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Sesame oil is a pale yellow, semi-drying fatty oil extracted from sesame seeds. It is known for its stability and resistance to rancidity. The seeds themselves are a good source of protein, thiamin, and vitamin B6.12

Sesame oil has a mild, nutty flavor and is used in various ways:
* Culinary: As a salad or cooking oil, in shortening and margarine, and as a flavoring in cuisines, particularly in the Middle East and Asia.23
* Industrial: In cosmetics, soaps, pharmaceuticals, and lubricants.13

The plant, Sesamum indicum, has been cultivated since antiquity and likely originated in Asia or East Africa. The seeds are also used whole in baked goods and confections like halvah.2

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