Vol. 7, Issue 11, Part A (2025)

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) represents one of the oldest domesticated oilseed crops, valued for its dense nutritional composition and adaptability to diverse agroecological environments. Its seeds contain an optimal balance of high-quality proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, lignans, minerals, and antioxidants that collectively contribute to improved metabolic function, reduced oxidative stress, and enhanced cardiovascular health. With the global shift toward sustainable diets and resource-efficient agriculture, sesame offers significant potential for integration into crop-based dietary frameworks, particularly in regions facing nutritional insecurity. The growing recognition of sesame as a functional food ingredient has encouraged research on optimizing its incorporation into plant-based diets and evaluating its role in improving dietary quality through micronutrient enrichment, protein supplementation, and provision of bioactive compounds. Despite its advantages, gaps persist regarding consumer utilisation patterns, agronomic constraints, variability in nutritional composition, and limited policy emphasis on sesame-derived foods within sustainable dietary guidelines. This article provides an analytical examination of the nutritional significance of sesame seeds and evaluates their potential integration into sustainable crop-based diets. Emphasis is placed on compositional diversity, health-promoting properties, environmental resilience, and the scope for aligning sesame cultivation with climate-smart agricultural systems. By synthesizing existing evidence, this research aims to contextualize sesame as a strategically important crop for promoting nutritional security and resilience within food systems. The findings highlight the need for enhanced consumer awareness, targeted interventions for smallholder farmers, development of value-added sesame-based foods, and nutritional policy frameworks that support sesame integration into mainstream diets. Strengthening these domains may contribute substantially to healthier populations and environmentally sustainable food production systems.