Know2eat

Tahini

Sesamum indicum

What tahini has been studied for

3 associations assessed — 3 with at least some human evidence behind them. Strongest first.

  • 1 Moderate
  • 2 Limited
4 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About tahini

Sesame seeds stone-ground into a loose paste, the foundation of hummus, halva and the sauces of Levantine cooking. The USDA reference entry is for tahini made from raw, unhulled stone-ground kernels, which is darker and more bitter than the hulled roasted paste sold in most supermarkets.

Also known as Sesame paste, Tahina, Ardeh

Heart HealthInflammation

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Moderate

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Blood lipid profile

Heart Health
Moderate evidence

Meta-analyses of sesame consumption trials report small reductions in total and LDL cholesterol. The trials are mostly small, several used sesame oil or extracted lignans rather than tahini, and heterogeneity is considerable.

What may be going on: Sesame lignans and phytosterols appear to reduce cholesterol absorption in the gut, and sesamin has been reported to affect hepatic lipid handling.

Moderate evidence. Several human studies point the same way, with real caveats.

3 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Healthy blood pressure

Heart Health
Limited evidence

Evidence is limited. Some trials of sesame or sesame oil report modest reductions in systolic blood pressure, but the studies are small, mostly from a few research groups, and results are not consistent.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

4 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Inflammatory markers

Inflammation
Limited evidence

Evidence is limited. A small number of trials report lower C-reactive protein or interleukin-6 after sesame supplementation, often in people with osteoarthritis or metabolic conditions, and the studies are short and small.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

2 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Tahini

Ask about Tahini

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories570 kcal28%
Protein17.8 g36%
Total fat48 g62%
Carbohydrate26.2 g10%
Fibre9.3 g33%
Water3 g—
Fats
Saturated fat6.72 g34%
Monounsaturated fat18.1 g—
Polyunsaturated fat21 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
Linoleic acid (omega-6)20.7 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A3 µg0%
Vitamin C0 mg0%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Thiamin (B1)1.28 mg107%
Riboflavin (B2)0.51 mg39%
Niacin (B3)5.92 mg37%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.694 mg14%
Vitamin B60.149 mg9%
Folate98 µg25%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Minerals
Calcium420 mg32%
Iron2.51 mg14%
Magnesium96 mg23%
Phosphorus752 mg60%
Potassium414 mg9%
Sodium74 mg3%
Zinc4.64 mg42%
Copper1.62 mg180%
Manganese1.46 mg63%
Other measured compounds
Ash5 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, from raw and stone ground kernels (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 169410).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • roastedIncreases sesamol and flavour

    Roasting the seed before grinding converts some sesamolin to sesamol, an antioxidant that improves the oxidative stability of the paste as well as its flavour.

  • groundIncreases nutrient availability

    Grinding breaks the tough seed coat that lets whole sesame pass through the gut largely intact, so the fat, minerals and lignans of ground paste are more accessible than those of whole seeds.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Allergy

    Sesame allergy

    Sesame is a major regulated allergen in the US, EU, UK, Canada and Australia, and a documented cause of anaphylaxis. Tahini is a concentrated form and is hidden inside hummus, halva, dips and dressings where it may not be obvious.

  • Worth knowing

    Salmonella outbreaks

    Tahini and halva have caused repeated multi-country Salmonella outbreaks and product recalls. Sesame seeds are dried in open conditions, the paste is not cooked, and its low water activity lets Salmonella survive for months. This is a genuine and recurring hazard rather than a theoretical one.

  • Worth knowing

    Oxalate and kidney stones

    Unhulled sesame is high in oxalate, and tahini concentrates it. People who form calcium oxalate stones are generally advised to moderate high-oxalate foods; hulled tahini carries considerably less.

  • Worth knowing

    Calcium depends on hulling

    Most sesame calcium is in the hull, and it is partly bound to oxalate anyway. Tahini made from hulled seed, the usual supermarket product, supplies far less calcium than unhulled paste.