What are the health benefits of tahini?

Tahini is a butter made from hulled, ground, and toasted sesame seeds. It is commonly used in North African, Greek, Iranian, Turkish, and Middle Eastern cuisine.

It is a major ingredient in hummus and baba ghanoush, a dip similar to hummus, made with eggplant rather than chickpeas.

This MNT Knowledge Center feature is part of a collection of articles on the health benefits of popular foods.

It provides a nutritional breakdown of tahini and an in-depth look at its possible health benefits, how to incorporate more tahini into your diet, and any potential health risks of consuming tahini.

Fast facts about tahini

- Tahini is a paste or butter made from ground sesame seeds.
- It is a key ingredient in hummus and in baba ghanoush, an aubergine dip.
- It provides good amounts of protein and various minerals.
- Tahini is also high in calories, and it should be eaten in moderation.

Nutrition

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database, a 2-tablespoon (tbsp) serving of tahini made from roasted sesame seeds and weighing 30 grams (g) contains:

178 calories
16.13 g of fat
6.36 g of carbohydrates
2.8 g of fiber
0.15 g of sugar
5.1 g of protein

That same 2-tbsp serving provides:

8 percent of magnesium
22 percent of phosphorus
14 percent of iron
12 percent of calcium

Tahini seems to contain large amounts of fat. However, only 2 of the 16 g found in a 2-tbsp serving are saturated. The rest are mono- and poly-unsaturated fats, known to be beneficial to the heart and overall health.

Sesame seeds also contain more phytosterols than all other nuts and seeds. These are important for their cholesterol-lowering and cancer-blocking effects.

There are many other nutrients in sesame seeds, but it is difficult for the body to absorb them due to their hard outer layer, or hull. Consuming sesame seeds in the paste form of tahini allows the body to absorb the nutrients they provide more efficiently.

Benefits

Tahini boasts a range of health benefits to enrich any meal.

Heart health

Being made from sesame seeds means that tahini can provide some of the benefits of sesamin and sesamol.

These are lignans, antioxidant nutrients that can help support the immune system and balance hormone levels.

One 2014 study showed that they may also have a positive impact on cholesterol levels and oxidative stress in patients with osteoarthritis.

As seen above, tahini is high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Studies have shown that consuming these types of fats can lower harmful cholesterol levels as well as lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.

The calcium and magnesium in tahini may also work to decrease blood pressure naturally.

Cancer prevention

Lignans have a similar structure to estrogen. The sesamin and sesamol lignans in tahini can bind to estrogen receptors, which may protect against hormone-related cancers.

If you have a history of cancer it is important to talk to your doctor about adding supplements to your diet.

Arthritis

A study published in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases saw patients with knee osteoarthritis given either glucosamine plus Tylenol twice a day, a standard treatment for osteoarthritis, or 40 g per day of powdered sesame seeds, comparable to 2 tablespoons of tahini.

The group consuming sesame scored higher on measures to test the inhibitions associated with knee osteoarthritis, reported less pain, and did not experience the side effects associated with Tylenol.

Bone health

The high magnesium content in tahini is beneficial for maintaining healthy bones. Adequate magnesium intakes are associated with a greater bone density and have been effective in decreasing the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

One review of existing studies showed that magnesium might boost bone mineral density in the neck and hip.

Diet

Tahini is a major component of classic hummus, a popular dip based on chickpeas. Anytime you add traditional hummus to a meal, you are eating tahini and gaining benefits from its sesame seed content.

Here are some quick tips for adding tahini to your diet:

Top salads with a quick dollop of tahini.
Make your own salad dressing using tahini.
Dip vegetables into a tablespoon or two of tahini.

Try these delicious recipes which use tahini:

Lebanese baked spicy fish in with tahini sauce
Hummus with Olives, Pine Nuts and Olive Oil Crostini
Baba Ganoush
Avocado Tahini Dip

The oil in tahini may separate during storage, which is completely normal. This can be stirred back in on serving. To avoid having to stir tahini before use, trying storing it upside down in the refrigerator.

If you would like to try tahini, it is available to purchase online. Please note that clicking this link will take you to an external site.