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Sesame
Plant cultivated for its edible seeds / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sesame (/ˈsɛsəmi/;[2][3] Sesamum indicum) is a plant in the genus Sesamum, also called simsim, benne or gingelly.[4] Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India.[5] It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for its edible seeds, which grow in pods. World production in 2018 was 6 million tonnes (5,900,000 long tons; 6,600,000 short tons), with Sudan, Myanmar, and India as the largest producers.[6]
Sesame | |
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Sesame plants | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Lamiales |
Family: | Pedaliaceae |
Genus: | Sesamum |
Species: | S. indicum |
Binomial name | |
Sesamum indicum | |
Synonyms[1] | |
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Sesame seed is one of the oldest oilseed crops known, domesticated well over 3,000 years ago. Sesamum has many other species, most being wild and native to sub-Saharan Africa.[5] S. indicum, the cultivated type, originated in India.[7][5] It tolerates drought conditions well, growing where other crops fail.[8][9] Sesame has one of the highest oil contents of any seed. With a rich, nutty flavor, it is a common ingredient in cuisines around the world.[10][11] Like other foods, it can trigger allergic reactions in some people and is one of the nine most common allergens outlined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).[12][13]