Botanical name: Sesamum orientale

Common names: black sesame seeds, benne, till seed, teel

Oily and rich with a nutty flavor, sesame seeds are often used in cooking. The black sesame seeds are unhulled while the white sesame seeds are sold with their hulls removed. Because of this, black sesame seeds tend to be slightly more bitter and nuttier in flavor compared to white sesame seeds. They have a long history of use in global herbal practices, including Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine.