geologist, mineralogist and paleontologist Jan Svatopluk Presl in 1825.
The generic name Cinnamomum comes from the Greek Kinnamon or Kinnamomon, meaning sweet wood. The specific epithet verum is derived from the Latin "verus, vera, verum" which means true, to distinguish it from other species of Cinnamomum from which a similar but lower quality product is obtained.
Such is the case of Cassia or Chinese Cinnamon (Cinnamomum aromaticum, Cinnamomum Cassia); although they are very similar, Cassia is less aromatic, has a more pungent flavor (similar to that of pepper), while Ceylon cinnamon or Mexican cinnamon has a more subtle flavor and it is more fragrant. The first is usually used for savory dishes and the second for sweets.
How to differentiate one from the other? Cassia cinnamon is rolled like a parchment, ending with two edges pointing inward, plus it is harder and thicker. Ceylon, on the other hand, is brittle and rolls up in thin layers, and is lighter in color.
Your benefits
In addition to its multiple benefits, cinnamon is a sustainably grown plant, like bamboo; trees grow quickly, as well as branches when cut.This and more are enough reasons to always have it in the pantry, from using it in tea to incorporating it into our traditional Mexican recipes
If, like us, you love to always have those basic ingredients in your pantry, don't hesitate to look for Don Zabor products at any Walmart, Superama, Bodega Aurrera, H-E-B, laComer and Alsuper, as well as at our new online store.
