My mom’s been trying for a couple of years to get me to consume black soy and black sesame powder. My uncle in Seoul grows the two ingredients just for my mom, has them ground at a local mill, and then ships the powder to her in Florida. He started doing this years ago when my mom first started to get white hair, swearing that it would make her hair turn black again. Obviously, I was skeptical. It took a long time, but I do have to admit that while she’s still salt-and-pepper-haired, she’s now more peppery than she used to be.
I’m a really picky eater and made a face every visit home when my mom handed me the powder mixed with milk. I’m not intending to go gray anytime soon (although I did get my first white hair last year), so I needed more incentive to start drinking the stuff. She told me about the protein content and other nutritional value , and I decided to try to learn some more on my own.
Health benefits
- According to this article on NPR.org, black sesame is an excellent source of essential minerals and fiber.
- Black soybeans are apparently one of Dr. Oz’s favorite superfoods.
- And this article in The Japan Times indicates that black soybeans are more effective than yellow soybeans in preventing menopausal symptoms (hope I don’t have to worry about that soon, either).
After finding more evidence of the health benefits of black sesame and black soy (thanks Google!), I decided to figure out how to make the stuff taste to my liking. It wasn’t hard at all! This is now a nearly daily ritual for me, I love it so much – it’s fast, filling, and healthy.
Recipe
You should be able to find the black soy and sesame powder at any Asian grocery store.
- About a quarter cup of milk (I use 1.5%, lactose-free)
- A couple tablespoons of the black soy and sesame powder mix
- A couple tablespoons of ground dried coconut
- One banana
- Honey to taste
Blend it up and that’s it! Something delicious for me to enjoy on this dreary Swiss Good Friday.
lady hapa 